Cypraecassis rufa

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Cypraecassis rufa
Cypraecassis rufa ventral view.jpg
Ventral view of a shell of Cypraecassis rufa, anterior end facing downwards
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cassidae
Genus: Cypraecassis
Species:
C. rufa
Binomial name
Cypraecassis rufa
Synonyms [1]

Cassis rufa Linnaeus, 1758

Cypraecassis rufa is a species of large sea snail, a predatory marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cassidae. It is commonly known as the "bullmouth shell" or "red helmet shell," and also as the "cameo shell." [2] Other names in English include bull's-mouth conch, red helmet or cameo shell. [3] In German it is called "Rote Porzellanschnecke," "Rote Helmschnecke" or "Feuerofen"; [4] and in Japanese, "マンボウガイ". [4] It was classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, who described it as Buccinum rufum. [5]

Contents

A shell of Cypraecassis rufa. The anterior end is to the lower left. Schneckenhaus Oberseite DB.jpg
A shell of Cypraecassis rufa. The anterior end is to the lower left.
Shell showing posterior end, with spire and protoconch, and right side of the shell. Cypraecassis rufaGlobal.png
Shell showing posterior end, with spire and protoconch, and right side of the shell.

Description

The shell is thick-walled and heavy, roughly oval and with a surface featuring three or four strongly nodular rows and spiral bands in grooves, clearly visible; orange and cream to reddish-brown in color, with lighter to gray spots. The inner and outer lips are glossy and marked by raised white teeth. The operculum is relatively small, only about 1/10th the length of the aperture. [6]

The adult shell of this species can grow to be as large as 7 1/2 inches (185 mm) in length. [6]

Distribution

This species is found along many shores of the Indo-Pacific, a biogeographic region comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two. It prefers sandy substrates near coral reefs, where it is a predator on sea urchins. [7]

The species has been observed from the coasts of East Africa to Polynesia; including Madagascar, Sri Lanka and the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean, through Indonesia and Melanesia to Polynesia; along China's coast as far north as Taiwan, also in southern Japan, northern Queensland, and the Fiji Islands, but has not been found in Micronesia, Hawaii or the coasts of India. [3] [8] [9]

This species is found off the southern African coast from northern KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. It is more common in Mozambique. [10] It is also a common shell to find on the shores of Kenya.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassidae</span> Family of gastropods

The Cassidae are a taxonomic family of medium-sized, large, and sometimes very large sea snails commonly called helmet snails or bonnet snails. These are marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Tonnoidea and the clade Littorinimorpha.

<i>Philine aperta</i> Species of gastropod

Philine aperta, the sand slug, is a species of predatory sea slug with an internal shell, a cephalaspid opisthobranch, or head-shield slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Philinidae.

<i>Cassis</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Cassis, common name the helmet shells, is a genus of very large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells and their allies. This is the type genus of the subfamily Cassinae.

<i>Cassis cornuta</i> Species of gastropod

Cassis cornuta, common name the horned helmet, is a species of extremely large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells and their allies.

<i>Chicoreus ramosus</i> Species of gastropod

Chicoreus ramosus, common name the ramose murex or branched murex, is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails. It is considered an economically important species in the Indo-West Pacific, especially in India.

<i>Conus ebraeus</i> Species of sea snail

Conus ebraeus, common name the black-and-white cone or Hebrew cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies.

<i>Pollia undosa</i> Species of gastropod

Pollia undosa, common name : the waved goblet, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pisaniidae, the true whelks.

<i>Scutus unguis</i> Species of gastropod

Scutus unguis, common name the northern duck's bill, is a species of large sea snail or limpet, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.

<i>Turbo petholatus</i> Species of gastropod

Turbo petholatus is a species of sea snail, marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turbinidae.

<i>Rapa rapa</i> Species of gastropod

Rapa rapa, common name the bubble turnip, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.

<i>Nerita albicilla</i> Species of gastropod

Nerita albicilla, common name the blotched nerite, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Neritidae.

<i>Nerita polita</i> Species of gastropod

Nerita polita is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Neritidae.

<i>Naria erosa</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Naria helvola</i> Species of gastropod

Naria helvola, common name: the honey cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Talparia talpa</i> Species of gastropod

Talparia talpa, common name the mole cowry or chocolate banded cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Ovula ovum</i> Species of gastropod

Ovula ovum, common name the common egg cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ovulidae, the ovulids, cowry allies or false cowries.

<i>Lotoria lotoria</i> Species of gastropod

Lotoria lotoria, common name the black-spotted snail or washing bath triton, is a species of predatory sea snail, a tropical marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cymatiidae. This species was previously known as Cymatium lotorium.

<i>Cypraecassis testiculus</i> Species of gastropod

Cypraecassis testiculus, common name the reticulated cowry helmet, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cassidae, the helmet snails and bonnet snails.

References

  1. ↑ Edward Vanden Berghe (1997). "Cypraecassis rufa (Linnaeus, 1758)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species.
  2. ↑ "Cypraecassis (Cypraecassis) rufa". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  3. 1 2 ABBOTT, R. Tucker; DANCE, S. Peter (1982). Compendium of Seashells: A Color Guide to More than 4,200 of the World's Marine Shells. New York: P Dutton. p. 111. ISBN   0-525-93269-0.
  4. 1 2 "Cypraecassis rufa (Linnaeus, 1758) vernacular". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  5. ↑ Caroli a Linné (1791). Gmelin, Johann Friedrich (ed.). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (Ed. 13. Volume 1, Part 6) (in Latin) (13 ed.). p. 3473. Retrieved January 11, 2025. Habitat varior in mari americano et indico, testa fusca rufescente alboque varia , apertura coccinea : dentibus longis albis : sulcis intermediis nigris. (Habitat varies in the American and Indian seas, shell dark reddish and white, aperture scarlet: with long white teeth: black intervening furrows.)
  6. 1 2 R. Tucker Abbott (August 30, 1968). "The helmet shells of the world (Cassidae) Part 1". Indo-Pacific Mollusca. 2 (9): 69–70. Retrieved January 11, 2025. C . rufa is a shallow water species living from the intertidal area to a depth of alrout 6 feet below low tide mark. It generally lives in fairly sheltered areas where the bottom is of coarse coral sand and algae near coral reef areas. Description —Adult shell 64 to 185 mm. (2 1/2 to 7 1/2 inches) in length, ovate, solid, usually heavy, with .3 or 4 rows of rounded knobs on the dorsum, and with a glossy, orange and brownish red parietal area.
  7. ↑ Richmond, M., ed. (1997). A guide to the seashores of Eastern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean islands. Stockholm: Sida/Department for Research Cooperation, SAREC. ISBN   91-630-4594-X.
  8. ↑ "Cypraecassis (Cypraecassis) rufa". Hardy's Internet Guide to Marine Gastropods. Retrieved January 10, 2025. Shell size 65 - 200 mm
  9. ↑ "Cypraecassis rufa (Linnaeus, 1758)". SeaLifeBase. Retrieved January 10, 2025. Members of the order Neotaenioglossa are mostly gonochoric and broadcast spawners. Life cycle: Embryos develop into planktonic trocophore larvae and later into juvenile veligers before becoming fully grown adults.
  10. ↑ Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. 2005. Offshore Shells of Southern Africa ISBN   0-620-33607-2


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