Macrocypraea cervinetta
A light brown cowry with ocellated spots from the Eastern Pacific.
Macrocypraea cervinetta, called the little deer cowry, is a marine gastropod mollusk belonging to the cowry family Cypraeidae. Its shell is elongated, ranging from about 40 to 110 mm in length and 15 to 50 mm in width. The shell’s basic color is light brown, with small whitish ocellated spots across the dorsum, a few clearer transverse bands, and a longitudinal line. The apertural teeth are dark brown. Two subspecies are recognized: *Macrocypraea cervinetta californica* (Lorenz, 2017) and *Macrocypraea cervinetta cervinetta* (Kiener, 1844). This species lives in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, from the Gulf of California down to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands. It is typically found at low tide, under corals and rocks.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Macrocypraea
- Species
- cervinetta
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The little deer cowry has an elongated shell with a basic color of light brown. Its dorsum is marked with small whitish ocellated spots, a few transversal clearer bands, and a longitudinal line. The apertural teeth are dark brown. Two subspecies are recognized: Macrocypraea cervinetta californica and Macrocypraea cervinetta cervinetta. This species occurs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands. It is mainly encountered at low tide under corals and rocks.
Reader's Guide
Macrocypraea cervinetta is a well-documented cowry species of the Eastern Pacific, with its range extending from the Gulf of California to Peru and including the Galapagos Islands. Its shell, reaching up to 110 mm in length, is characterized by an elongated shape, light brown ground color, and small whitish ocellated spots on the dorsum, along with transversal clearer bands and a longitudinal line. The dark brown apertural teeth further distinguish it. The species is divided into two subspecies: Macrocypraea cervinetta californica and Macrocypraea cervinetta cervinetta. It is typically found at low tide beneath corals and rocks. The species has been referenced in major works on cowries, including Lorenz & Hubert's guide to worldwide cowries and A. Myra Keen's study of tropical West American marine mollusks. Its presence in the Galapagos Islands adds to its biogeographic interest within the Cypraeidae family.
Did You Know?
- The shell of Macrocypraea cervinetta reaches about 40 to 110 mm in length.
- It has small whitish ocellated spots on the dorsum and dark brown apertural teeth.
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