Muracypraea mus

Lore & Background

The shells of Muracypraea mus are pyriform, thick, heavy, and almost swollen, with slightly square contours. The smooth, shiny dorsum is typically pale brown or beige with a variable pattern of dark brown spots, while the base may be pale brown or whitish. The aperture is long and narrow, and the poorly developed teeth are usually white or dark brown. In living specimens, the mantle and foot are well developed, with external antennae. This species closely resembles Bernaya teulerei.

Reader's Guide

Muracypraea mus is a notable cowry of the Southern Caribbean Sea, found along northern Colombia and western Venezuela. Its locus typicus for the subspecies Cyp. mus tristensis is off Tucacas, Golfo de Triste, Venezuela. The species inhabits tropical shallow water, generally in the low intertidal zone on seagrass beds, but also at greater depths, feeding on algae and sponges as an omnivore-grazer. Darker shells have been trawled at 100 metres, and the species was recently discovered at Malmok, Aruba, at a depth of 30 metres. With a recorded depth range from 0 to 20 metres, it demonstrates adaptability within its Caribbean range. The reassignment from Siphocypraea to Muracypraea in 2004 reflects ongoing taxonomic refinement among cowries.

Did You Know?

• The mouse cowry reaches a maximum shell length of 67 mm.
• It was reassigned to the genus Muracypraea in 2004.
• Its subspecies include Muracypraea mus bicornis, M. mus mus, and M. mus tristensis.
• Darker shells have been trawled at depths of 100 metres.