Chelycypraea testudinaria, common name the tortoise cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.[1]
| Chelycypraea testudinaria | |
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| Five views of a shell of Chelycypraea testudinaria | |
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| Dorsal view of a shell of Chelycypraea testudinaria | |
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| Species: | C. testudinaria
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| Chelycypraea testudinaria | |
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There is one subspecies, Chelycypraea testudinaria ingens Schilder, F.A. & M. Schilder, 1939 [2]
Description edit
The shells of these quite uncommon cowries reach on average 90–110 millimetres (3.5–4.3 in) of length, with a minimum size of 75 millimetres (3.0 in) and a maximum size of 142 millimetres (5.6 in). They are variable in pattern and color. The shape is oval or sub-cylindrical, the dorsum surface is smooth and shiny, the basic color is whitish or yellowish and it is covered by very irregular dark brown patches and spots. The margins are white or pale brown, with some large dark dots. The base may be whitish, pale brown or pink, the aperture is long and narrow and the teeth are white, short and fine. In the living animal the mantle is bluish-greyish and almost transparent, while the sensorial papillae are lighter and rather long. The mantle and foot are well developed. The lateral flaps of the mantle can completely hide the dorsum surface.
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Distribution edit
This species is distributed in the Indian Ocean and in the Pacific Ocean along Aldabra, Chagos, the Comores, Kenya, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, the Seychelles, Zanzibar and Tanzania, Malaysia, Samar Island, Sulu Sea, Vietnam and Philippines (excluded Hawaii).
Habitat edit
These cowries live on coral reef, in crevices and beneath large rocks in shallow subtidal waters at 5–15 metres (16–49 ft) of depth.
References edit
- ^ a b Chelycypraea testudinaria (Linnaeus). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
- ^ "Chelycypraea testudinaria ingens". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
- Drivas, J. & M. Jay (1988). Coquillages de La Réunion et de l'île Maurice
- Verdcourt, B. (1954). The cowries of the East African Coast (Kenya, Tanganyika, Zanzibar and Pemba). Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society 22(4) 96: 129–144, 17 pls
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