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| shelled snails text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > Family Cypraeidea |
| Ovum
cowrie Cypraea ovum Family Cypraeidae updated Feb 09
Where seen? This little cowrie is commonly seen on our Northern shores usually under stones, but sometimes crawling about in the open. Sometimes also seen on our Southern shores among coral rubble. Features: 2-3cm. Shell pear-shaped, with 'teeth' that are tinged yellow or orange. It does not have spots at the front end of the shell. Sometimes confused with the Wandering cowrie (Cypraea errones) which is similar but is cylindrical in shape. It does not have coloured 'teeth' and has a brown spot or spots at the front end of the shell. Here's more on how to tell apart Wandering and Ovum cowries. When the shell is completely covered in its mantle, it is sometimes mistaken for a sea slug. Here's more on how to tell apart slugs and animals that look like slugs. Leave cowries alone: Mother wandering cowries often lay their eggs under stones and then stay over their eggs. So if you see a cowrie under a stone, please don't rip it off. You might inadvertently separate a mother from her eggs! |
 St. John's Island, Jun 07  With mantle retracted |
Cowries are often well camouflaged. Look carefully for
them.
 With eggs. Chek Jawa, Oct 03 |
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 Underside |
Ovum cowries on Singapore shores
 Changi, May 09 |
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 Tuas, May 05 |
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 Sentosa, Apr 08 |
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