Macrocypraea zebra

Last updated

Macrocypraea zebra
Cypraeidae - Macrocypraea zebra - Panama.JPG
A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from the Caribbean coast of Panama, anterior end towards the right
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cypraeidae
Genus: Macrocypraea
Species:
M. zebra
Binomial name
Macrocypraea zebra
Synonyms [1]
  • Cypraea zebra Linnaeus, 1758 (basionym)
  • Cypraea exanthema Linnaeus, 1767
  • Cypraea dubia Gmelin, J.F., 1791
  • Cypraea plumbea Gmelin, 1791
  • Cypraea glauca Röding, 1798
  • Cypraea leucopsisShaw, 1803
  • Erosaria exanthemata Perry, 1811
  • Erosaria pudicaRous, 1905
  • Erosaria zebra vallei(f) M. L. Jaume & P. Borro, 1946

Macrocypraea zebra, common name the measled cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. [1]

Contents

Subspecies

Description

The shells of these quite uncommon cowries reach on average 60–70 millimetres (2.4–2.8 in) of length, with a minimum size of 32 millimetres (1.3 in) and a maximum recorded shell length of 133 millimetres (5.2 in). [3]

The shape is usually long oval, the dorsum surface is smooth and shiny, the basic color is brown, usually with three wide dark brown trasversal bands and several white-bluish spots and a light gray longitudinal mark on the top ('sulcus'). On the sides the white spots become ocellated, showing a small dark brown spots on the center. The base of Macrocypraea zebra shell is pale brown and the long and narrow aperture usually bears long dark brown labial teeth. The interior of the shell may be purple. Macrocypraea zebra is quite similar to Macrocypraea cervus and Macrocypraea cervinetta , but it can be easily distinguished on side view by the presence of mentioned ocellated spots, that are missing in the last two species. In the living cowries of Macrocypraea zebra the mantle is greyish, with short sensorial papillae. The mantle may cover the entire shell and can be withdrawn into the shell opening when the cowry is threatened.

A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from Panama, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Macrocypraea zebra - Panama-1.JPG
A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from Panama, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right
A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from Panama, lateral view, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Macrocypraea zebra - Panama-2.JPG
A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from Panama, lateral view, anterior end towards the right
A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from Panama, ventral view, anterior end towards the left Cypraeidae - Macrocypraea zebra - Panama-3.JPG
A shell of Macrocypraea zebra from Panama, ventral view, anterior end towards the left

Distribution

This species is distributed in the Atlantic Ocean along North Carolina, Florida and in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the West Indies and Brazil.

Habitat

They live in tropical low intertidal and in subtidal waters, usually on coral reef or under rocks. Minimum recorded depth is 0 m. [3] Maximum recorded depth is 37 m. [3]

Related Research Articles

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

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>Cypraea pantherina</i> Species of gastropod

Cypraea pantherina, common name the panther cowry, is a species of large tropical sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The panther cowry is one of only two species currently included in the genus Cypraea, as all other species previously belonging to the genus Cypraea have been reassigned to other genera within the family Cypraeidae.

<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>Bistolida erythraeensis</i> Species of gastropod

Bistolida erythraeensis, the Red Sea 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>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>Naria ocellata</i> Species of gastropod

Naria ocellata, common name the ocellate 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 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>Naria spurca</i> Species of gastropod

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

<i>Macrocypraea cervus</i> Species of gastropod

Macrocypraea cervus, common name the Atlantic deer cowry, is a species of large sea snail, a very large 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>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>Macrocypraea cervinetta</i> Species of gastropod

Macrocypraea cervinetta, the little deer cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Muracypraea mus</i> Species of gastropod

Muracypraea mus, common name the mouse cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Contradusta pulchella</i> Species of gastropod

Contradusta pulchella, common name the pretty cowry or beautiful (little) cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Erronea pyriformis</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<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 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 Macrocypraea zebra (Linnaeus, 1758) . WoRMS (2010). Macrocypraea zebra. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=419723 on 24 October 2010 .
  2. ↑ Gastropods.com : Macrocypraea zebra dissimilis Archived 2011-06-15 at the Wayback Machine ; accessed : 24 October 2010
  3. 1 2 3 Welch J. J. (2010). "The "Island Rule" and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.