Atlantic gray cowrie
Luria cinerea
Gmelin, 1791

Description:
An oval shell with a central slit-like opening along the underside. Shiny medium-brown to purple shell with darker bands.
The living animal can cover the shell with its mottled brown to mauve mantle.
Size: usually up to 3 cm.

Habitat:
This shell can be found all over the reefs, where it usually hides under overhangs.
Depth: ranges from 6 m down to 15 m.

Distribution:
Common all over the Caribbean.

Remarks:
In most countries it is illegal to bring back these shells from holidays.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Subclass Prosobranchia
Genus Luria
Species Luria cinerea

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Luria cinerea

Scientific synonyms and common names

Atlantic gray cowrie [English]
Cypraea cinerea Gmelin, 1791
Cypraea rufescens Gmelin, 1791
Cypraea translucens Gmelin, 1791
Cypraea bullata Röding, 1798
Cypraea caerulea Schröter, 1804
Cypraea sordida Lamarck, 1811
Cypraea fulva Gray, 1824
Sinusigera cancellata d'Orbigny, 1842
Cypraea aubryana auct. non Jousseaume, 1869
Cypraea fragilioides Hidalgo, 1907
Cypraea campbelliana Pilsbry, 1921
Cypraea flava Sullioti, 1922
Cypraea pellucidula Sullioti, 1924
Cypraea morinis Ingram, 1939
Luria rutschi Schilder, 1939
Cypraea costaricaensis Ingram, 1940
Cypraea limonensis Ingram, 1940
Cypraea barbadensis A. H. Verrill, 1948
Cypraea catiana Weisbord, 1962
Luria brasilensis Lorenz & Hubert, 1993

Humann, P., 1992. Reef Creature Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas, (ed. N. Deloach). New World Publications, Inc., Paramount Miller Graphics, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida.

No distribution map was available at OBIS the last time we checked. Retry now.

You can continue searching for Luria cinerea on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

Google | Yahoo | MSN | Wikipedia