Lyncina leviathan

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Lyncina leviathan
Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii.JPG
A shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan from Hawaii, anterior end towards the left
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cypraeidae
Genus: Lyncina
Species:
L. leviathan
Binomial name
Lyncina leviathan
Schilder & Schilder, 1937
Synonyms [1]
  • Cypraea leviathan(Schilder & Schilder, 1937)

Lyncina leviathan is a species of tropical sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. [1]

Contents

Description

The shells of these cowries reach on average 60 millimetres (2.4 in) of length, with a minimum size of 22 millimetres (0.87 in) and a maximum size of 98 millimetres (3.9 in). The dorsum surface of these elongated, smooth and shiny shells is pink-salmon, crossed by darker bands. The base is whitish or pale pinkish or pale brown, with a long and wide aperture with several teeth. In the living cowries the mantle is brownish, almost transparent and well developed, with external antennae and several sensorial tree-shaped papillae. This species is superficially similar to Lyncina carneola .

A shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan from Hawaii, lateral view, anterior end towards the left Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii only-2.JPG
A shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan from Hawaii, lateral view, anterior end towards the left
A shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan from Hawaii, dorsal view, anterior end towards the left Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii only-6.JPG
A shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan from Hawaii, dorsal view, anterior end towards the left
Apertural view of a shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii only-3.JPG
Apertural view of a shell of Lyncina leviathan leviathan

Distribution

Lyncina leviathan is common throughout the tropical Indian (East Africa, Red Sea) and the central Pacific Oceans, in the sea along Thailand, Australia, Polynesia and Hawaii.

Habitat

They inhabit rocky intertidal areas and caves in very shallow water, but they can reach up to 40 metres (130 ft) of depth.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are known:

Related Research Articles

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Mauritia mauritiana, common names the humpback cowry, chocolate cowry, mourning cowry and Mauritius cowry, is a species of tropical sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Chelycypraea testudinaria</i> Species of mollusc

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.

<i>Lyncina lynx</i> Species of gastropod

Lyncina lynx, common name : the lynx cowry or eyed cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Naria miliaris, common name the millet cowry or the inocellate cowry or the military cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Bistolida kieneri</i> Species of gastropod

Bistolida kieneri, common name : Kiener's cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Mauritia maculifera</i> Species of gastropod

Mauritia maculifera, common name : the blotched cowry or reticulated cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Lyncina vitellus</i> Species of gastropod

Lyncina vitellus, common name : the calf cowry or the Pacific deer cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<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>Naria poraria</i> Species of gastropod

Naria poraria, common name the purple-based cowry or porous cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Mauritia depressa</i> Species of gastropod

Mauritia depressa, common name the "depressed cowry" or the "honey cowry", is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Mauritia grayana</i> Species of gastropod

Mauritia grayana, the 'Gray's arabica cowry', is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Mauritia histrio</i> Species of gastropod

Mauritia histrio, common name the harlequin cowry or the stage cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Mauritia scurra</i> Species of gastropod

Mauritia scurra, common name the jester cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Palmadusta diluculum</i> Species of gastropod

Palmadusta diluculum, the day-break 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>Luria controversa</i> Species of gastropod

Luria controversa, the 'Controversial Isabella', is a species of cowry, a sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Lyncina schilderorum</i> Species of mollusc

Lyncina schilderorum, common names the sandy cowry or Schilder's cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. This species was named in honor of Franz and Maria Schilder, two German cowry biologists.

<i>Lyncina sulcidentata</i> Species of gastropod

Lyncina sulcidentata, common name the square-toothed cowry or groove-toothed cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Lyncina ventriculus</i> Species of gastropod

Lyncina ventriculus is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

References

  1. 1 2 WoRMS : Lyncina leviathan; accessed : 17 October 2010

Bibliography