Help ID this beetle/snail type thing

[lee_d_m]

Bought some more rock the other day and this guy hitched ride. It's about half the size of a conch and appears to eat algae, would appreciate a positive ID

Thanks

 

[clay12340]

Is it maybe a cowrie of some kind? Maybe a tiger cowrie? Could look for pictures of cowries with their mantles up and see if any of them match.

It's really neat looking.

 

[lee_d_m]

Thanks ! I think you're right. The only thing is, mine doesn't appear to have a shell, the photos I've just looked at appear to show my cowrie, which seems to be a Calf Cowrie, but with a shiny shell, any ideas why mine doesn't have one ?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

The mantle covers the shell.

 

[lee_d_m]

doh !! Thanks, guess I've learnt something today

Cheers :beer:

Lee

 

[pagojoe]

Yep. The zebra stripes are diagnostic of Cypraea (Monetaria) moneta, the true "Money Cowry." The shells of C. annulus can look very similar, but the mantle of that species has a more random pattern of earth tones instead of the black stripes.

Cheers,



Don