Chemnitz’ Moon Shell, Notocochlis chemnitzii

Chemnitz’ Moon Shell, Notocochlis chemnitzii. Size: 2.5 cm (1.0 inch) x 2.4 cm (0.9 cm) x 2.0 cm (0.8 inches). Shell collected off the beach at Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur, July 2008.  Collection, photograph and identification courtesy of Bob Hillis, Ivins, Utah.

Chemnitz’ Moon, Notocochlis chemnitzii. Shell collected off the beach at Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur, February 2022. Size: 2.5 cm (1.0 inch) x 2.1 cm (0.8 inches) x 2.0 cm (0.8 inches). Photograph and Identifications courtesy of Colin Campbell, DVM, Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur.

The Chemnitz’ Moon, Notocochlis chemnitzii (Pfeiffer, 1840), is a gastropod mollusk that is a member of the Naticiae Family of Moons. They are also known in Mexico as na’tica fanguera. They are globular in shape and consist of about four to five whorls, with a short spire, a pointed apex and an aperture that is large and semi-circular. The exterior of the shell is smooth and slightly polished. These shells have exteriors that are highly variable in color pattern most being a bluish-gray or yellowish-gray with darker bands or chevrons crossing the whorls; some have a cloudy appearance. The interior is brown with white bands and the operculum is white and calcareous. The Chemnitz’ Moon Shell reach a maximum of 2.8 cm (1.1 inches) in length and 2.3 cm (0.9 inches) in height.

Chemnitz’ Moons are the most abundant Moon Snail in the region. They are found on sand or mud substrate, in the intertidal zone to depths of up to only 3 m (10 feet). They range from Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur to Peru and are found throughout the Sea of Cortez.

Synonyms include Natica chemnitzii, Natica pritchardi, and Natica undata.