About Ovatipsa chinensis (Gmelin, 1791)
This species is scientifically named Ovatipsa chinensis (Gmelin, 1791), commonly known as the Chinese cowry. The soft mantle of the living animal is bright red, and the entire mantle surface is covered with short, protruding filaments. Adult shells of this species measure between 25 and 50 millimetres (0.98–1.97 inches) in length. The shells are smooth and elongated, with a light brown or yellowish base color. They show clear dots on the dorsal surface and have a flat, white base. For the recognized subspecies Ovatipsa chinensis variolaria (Lamarck, 1810), the shell's basic color is light brown, with small pale purple spots along the shell edges. This species occurs across the entire Indian Ocean and the Central Pacific Ocean. Its confirmed distribution includes coastal waters along the Red Sea, East Africa, Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It lives in intertidal waters at depths between 35 and 45 metres (115–148 ft). The Chinese cowry is active during the night, and hides under rocks within cracks and crevices during daytime.
