Barycypraea fultoni

Barycypraea fultoni
Apertural views of shells of Barycypraea fultoni (right) and Bernaya teulerei (left)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Cypraeidae
Genus:	Barycypraea
Species:	B. fultoni
Binomial name
Barycypraea fultoni (Sowerby III, 1903)
Synonyms [1]
Bernaya fultoni(Sowerby III, 1903) Cypraea fultoni Sowerby III, 1903

Barycypraea fultoni common name the Fulton's Cowry (or Maltese Cross Cowry) ranks among the most famous and sought-after species of the family Cypraeidae.

Discovery

Before the 1980s, less than 40 specimens of Barycypraea fultoni were known. ^[2] The rarity of the snail was given by the fact that all shell specimens of this sea snail were exclusively discovered from the stomachs of fish such as Sparodons, which notably had to be removed within a few hours of having been swallowed to prevent the stomach acid of the fish from damaging the specimen. ^[3]

In the mid-1980s however, Russian trawlers began to find thousands of specimens along Mozambique. The large number of specimens now available were first separated into two subspecies (pyriform fultoni fultoni and extremely calloused specimens named fultoni amorimi ) and later four subspecies. While the subdivision of the specimens from South African waters (fultoni) and Mozambican waters (amorimi) is also well supported by molecular data, there remains an uncertainty concerning the two taxa from shallower waters from the same general areas (deltoidea in South Africa and massieri in Mozambique). ^[2] Their position either as bathymetric subspecies or bathymetric forms is an open question.

Market Value

In the 1980s, an American collector bought the then world record size (slightly less than 80 mm) specimen for US$22,000. Shortly after, three of these specimens were purchased by Dr. Luigi Raybaudi Massilia, with one specimen over 80mm being purchased for US$25,000, as noted by the Guinness World Records, it was the highest price paid for a seashell at the time. ^[4]

Subspecies

• Barycypraea fultoni amorimiRaybaudi Massilia, L., 1990 ^[5]
• Barycypraea fultoni fultoni(Sowerby, G.B. III, 1903) ^[6]

Description

Shell size 60-85 mm.

Distribution

This species is distributed in the Indian Ocean along the coasts of East Africa and South Africa.

References

1. Barycypraea fultoni (Sowerby III, 1903). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
2. "The Chong Chen Archives | ConchologyCYPRAEIDAE BARYCYPRAEA FULTONI FULTONI". www.conchology.be. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
3. Scase, Robert; Storey, Eric (1975). The world of shells. Berkshire: Osprey. ISBN   978-0-85045-222-8.
4. The Festivus. Vol. 55. The San Diego Shell Club.
5. "Barycypraea fultoni amorimi". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
6. "Barycypraea fultoni fultoni". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 23 October 2010.