Superfamily Cypraeoidea Subfamily Umbiliinae Rank Species | Genus Umbilia | |
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Similar Umbilia, Zoila, Zoila thersites, Cribrarula cribraria, Zoila friendii | ||
Umbilia hesitata, common name the umbilicate cowry or wonder cowry is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Contents
Description
The shells of this uncommon species reach on average 75–100 millimetres (3.0–3.9 in) in length, with a maximum size of 120 millimetres (4.7 in) and a minimum size of 55 millimetres (2.2 in). The dorsal dome is smooth, round and appears almost inflated. The basic color of this cowry is white or pale brown or light pink, with many brown irregular small spots, especially close to the edges. The anterior and the posterior extremities are rostrate, with well-developed flanges, extended around the base. The base is mainly white, with a large sinuous aperture and small teeth. Females are smaller than males.
Distribution
This species is widely distributed from South Australia to southern Queensland, mainly in the seas along Victoria, New South Wales and along northern and eastern Tasmania.
Habitat
These cowries live in cold deep waters on the bottom sediment at about 100–200 metres (330–660 ft) of depth, where they are usually found by fishing. They likely feed on bryozoa or sponges. In parts of Tasmania, the species occurs in much shallower water in the subtidal zone.