CHOCOLATE BANDED or MOLE COWRY Talparia talpa ©TANAKA Juuyoh
How beautiful is this live Cowry. I don’t know that I’ve seen a photo of a live cowry though I’m familiar with their shells (below). I like how the animals appears to be glowing from within in the top photo, though that is actually its shell, and it’s body is the funky black spotted “foot”
These cowries live on coral reef or in shallow lagoons in tropical intertidal and subtidal waters up to 30 m depth. They can be found under ledges and in small coral caves at night, as they start feeding at dusk.
The shells of these quite uncommon cowries reach on average 50–70 millimeters (2.0–2.8 in) of length, with a minimum size of 23 millimeters (0.91 in) and a maximum size of 105 millimeters (4.1 in). They are very variable in pattern and color.
The dorsum surface is smooth and shiny, the basic color is brown or yellowish brown, with three or four yellow or light brown transversal bands. The margins, the base and the teeth are completely dark brown or black. Also the teeth are dark brown, but the teeth spacing is clearer or white. In the living cowries the mantle is greyish or black, with long cylindrical papillae. Mantle and foot are well developed, with external antennae. The lateral flaps of the mantle may hide completely the shell surface and may be quickly retracted into the shell.
Cowry shells below: ©Hectonichus
