Subfamily Erosariinae Scientific name Nucleolaria granulata Rank Species | Genus Nucleolaria | |
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Similar Staphylaea nucleus, Arestorides argus, Pustularia bistrinotata, Mauritia maculifera, Pustularia | ||
Nucleolaria granulata, common name the granulated cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Contents
Description
The shell of this quite uncommon cowry reaches on average 22–28 millimetres (0.87–1.10 in) of length, with a maximum size of 49 millimetres (1.9 in) and a minimum size of 15 millimetres (0.59 in). The shape of the shells is wide oval and appears flattened. The dorsum surface is rough, with a deep longitudinal line in the middle and many protuberances of various sizes, each other connected by thin ribs. The aperture is narrow and the outer and inner lips have fine teeth. The base is wide and the teeth are extended to cross the entire base as ribs on both sides. In the living cowries the mantle is pinkish or reddish, with well-developed papillae, which serve to camouflage these mollusks against the seabed.
Distribution
This species is endemic to the Hawaii and Marquesas Islands.
Habitat
Nucleolaria granulata lives in tropical shallow waters under rocks and caves usually at 5–25 metres (16–82 ft) of depth, feeding at night on sponges, algae or coral polyps.