Cypraea tigris

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular names
English : Tiger cowry
French : Porcelaine-tigre

Classification
Class : Gastropoda
Order : Littorinimorpha
Family : Cypraeidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can grow to a shell length of 13 cm. Egg-shaped shell, creamy-white with numerous brown and black spots. Color pattern very variable. When active, the specimen’s mantle will be crownded with white-tipped papillae and cover the shell.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area, from East Africa to Hawaii and Pacific Islands. Absent from Red Sea. Lives in coastal areas from lagoons to outside reefs, down to 40 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : NOT LISTED
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species’ status hasn’t been assessed but it seems to still be locally common. It is protected in parts of its range because of overexploitation.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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