Muracypraea mus

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Muracypraea mus
Cypraeidae - Muracyprea mus - Venezuela, Amway Bay.JPG
A shell of Muracyprea mus from Amway Bay Venezuela, anterior end towards the right
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:
Cypraeoidea
Family:
Cypraeidae
Genus:
Muracypraea
Species:
M. mus
Binomial name
Muracypraea mus
Synonyms

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.

Contents

This species was once considered to belong to the archaic genus Siphocypraea (which now includes only extinct species). In 2004 it was placed by Meyer in the specifically created genus Muracypraea Woodring, 1957.

Description

The shells of these rare cowries reach on average 38–45 millimetres (1.5–1.8 in) of length, with a minimum size of 30 millimetres (1.2 in) and a maximum size of 67 millimetres (2.6 in). [1] They are pyriform, quite thick and heavy, almost swollen, with slightly square contours. The dorsum surface of these smooth and shiny shells is generally pale brown or beige, with a variable pattern of dark brown spots. The base may be pale brown or whitish, the poorly developed teeth are usually white or dark brown, the aperture is long and narrow. In the living cowries mantle and foot are well developed, with external antennae. Muracypraea mus is quite similar to Bernaya teulerei .

A shell of Muracyprea mus, lateral view, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Muracyprea mus - Venezuela, Amway Bay-1.JPG
A shell of Muracyprea mus, lateral view, anterior end towards the right
A shell of Muracyprea mus, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Muracyprea mus - Venezuela, Amway Bay-2.JPG
A shell of Muracyprea mus, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right
Apertural view of a shell of Muracypraea mus Muracypraea mus 001.jpg
Apertural view of a shell of Muracypraea mus

Distribution

Locus typicus of Cyp. mus tristensis: "Off Tucacas, Golfo de Triste, Venezuela." [2]

These cowries live in the Southern Caribbean Sea, along northern Colombia and western Venezuela.
Darker shells sometimes trawled at 100 metres. Also recently discovered at Malmok, Aruba, at a depth of 30 metres.

Habitat

Muracypraea mus lives in tropical shallow water, generally in the low intertidal zone on seagrass beds, but also at greater depths, usually feeding on algae and sponges (omnivore-grazer). Minimum recorded depth is 0 m. [1] Maximum recorded depth is 20 m. [1]

Subspecies

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>Luria isabella</i> Species of gastropod

Luria isabella, common names Isabel's cowry, Isabella cowry or fawn-coloured cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Cypraea pantherina</i> Species of gastropod

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<i>Barycypraea teulerei</i> Species of gastropod

Barycypraea teulerei, common name Teulere's cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk 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>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 turdus</i> Species of gastropod

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

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

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.

<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>Erronea ovum</i> Species of gastropod

Erronea ovum, common name the egg 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, the ventral cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

References

  1. 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.
  2. ↑ Petuch, E.J. 1987-New Caribbean Molluscan Faunas, page 92. Publ: CERF


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