This species occurs in Indo-Pacific region: Nansei-shoto in Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Jawa in Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Queensland in Australia[1] India[5] and Ceylon.[4] It also occurs in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.[1]
Clithon oualaniense is a eurybiotic species.[7] It inhabits soft bottoms of intertidal habitats.[7] It can occur in high density, for example 347 snails per m² was recorded, that correspond to the biomass of 30.6 g per m².[7] It also inhabits sea grass bed with Zostera japonica.[8] The activity of Clithon oualaniense is diurnal; snails are active during the daytime and inactive at night.[8] It bury itself into the mud, when the tide is high, probably to avoid water predators.[9] They are on the surface feeding and mating when the tide is low.[9]
Clithon oualaniense is herbivorous, feeding of microalgae and on detritus.[8]
^Kumar P. S. & Khan A. B. (2013). "The distribution and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna in Pondicherry mangroves, India". Aquatic biosystems9(1): 1. doi:10.1186/2046-9063-9-15.
^ abcZvonareva S., Kantor Yu., Li X. & Britayev T. (2015). "Long-term monitoring of Gastropoda (Mollusca) fauna in planted mangroves in central Vietnam". Zoological Studies54: 39. doi:10.1186/s40555-015-0120-0.
^ abcTakada Y. (2000). "Activity patterns of Clithon oualaniensis (Mollusca: Gastropoda) on intertidal seagrass beds in Hong Kong". In: The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China V: Proceedings of the Tenth International Marine Biological Workshop: the Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China, Hong Kong, 6–26 April 1998 (Vol. 5, p. 217). Kent State University Press. 217-227.
^ abOhgaki S. I. (2001). "An example of activity pattern of the estuarine snails, Clithon faba and Clithon oualaniensis (Gastropoda: Neritidae) in the Nagura Lagoon, Ishigaki Island". Argonauta4: 28-37. HTML.
Budiman A. (1988). "Aspect of ecology of Clithon oualaniensis (Gastropoda: Neritidae) on Sonneratia pioneer zone at Sosobok River, Kao Bay, Halmahera". In: Biological Systems of Mangroves, a Report of East Indonesian Mangrove Expedition, 1986. eds. K Ogino & M Chihara, Ehime University, 59-65.
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