Gastropoda |
Littorinimorpha |
Cypraeidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; depth range 0 - 30 m (Ref. 349). Tropical; 35°N - 34°S, 30°E - 138°W
Indo-Pacific.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 16.0 cm SHL male/unsexed; (Ref. 349); common length : 9.0 cm SHL male/unsexed; (Ref. 349)
Commonly collected for food in many parts of the area, mainly in the shallow water zone. Shell used for shellcraft. Due to frequent over collecting and destruction of the coral reef environment by dynamite fishers, this species may be nearly extinct locally or confined to the deeper part of its habitat (to depths over 10 m) (Ref. 349). Known to be abundant in reef areas, on sand, among rocks (Ref. 128042), on branched corals, often nearby seaweeds. Active during the day (Ref. 349). Omnivore (Ref. 112158). In general, cowries are observed to feed on sponges, live gastropods, seaweed, and carrion (Ref. 112163).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the order Neotaenioglossa are mostly gonochoric and broadcast spawners. Life cycle: Embryos develop into planktonic trocophore larvae and later into juvenile veligers before becoming fully grown adults.
Poutiers, J.M. 1998 Gastropods. p. 363-648. In Carpenter, K. E. and V. H. Niem. 1998. FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 1. Seaweeds, corals, bivalves, and gastropods. Rome, FAO. (Ref. 349)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
| FishSource | Sea Around Us
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowthMax. ages / sizesLength-weight rel.Length-length rel.Length-frequenciesMass conversionAbundance Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 25.4 - 29.3, mean 28.7 (based on 2229 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.
Nutrients : Calcium = 126 [75, 177] mg/100g; Iron = 4.79 [1.67, 7.92] mg/100g; Protein = 15.9 [14.8, 16.9] %; Omega3 = 0.331 [0.263, 0.400] g/100g; Selenium = 57.8 [48.5, 67.2] μg/100g; VitaminA = 0 μg/100g; Zinc = 1.97 [0.92, 3.02] mg/100g (wet weight); based on
nutrient studies.
