Ipsa childreni

Lore & Background

Ipsa childreni is a cowry species within the family Cypraeidae. Its shell dimensions are recorded as 22.4 mm in length, 15.3 mm in lateral diameter, and 12.1 mm in dorsoventral diameter. The species lives on many island groups from Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, eastward to Fiji and Hawaii.

Reader's Guide

The significance of Ipsa childreni lies in its wide distribution across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, spanning from Mauritius to Fiji and Hawaii. This range places it among the more broadly dispersed cowry species. Its shell dimensions—22.4 mm length, 15.3 mm lateral diameter, and 12.1 mm dorsoventral diameter—provide a consistent reference for identification. The species has been the subject of taxonomic study, including a proposed subspecies from French Polynesia. Its inclusion in major works on Cypraeidae, such as the prodrome by Schilder and Schilder and later comprehensive guides, underscores its role in understanding cowry diversity and biogeography. The species continues to be referenced in systematic revisions of the family.

Did You Know?

• The shell length of Ipsa childreni attains 22.4 mm.
• It lives on many island groups from Mauritius to Fiji and Hawaii.
• A subspecies, Ipsa childreni leforti, was proposed from French Polynesia.
• The species belongs to the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.