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Project Noah Nature School
Ovula ovum
These are relatively large cowries, growing to a length of about 7cm. They feed on mushroom leather coral and other soft coral, and also on algae, sponges, worms, mollusks and tiny fish. These snails have large velvety black mantles, spotted with yellow and white papillae. Distinct from true cowries by teeth on only one side of their aperture (or none at all). Cowries' outer shells are smooth thanks to their mantles.
Found commonly on mushroom coral and other soft coral. Widespread in the Indo-Pacific region, often in shallow waters.
For this spotting, there were two cowries on a mushroom leather coral. The first two photos show one; the third photo shows the second; and the fourth is of the two cowries. The last picture is of yet another cowrie, but was spotted at the same dive site during the same dive (I just wanted to show one that had its mantle partially open).
Spotted on Nov 6, 2011
Submitted on Dec 7, 2011
6 Comments
Thanks Daniel!
prity!!!!!!!!
That was a neat article! Thanks, Ava, for including my spotting! :)
Congratulations Blogie, your spotting is featured in the Project Noah blog today - http://blog.projectnoah.org/post/3371137...
Yup! It's always a delight when I see them underwater.
What a gorgeous animal!