Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Cypraeidae, commonly named the cowries (sg. cowry or cowrie), is a taxonomic family of small to large sea snails. These are marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cypraeoidea , the cowries and cowry allies.
Cowrie or cowry (pl. cowries) is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails in the family Cypraeidae. The term porcelain derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similar appearance. [1] Cowrie shells have held cultural, economic, and ornamental significance in various cultures.
The largest known fossil cowry was Gisortia gigantiea Munster, 1828 which reached a length of 350mm. The largest modern cowry is the Atlantic Deer Cowry (Macrocypraea cervus) at up to 190mm. The largest known cowry from any extant subfamily or genus was the Australian cowry Zoila (Gigantocypraea) gigas (McCoy, 1867) at about 247mm. [2]
The tiger cowry was one of the many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, and the species still bears its original name of Cypraea tigris. [1] Its specific epithet tigris relates to its common name "tiger" (the shell however is spotted, not striped).
Ovulidae, common names the ovulids, cowry allies or false cowries, is a family of small to large predatory or parasitic sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Cypraeoidea, the cowries and the cowry allies.
Naria erosa, common name the gnawed or eroded cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. [1] Subspecies. Naria erosa chlorizans (Melvill, 1888) Naria erosa erosa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Cypraea umbilicata Sowerby I, 1825 (invalid: junior homonym of Cypraea umbilicata Lightfoot, 1786 and C. umbilicata Dillwyn, 1823; Cypraea hesitata is a replacement name) Umbilia hesitata , common name the umbilicate cowry or wonder cowry is a species of sea snail , a cowry , a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae , the cowries.
Erronea pyriformis, common name the pear-shaped cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. Description [ edit ]