Cowry Mollusks of the Cypraeidae Family

One mollusk of the Cypraeidae Family can be found in this website:

Little Deer Cowry Mollusk, Macrocypraea cervinetta.

Phylogeny: Cowry Mollusks of the Cypraeidae Family are in the phylum Mollusca, the class Gastropoda, the subclass Caenogastropoda, and the order Littorinimorpha. This order is large and very diverse in shape including snail-like, cowry-shaped, and limpet-like. Most are marine species but some are found in freshwater or on land. They all have a twisted shell and a muscular foot that is used for movement. The key characteristic is that they all exhibit torsion, which is a process where the body twists so that the anus, gills, mantle cavity, and reproductive organs all point forward. The superfamily Cypraeoidea is one of sixteen superfamilies in this order and there are three families in this superfamily. The Cypraeidae Family contains ten subfamilies, nine tribes, fifty-four genera, and around two hundred fifty-five valid species.  The name Cowry comes from the Hindi word Kauri. The Italian term for the Cowry Shell is “porcellana”, referring to the shiny porcelain-like surface of these shells.  These shells are also commonly called Cypraeids. The family name Cypraeidae comes from the Latinized Greek word Kypris, which refers to the goddess Aphrodite/Venus, who was born near Cyprus.

Morphology: Cowries have a mantle that can be withdrawn into the shell, or extended to cover the shell. The live animal is usually very colorful. They have a broad foot. Adult Cowry Shells are somewhat egg-shaped, with very strong shells. They have no visible spire, except as juveniles. Their aperture is long and lined with “teeth”. The exterior surface is covered with smooth and shiny enamel. This enamel is deposited by the mantle that covers the surface of live individuals. In some species this enamel is thick around the margins, forming callus deposits.  They have an anterior and posterior siphon notch. Juvenile Cowry Shells resemble Bubble Shells in that they have thin shells and lack the long, narrow, toothed, aperture. The color patterns of the juvenile’s shells may also be very different from adult shells making identification more difficult. These shells lack an operculum and periostracum. Cowry Shells range in size from as small as 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) to as large as 19 cm (7.1 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Most Cowry species are nocturnal, hiding under rocks and in crevices during daylight hours. At night they can be found crawling about on rocks, coral, rubble, and other hard surfaces. They live in the intertidal zone and at depths up to 700 m (2,296 feet). Cowries are found worldwide in subtropical and tropical waters. At least ten species from this family are found in Mexican waters.

Reproduction: Cowries are gonochoric male or female for life) and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. The eggs are laid in protective capsules, on hard substrates. In some species the female broods the eggs by wrapping her foot around them. The eggs develop into veliger larvae before settling on to the substrate to metamorphose into benthic juveniles.

Ecosystem Roles: Cowries may be carnivores, herbivores, omnivores or spongivores. They may feed on  algae, anemones, carrion, sponges, and tunicates. The strong shell of cowries protects them from many predators, however, venomous cone mollusks, some crustaceans, and octopus can defeat that defense. They are most vulnerable as thin-shelled juveniles.