Distribution: Common throughout the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. In Australia recorded from Albany in Western Australia, across the tropical north, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to eastern Victoria on the east coast.

Ecological Notes: Frequents intertidal and shallow subtidal areas, under rocks and in crevices.

Additional Notes: Solid, depressed shell with strong chocolate coloured margins. Dorsal surface brown with numerous pale spots. Base transitions from dark brown at the margins to light brown or white at the aperture, teeth white with brown interstices. Mantle is mottled brown with long papillae. Grows to 35 mm.

References: Cowries of New South Wales, David Tarrant, published by David Tarrant, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2016. p.47.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=monetaria+caputserpentis. Accessed 08/11/2018.

The Seashells of New South Wales, Des Beechey, Senior Fellow, Australian Museum, Release 25. Website at https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Cypraeidae/Pages/cypraea_caputserpentis.htm. Accessed 08/11/2018.