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| shelled snails text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > Family Cypraeidea |
| Four-spot
cowrie Cypraea quadrimaculata Family Cypraeidae updated Oct 10 Where seen? This little cowrie is sometimes seen on our Southern shores among coral rubble near living reefs. Features: 2-3cm. Shell cylindrical, generally pale with small speckles. There are four large rather triangular brown spots on the shell, two spots at the front end of the shell and two at the back end. The underside is white, the 'teeth' are raised and not coloured. The living animal has a dark to black mantle with white or pinkish spots. 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. Status and threats: Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, cowries are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Trampling by careless visitors and over-collection can also have an impact on local populations. |
 Sentosa, Sep 08  |
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Four-spot cowries on Singapore shores
 Pulau Hantu, Sep 08 |
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 Raised 'teeth' on the underside. |
 Sisters Island, Oct 11 |
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