Swollen Bubble Shells

I have grown to absolutely adore these unique and delicate shells. Each and every swollen bubble is handpicked on the beaches of Molokai by myself and my daughters. As with all of my shells, they are never taken alive. If you’re looking for unique pieces of jewelry that you won’t find anywhere else, look no FURTHER.

Names: Hydatina amplustra. pupu leholeho'oni'oni'o. swollen bubble shell

“Widely distributed throughout the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans (from Hawaii to Africa), H. amplustre is most often found in coastal, rocky tide pools. This species is a member of the family Amplustridae, which is a type of heterobranch sea snail. “Like nearly all heterobranchs, they are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning each snail is both male and female at the same time,” says Cory Pittman from Sea Slugs of Hawaii. “The animals are nocturnal, burying themselves in sand during the day.” These tiny animals usually live no longer than a year and eat mostly polychaete worms living on the seafloor.”

reference: https://www.beachcombingmagazine.com/blogs/news/bubble-shells