Zonaria pyrum

Last updated

Pear cowry
Zonaria pyrum pyrum 01.JPG
A shell of Zonaria pyrum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Caenogastropoda
Order: Littorinimorpha
Family: Cypraeidae
Genus: Zonaria
Species:
Z. pyrum
Binomial name
Zonaria pyrum
(Gmelin, 1791)
Synonyms
  • Cypraea bifasciataMonterosato, 1897
  • Cypraea guttataRisso, 1826 ·
  • Cypraea pyrum Gmelin, 1791 (basionym)
  • Cypraea pirum var. physoidesCoen, 1933 ·
  • Cypraea pyrum var. aurantia(Coen, 1949)
  • Cypraea pyrum var. compressa(Coen, 1949)
  • Cypraea pyrum var. cruenta(Coen, 1949) ·
  • Cypraea pyrum var. elongata(Coen, 1949) ·
  • Cypraea pyrum var. grandisMonterosato, 1898 junior subjective synonym
  • Cypraea pyrum var. minorMonterosato, 1898 junior subjective synonym
  • Cypraea pyrum var. nivosa(Coen, 1949)
  • Cypraea pyrum var. normalisMonterosato, 1898 junior subjective synonym
  • Cypraea pyrum var. pallidaPallary, 1900
  • Cypraea pyrum var. typicaMonterosato, 1898 junior subjective synonym
  • Zonaria pyrum var. aurantiaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. compressaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. confusaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. cruentaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. elongataCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. hepaticaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. minimaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. nivosaCoen, 1949 ·
  • Zonaria pyrum var. piperitoidesCoen, 1949

Zonaria pyrum, common name the pear cowry, 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 common cowries reach on average 32–38 millimetres (1.3–1.5 in) of length, with a minimum size of 17 millimetres (0.67 in) and a maximum size of 52 millimetres (2.0 in).

Description

They are very variable in pattern and colour. The surface is smooth and shiny, their basic color is usually orange-brown, with many brown spots and two or three clear trasversal bands. The base, the margins and the teeth are orange or pinkish. In the living cowries mantle and foot are quite developed, with external antennae. The mantle is orange-reddish, with yellow papillae. The lateral flaps may hide completely the shell surface and may be quickly retracted into the shell opening.

Distribution

This species occurs in the Mediterranean Sea to southwest Africa, off Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, Lampedusa Island, Sicily, Malta, Greece, Turkey, Senegal, Gabon and Angola.

Habitat

These cowries live in tropical and subtropical waters usually up to 15–50 metres (49–164 ft) of depth, hidden under rocks or coral slabs and caves. They are omnivore-grazer, mainly feeding at night on sponges, algae and corals.

Related Research Articles

<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>Talostolida teres</i> Species of gastropod

Talostolida teres, common name the tapering 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>Erronea errones</i> Species of gastropod

Erronea errones, the wandering cowry or erroneous cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Luria cinerea, common name, the Atlantic gray cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

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

<i>Callistocypraea aurantium</i> Species of gastropod

Callistocypraea aurantium, common name the golden cowrie, 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>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>Trona stercoraria</i> Species of gastropod

Trona stercoraria, common name the rat cowry or droppings cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

<i>Zonaria zonaria</i> Species of gastropod

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

<i>Zonaria</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

Zonaria is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Zonariinae of the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

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

Palmadusta humphreyii, common name : Humphrey's cowrie, 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>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.

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

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

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

References

  1. ↑ MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Zonaria pyrum (Gmelin, 1791). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=139502 on 2023-11-26
A shell of Zonaria pyrum, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Zonaria pyrum-2.JPG
A shell of Zonaria pyrum, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right
A shell of Zonaria pyrum from Sicily, lateral view, anterior end towards the right Cypraeidae - Zonaria pyrum - Sicily-1.JPG
A shell of Zonaria pyrum from Sicily, lateral view, anterior end towards the right
A shell of Zonaria pyrum from Sicily, apertural view, anterior end towards the left Cypraeidae - Zonaria pyrum - Sicily-2.JPG
A shell of Zonaria pyrum from Sicily, apertural view, anterior end towards the left


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