Introduction to the Moon Snail, part 1
Lewis’ Moon Snails (Euspira lewisii), the largest moon snails in the world, are named after Merriweather Lewis, who first saw them at the mouth of the Columbia River. Moon snails like low, sandy beaches. The big slimy appendage sticking out of the shell is exactly that: a mucous-covered foot. The snail uses the foot to glide through water, burrow in sand, or to immobilize clams as it feeds on them. Moon snails, like all snails, are gastropods.
Below: the moon snail’s least flattering angle.
We’ve heard, but find it hard to believe, that moon snails are ‘relished’ in Norway. Hopefully the species of moon snail found in Europe is more appetizing than the Northwest’s Euspira lewisii. If there’s anyone out there who’s ever eaten moon snail, and enjoyed it, please tell us about it.
Moon snails are a drill snail, which means that somewhere in that mucous-covered foot there’s a sandpaper-like tongue that the snail uses to drill through the shells of its prey (normally clams). Before it starts drilling, the snail secretes a chemical that dissolves and softens the clam shell. Moon snails seem to really, really like butter clams, but they also eat cockles, horse clams, and even other moon snails. The main predator of the moon snail is the twenty-rayed starfish.
Discarded moon snail shells, which litter the tideflats, make great tchotchkes. Or, if you’re a hermit crab, great homes.
Tags: creatures, Moon Snail
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March 7th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I was just curious, have you ever eaten a moon snail??? If so, what did you think? If not, why not?
March 10th, 2008 at 6:19 am
We totally dig your blog.
This type of nature education will go a long way toward people’s understanding of the oyster and the preservation of its ecosystem!
Great idea and a great way to utlize your talent for writing. Keep it going!
March 12th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Oyster shucker Roberto has put ground up moon snail in a clam chowder, and that seems like the safest way to eat the snail. The foot is apparently very rubbery… you probably couldn’t put enough butter and garlic on a moon snail steak to make it edible.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:30 am
“We’ve heard, but find it hard to believe, that moon snails are ‘relished’ in Norway …. If there’s anyone out there who’s ever eaten moon snail, and enjoyed it, please tell us about it.”
Relished in Norway, and outer spaceskii, too! I am Russian Cosmonaut, launched into orbit with moon snails to eat.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Three times around the earth, staring up the moon snail’s a** for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Every day. No pat of butter. No jam. No fancy bread or toast. Just snail: Snail snail snail snail snail.
If we not eat them, they bore hole through our snazzy Russki space-helmets.
The Amerigans, they eat leopard. And cheetah. In space.
We eat moon snails, and is why we lost the spaceskii race.
Resignedly,
Boris
The Cosmonaut
March 20th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Dear Boris, that sounds terrible. Thanks for providing yet another reason to avoid moon snails. And if you run into Rear Admiral Beardon, could you pass on a message for us? We regret to say that homeland security intercepted and confiscated his comment.
October 15th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
It looks like this entry is from a while ago, but I just wanted to let you know this article helped a lot with my homework assignment. Thanks
October 20th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Glad we could help!
May 4th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Thank God I found your page!! I just spent a ton of time searching for into on the moon snails found on the coast of BC - very little info out there. Great pics and info, for my homeschooled kids - thanks a bunch!
May 5th, 2009 at 9:37 am
You’re welcome Faith! Let me know if you or your kids have any questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them.
July 31st, 2009 at 7:26 am
[...] more closely related to spiders…go figure.) Emma’s favorite touch-tank activity is cuddling moon snails. My favorite touch tank activity is coloring on the “Draw what you sea” board. Just made that [...]
August 20th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
We found these in the hood canal, part of the puget sound. we couldn’t find anyone who knew if they were edible, but we tried them anyway. We just put them on the grill over the campfire. there was a mussely part that was good, kind of like calamari. the rest just tasted like guts.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
by the way, LOL Boris
January 15th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
wat the f***
June 12th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Moon snails are like any other shellfish–you like them or you don’t. The foot is quite tough, but I own a grinder that is tougher. Me 1, snails 0.
The meat is very dense and works well in chowder. Today I’m going to try snail sauteed in garlic and a little soy sauce. I’m sure it will be quite good.