Distribution: Relatively common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region. In Australia it is recorded the Houtmann Abrolhos Islands in Western Australia, across the tropical north, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland south to Jervis Bay in New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents intertidal rocky pools and shorelines, usually under rocks or coral slabs. Feeds on algae. Able to survive relatively high water temperatures that occur in these habitats during hot summer months.

Additional Notes: Dorsum off-white to yellow with three indistinct narrow bluish bands. A faint orange ring sometimes encircles the upper portion of the dorsum. Base white, teeth white. Distinguished from Monetaria annulus by its heavy margin and the presence of a “bump” on each side of its shell. Grows to 30 mm.

References: Cowries of New South Wales, David Tarrant, published by David Tarrant, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2016. p.77.

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

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