About Mauritia mauritiana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Mauritia mauritiana is a quite common species of cowrie. On average, the shells of this species grow to a length of 65–80 millimetres (2.6–3.1 in), with a recorded minimum size of 43 millimetres (1.7 in) and a recorded maximum size of 130 millimetres (5.1 in). The smooth, shiny dorsum surface of the shells is usually dark brown, marked with distinct, large yellowish or amber dots. Both the edges of the dorsum and the shell base are fully dark brown. The shell has a long, narrow aperture that bears several dark brown teeth separated by clear spacing. Living individuals of this species have a completely black mantle that lacks sensory papillae. Mauritia mauritiana is an Indo-Pacific species that occurs in the Indian Ocean along South-East Africa, and in the western Pacific Ocean in western and northern Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Hawaii. This cowrie species is typically restricted to exposed habitats, including wave-washed basalt cliffs or breakwaters. It lives in tropical low intertidal water, most often under rocks or within rocky crevices. It occurs at depths from a minimum of about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) up to 50 metres (160 ft).
