Monetaria annulus

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Monetaria annulus
Cypraeaannulus.jpg
A live individual of Monetaria annulus
Monetaria annulus 600x600.jpg
A shell of Monetaria annulus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cypraeidae
Genus: Monetaria
Species:
M. annulus
Binomial name
Monetaria annulus
Synonyms [1]
  • Cypraea annulus Linnaeus, 1758
  • Cypraea annularisPerry, G., 1811
  • Cypraea annulataDonovan, E., 1820
  • Cypraea annuliferaConrad, T.A., 1866
  • Cypraea camelorumRochebrune, A.-T. de, 1884
  • Monetaria harmandianaRochebrune, A.-T. de, 1884
  • Cypraea calcarataMelvill, J.C., 1888
  • Cypraea obvelata calcarataMelvill, J.C., 1888
  • Cypraea tectoriataSulliotti, G.R., 1924
  • Monetaria sosokoanaLadd, H.S., 1934
  • Monetaria annulus scutellum(f) Schilder, F.A. & M. Schilder, 1937
  • Monetaria drangaIredale, T., 1939

Monetaria annulus, common name the ring cowrie, ring top cowrie, or gold ring cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. [1]

Contents

Description

The shell size varies between 9 mm and 50 mm. The shell of this species is mostly off-white or pale yellowish in color, sometimes with a dark cast on the dorsum, and with two yellow or orange stripes along the upper sides. These stripes nearly touch at the ends, giving the impression of a ring.

Distribution

This species and its subspecies are found in the Red Sea, and in the Indian Ocean on the coasts of Aldabra, Chagos, the Comores, the East Coast of South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, the Seychelles, Somalia, Yemen, Oman, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, in the tropical Pacific Ocean as far north as Hawaii and towards the western Pacific reaching the Galápagos islands.

Subspecies

There may be three or more subspecies:

The subspecies obvelata is sometimes elevated to full species status as Monetaria obvelata . [2]

Use as shell money

In parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Monetaria annulus, the ring cowry, so-called because of the bright orange-colored ring on the back or upper side of the shell, was commonly used as shell money much like Monetaria moneta . Occasionally the ring part on its back would be hammered away, making it nearly indistinguishable from other money cowry species. Many shells of the species were found by Sir Austen Henry Layard in his excavations at Nimrud in 1845–1851. The shell was also introduced to Native Americans during and after the fur trade by European traders as a cheaper substitute for highly treasured elk ivory, [3] for dowry, and for other uses as ornaments.

Images of shells

Related Research Articles

<i>Monetaria moneta</i> Species of gastropod

Monetaria moneta, common name the money cowrie, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Monetaria caputserpentis</i> Species of gastropod

Monetaria caputserpentis, common name the serpent's-head cowry or snakehead cowry, is a species of cowry, a sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Bistolida stolida, common name the stolid cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Cribrarula cribraria</i> Species of gastropod

Cribrarula cribraria, the 'sieve/tan and white cowry', is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

<i>Pseudozonaria arabicula</i> Species of gastropod

Pseudozonaria arabicula, common name : the little Arabian cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Arestorides argus</i> Species of gastropod

Arestorides argus, commonly called the eyed cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Lyncina carneola, common name the carnelian cowrie, 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>Erronea caurica</i> Species of gastropod

Erronea caurica, common name the thick-edged cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Erronea onyx, common name the onyx 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>Pustularia globulus</i> Species of gastropod

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

<i>Staphylaea limacina</i> Species of gastropod

Staphylaea limacina, common name slug-like cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Nucleolaria nucleus</i> Species of gastropod

Nucleolaria nucleus, the wrinkled cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Staphylaea staphylaea</i> Species of gastropod

Staphylaea staphylaea 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>Monetaria</i> Genus of gastropods

Monetaria is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Erronea adusta, common name the chocolate beauty or tanned/dark onyx cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. This species was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the onyx cowry.

References

  1. 1 2 Monetaria annulus (Linnaeus) . WoRMS (2009). Monetaria annulus (Linnaeus). Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=216875 on 10 October 2010 .
  2. ↑ Monetaria obvelata (Lamarck, 1810) . WoRMS (2011). Monetaria obvelata (Lamarck, 1810). Accessed through the World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=570809 on 20 June 2018 .
  3. ↑ "Canku Ota - April 20, 2002 - Elk-teeth Dress is Epitome of Crow Status and Style". www.turtletrack.org. Archived from the original on 2002-05-02.
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