WHATSTHATFISH
Sea slugs & snails

Pacific Deer Cowry

Lyncina vitellus

Also known as: Calf Cowry, Cowry, Deer Cowry, Milk-spotted Cowry

Adult
@blogie · Coral Gardens, Talicud Island, Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines · October 20111 / 1
01

Overview

Found under coral slabs, stones and amongst seaweed, sometimes partially buried in sand, over coral and rocky reefs. Shiny shells.
They feed nocturnally on invertebrates.

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 cowry's 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.

02

How to identify

Pattern
spots

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found under coral slabs, stones and amongst seaweed, sometimes partially buried in sand, over coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion 2

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2 comments

  • fishx6Top Contributor· 12 Aug 2013

    Some Cypraeidae are edible and are an important food source in the Indo West Pacific

    Helpful
ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumMollusca
  3. classGastropoda
  4. orderLittorinimorpha
  5. familyCypraeidae
  6. genusLyncina
  7. speciesLyncina vitellus (Linnaeus, 1758)

SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

06

More in the family

Sea Snails (Cypraeidae)