Description

Also known as Cowry, Dogrose Cowry, Porcelain Eglantina, Porcelain Snail.

Found singly, during the day under slabs and stones, out at night foraging for food over shallow waters of lagoons, coral and rocky reefs and in tide-pools. Shiny shells collected by locals for both food and their shells.
They feed nocturnally on algae, tiny fish, molluscs, sponges and worms.
Length - 8cm
Depth - 2-15m
Widespread Indo-Pacific

Cypraeidae have beautiful shells and equally beautiful mantles.
The Cowries are probably the most admired and sought after by shell collectors.
Cowries have few predators, but the mollusc-eating cones like Conus textile and octopus can inject venom into the cowries flesh through a small hole and then sucks out the contents.
The mantle is like a cloak around the shell, highly muscular and when it contracts it forces water through the tubular siphon to propel itself rapidly through the water. Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritia_eglantina