About Naria miliaris (Gmelin, 1791)
Naria miliaris (Gmelin, 1791) is a very common species of cowry. The shells of this species reach an average length of 32–38 millimetres (1.3–1.5 in), with a minimum recorded size of 17 millimetres (0.67 in) and a maximum recorded size of 56 millimetres (2.2 in). The smooth, shiny dorsum surface of the shell is usually pale brown or yellowish, marked with multiple small white spots. The base of the shell is white or pink, with several fine teeth. In living individuals of this species, the mantle is pale brown to greyish, and bears long, tree-shaped sensory papillae. Naria miliaris is quite similar in appearance to Naria lamarckii, but can be distinguished by the unspotted white edges of its shell. This species occurs in the Indian Ocean along the coasts of Madagascar and Tanzania. It is also distributed from the western Pacific Ocean to Australia, with populations found along the coasts of Japan, East China, Taiwan, Vietnam, eastern Thailand, eastern Malaysia, Flores, North Borneo, Java, the Philippines, and northwestern Australia.
