Cowries (Cypraeidae) Cowry or cowrie, plural cowries, is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The word cowry is also often used to refer only to the shells of these snails, which overall are often shaped more or less like an egg, except that they are rather flat on the underside. Many people throughout history have found (and still find) the very rounded, shiny, porcelain-like shells of cowries pleasing to look at and to handle. Indeed the term porcelain derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similar translucent appearance. Shells of certain species have historically been used as currency in several parts of the world, as well as being used, in the past and present, very extensively in jewellery, and for other decorative and ceremonial purposes. Erosaria spurca, (top left and bottom left photos) common name the dirty cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The shells of these very common cowries reach on average 23–28 mm of length, with a minimum size of 12 mm and a maximum size of 39 mm. They are very variable in pattern and colour. The surface is smooth and shiny, the dorsum basic colour is whitish or yellowish, with a variegated orange-brown, yellow ocher or reddish indistinct spotting on the dorsum. The yellowish margins are crenulated or bordered by a series of dimples. The base is whitish or cream, sometimes with shades of orange and some dark spots near the edge, while the teeth are usually large and white. In the living cowries the mantle is greyish, with quite long tree-shaped sensorial papillae. These cowries commonly live at 2–20 metres deep, but they can also be found in deeper waters up to 50 metres. During the day they are usually hidden under rocks, in crevices or in underwater meadows of Posidonia oceanica, as they start feeding at dusk. Both these photos were taken at the House Cave (known by locals as Ta’ Wiereb) on Gozo’s northwest coastline. Luria lurida (photo to the right) common name the brown cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The shells of Luria lurida reach on average 40–48 mm of length, with a minimum size of 14 mm and a maximum size of 66 mm. The dorsum surface of these elongated, smooth and shiny shells is mainly pale brown or reddish, with three transversal darker bands alternating with narrower clearer bands. At the extremities of the shell there are two separate dark brown spots. The aperture is wide, with several teeth. In the living cowries the mantle is dark brown and may cover the entire shell. The male is usually smaller and elongated than the female. As they fear the light, during the day usually they hide themselves in small caves, crevices or under rocks up to about 40 metres deep. They live on rocky seabed and corals, feeding during the night mainly on sponges of Verongia aerophoba, Aiplysina aerophoba, Chondrilla nucula and Tethya aurantium. This photo was taken at the Inland Sea tunnel on Gozo’s west coast. Photos taken by Brian Azzopardi
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 06:51:57 +0000
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