Muracypraea mus

Muracypraea mus, common name the mouse cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

Muracypraea mus
A shell of Muracyprea mus from Amway Bay Venezuela, anterior end towards the right
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily:
Cypraeoidea
Family:
Cypraeidae
Genus:
Muracypraea
Species:
M. mus
Binomial name
Muracypraea mus
Synonyms

This species was once considered to belong to the archaic genus Siphocypraea (which now includes only extinct species). In 2004 it was placed by Meyer in the specifically created genus Muracypraea Woodring, 1957.

Description

The shells of these rare cowries reach on average 38–45 millimetres (1.5–1.8 in) of length, with a minimum size of 30 millimetres (1.2 in) and a maximum size of 67 millimetres (2.6 in).[1] They are pyriform, quite thick and heavy, almost swollen, with slightly square contours. The dorsum surface of these smooth and shiny shells is generally pale brown or beige, with a variable pattern of dark brown spots. The base may be pale brown or whitish, the poorly developed teeth are usually white or dark brown, the aperture is long and narrow. In the living cowries mantle and foot are well developed, with external antennae. Muracypraea mus is quite similar to Bernaya teulerei.

A shell of Muracyprea mus, lateral view, anterior end towards the right
A shell of Muracyprea mus, dorsal view, anterior end towards the right
Apertural view of a shell of Muracypraea mus

Distribution

Locus typicus of Cyp. mus tristensis: "Off Tucacas, Golfo de Triste, Venezuela."[2]

These cowries live in the Southern Caribbean Sea,
along northern Colombia and western Venezuela.
Also recently discovered at Malmok, Aruba, at a depth of 30 metres.

Habitat

Muracypraea mus lives in tropical shallow water, generally in the low intertidal zone on seagrass beds, but also at greater depths, usually feeding on algae and sponges (omnivore-grazer). Minimum recorded depth is 0 m.[1] Maximum recorded depth is 20 m.[1]

Subspecies
  • Muracypraea mus bicornis Sowerby, 1870
  • Muracypraea mus mus Linnaeus, 1758
  • Muracypraea mus tristensis Petuch, 1987

References
  1. Welch J. J. (2010). "The “Island Rule” and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". PLoS ONE 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776.
  2. Petuch, E.J. 1987-New Caribbean Molluscan Faunas, page 92. Publ: CERF
  • WoRMS
  • Burgess, C.M. (1985) Cowries of the World. Gordon Verhoef, Seacomber Publications, South Africa, Cape Town. XIV + 289 pp. page(s): 168
  • Lorenz F. & Hubert A. (2000) - A guide to worldwide cowries. Edition 2. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 584 pp
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Muracypraea mus.
  • Biolib
  • "Muracypraea mus mus". Gastropods.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  • Paleo Database
  • Flmnh
  • Muracypraea mus subspecies
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