Phylum Mollusca

Class Gastropoda

 

Family Tonnidae

Tun Shells

Tuns are large snails with soft parts too large to retract into the shell.  They emerge from sand at night to feed upon sea cucumbers.

 

HAWAII

Tonna melanostoma

Cargo Pier, Midway, 35 feet

BLACKLIPPED TUN

Aperture has a dark border.  Rare but more common in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.  Attains the size of a soccer ball.  Hawaii & the tropical Pacific.

Tonna perdix

Tug Pier, Midway, 25 feet

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet

 

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet

 

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet

PARTRIDGE TUN

A large thin shell that will reach at least 8 inches.  Empty shells are commonly inhabited by hermit crabs with sea anemones.  Animal has bluish glow when active.  Hawaii & the Indo-West Pacific.

Malea pomum

APPLE TUN

Rarely found alive at scuba depths.  Indo-Pacific.  About 3.5 inches.

 

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