''Cypraeovula fuscodentata'' (dark-toothed cowrie, also spelled 'cowry') is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of medium-sized

sea snail Sea snails are slow-moving marine (ocean), marine gastropod Mollusca, molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the Taxonomic classification, taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguishe ...

, a

predatory Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

marine

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusc Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...

in the family

Cypraeidae Cypraeidae, common name, commonly named the cowries ( cowry or cowrie), is a Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic family (biology), family of small to large sea snails. These are marine (ocean), marine gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Cypraeoidea, ...

, the cowries.WoRMS : Cypraeovula fuscodentata
accessed : 14 October 2010

Subspecies

Two subspecies have been recognized : *''Cypraeovula fuscodentata grohorum'' Lorenz, 2002 *''Cypraeovula fuscodentata sphaerica'' Lorenz, 2002

Distribution

''Cypraeovula fuscodentata'' is known off the southern African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Port Alfred, subtidally to at least 25m. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to this region.Kilburn R. & Rippey E. 1982. ''Sea Shells of Southern Africa'' Macmillan

Description

The dark-toothed cowrie has a medium-sized shell which may grow to 60mm in total length. The shell is generally smooth and caramel-coloured, flecked with pale blue or mauve, but in live specimens is usually covered with the mantle. Variations in shell colour range from pale blue or mauve to dark chocolate brown. The dorsum may be covered by dense transverse rows of yellowish dashes, and may be transversely faceted. The shell shape may vary between relatively elongated, to quite globular or pear-shaped. The shell's undersides, which are not visible in living animals, are strongly ribbed. The ribs are toffee-coloured.Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2005. ''Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa'' The labrum is broad and robust, with 15 to 19 pigmented denticles. The aperture is narrow and may be constricted towards the rear.Liltved, William Rune. ''Cowries and their relatives of southern Africa: A study of the southern African Cypraeacean and Velutinacean gastropod fauna'', Gordon Verhoef, Seacomber Publications, 2000. The mantle coloration is highly variable but is usually tawny and spotted with black. Color variations run from black to milky white and light to dark orange to pink and brownish red. The mantle may also have randomly scattered white spots and simple papillae and has a fine granular texture. The siphon is short and slightly recurved, usually the same colour as the mantle, but with a white band round the tip. The cephalic tentacles are slender and taper towards the tips. They are yellow to light orange in colour. The foot is fleshy and muscular and usually similar in colour to the mantle

Ecology

This animal is never common, but where found, is usually associated with black sponges.

References

* Lorenz, F., 2002. New worldwide cowries. Descriptions of new taxa and revisions of selected groups of living Cypraeidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Schriften zur Malakozoologie 20: 292 pp * Steyn, D.G & Lussi, M. (2005). Offshore Shells of Southern Africa: A pictorial guide to more than 750 Gastropods. Published by the authors. Pp. i–vi, 1–289 page(s): 49 {{Taxonbar, from=Q5200290 fuscodentata Gastropods described in 1825 Taxa named by John Edward Gray