European cowrie  (Trivia monacha)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The European or spotted cowrie is a marine mollusc that has an egg-shaped glossy shell featuring many transverse ridges with a long, narrow aperture on the underside (2). The upper surface of the shell is usually a reddish brown colour, and has three characteristic spots that allow the species to be identified easily (3). The head, tentacles, foot and body of this mollusc are brightly coloured; they may be red, yellow, green, brown or orange (3).

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