Tiger Cowry
Cypraea tigris
Summary 4
Cypraea tigris, commonly known as the tiger cowrie, is a species of cowry, a large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Why reef fun facts 5
The tiger cowrie has a beautiful, glossy shell, which, in ancient times, was used as money! In order to keep its shell shiny and clean, the tiger cowrie wraps part of its body, called the mantle, around the outside of its shell. But the tiger cowrie’s shell also protects it: if a predator scares it, it can hide its entire body inside its shell.
Habitat 6
Depth range based on 10 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 5 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 1 - 28
Temperature range (°C): 25.420 - 28.409
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.146 - 0.617
Salinity (PPS): 33.821 - 35.125
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.336 - 4.700
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.129 - 0.238
Silicate (umol/l): 1.900 - 4.102
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 1 - 28
Temperature range (°C): 25.420 - 28.409
Nitrate (umol/L): 0.146 - 0.617
Salinity (PPS): 33.821 - 35.125
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.336 - 4.700
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.129 - 0.238
Silicate (umol/l): 1.900 - 4.102
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this note. Your feedback is most welcome.
Why reef threats 7
Many people think the tiger cowrie’s shell is very beautiful, and they like to use it as jewelry. But people must be careful not to take too many of them out of the reef!
Reefs are in danger, and that means so is the home of the tiger cowrie!
Sources and Credits
- (c) Jan Messersmith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/boogieswithfish/434375859/
- (c) Nhobgood Nick Hobgood, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Cypraea_tigris_%28Tiger_cowrie%29.jpg/460px-Cypraea_tigris_%28Tiger_cowrie%29.jpg
- (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6078/6096730797_875d651ca9_o.jpg
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypraea_tigris
- (c) WhyReef, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/2738302
- Adapted by audubonnatureinstitute from a work by (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/17402321
- (c) WhyReef, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/2738304
