V.Y.J. Teoh - Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, ۱۱۸۰۰ USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Izzat-Irfan - Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, ۱۱۸۰۰ USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
A. Jaya-Ram - Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, ۱۱۸۰۰ USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
S.P. Woo - Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, ۱۱۸۰۰ USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Melo melo (Lightfoot, ۱۷۸۶) is a large, predatory marine gastropod distributed in the shallow waters of Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Burma, Hong Kong, and other countries within the Southeast Asian region. The M. melo can be distinguished based on the large orange globose-ovate shaped shell without spines (Poutiers, ۱۹۹۸). The body colour of M. melo is unique among its congeners, being cream in colour with stripes ranging from brown to black in colour (Morton, ۱۹۸۶). Figure ۱ illustrates an outline sketch of M. melo and its external anatomy.

Gastropoda, Volutidae, Melo melo, feeding, diet, prey