Mauritia depressa

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Mauritia depressa
Mauritia depressa 01.JPG
Five views of a shell of Mauritia depressa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cypraeidae
Genus: Mauritia
Species:
M. depressa
Binomial name
Mauritia depressa
(Gray, 1824)
Synonyms [1]

Cypraea depressa Gray, 1824

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. [1]

Contents

Description

Shell of Mauritia depressa from Laccadives, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Mauritia depressa - Laccadives, India-1.JPG
Shell of Mauritia depressa from Laccadives, anterior end towards the right

These quite rare shells reach on average 35–42 millimetres (1.4–1.7 in) of length, with a maximum size of 61 millimetres (2.4 in) and a minimum size of 23 millimetres (0.91 in). The dorsal color pattern varies from yellowish brown to dark brown, with distinct, almost circular, clear spots. The edges usually are pale bluish or yellowish, with several brown dots. The base is definitely flattened, its colour may be white, pale brown or pale bluish. The teeth along the aperture are dark brown on both lips.

Distribution

Distribution map of Mauritia depressa Wyst-depressa.jpg
Distribution map of Mauritia depressa

This species occurs in the Central Pacific Ocean and in the Indian Ocean along Chagos, the Comores, Kenya, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Mauritius, Réunion, Tanzania, Lakkadiven Islands, Timor, Philippines and French Polynesia.

Habitat

These cowries mainly live in shallow water, in coral reefs or in lagoons near the wave-swept edges, from the intertidal zone to 20 metres (66 ft) depth, usually under coral slabs or rocks. They are active at night, when they feed on algal crests.

Subspecies

Related Research Articles

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<i>Luria isabella</i> Species of gastropod

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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<i>Eclogavena quadrimaculata</i> Species of gastropod

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References

  1. 1 2 Mauritia depressa (Gray, 1824) . WoRMS (2009). Mauritia depressa (Gray, 1824). Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=216871 on 12 October 2010 .

Footnotes