Distribution: Moderately common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region. In Australia recorded from Geraldton in Western Australia, through the tropical north to the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland and south to southern New South Wales, including Lord Howe Island. Common in its tropical range, rare in New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents rocky reef, from inter-tidal to a few metres deep. Often in cracks and crevices, under rocks.

Additional Notes: Base and sides white, dorsum with three very faint bands of light brown. In adults there are fine reddish-brown zigzag lines on the surface, these lines quickly wearing away on dead specimens. The mantle is jet black with smallish white papillae. Grows to 26 mm, commonly 15 – 18 mm. Formerly known as Cypraea clandestina.

References: Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Palmadusta+clandestina. Accessed 09/11/2018.

The Seashells of New South Wales, Des Beechey, Senior Fellow, Australian Museum, Release 25. Website at https://seashellsofnsw.org.au/Cypraeidae/Pages/cypraea_clandestina_linna…. Accessed 09/11/2018.