Muracypraea mus: Difference between revisions

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 mus
Species:	M. mus
Binomial name
	Muracypraea mus; Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
	Cypraea mus Linnaeus, 1758 ;

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Revision as of 01:08, 4 June 2011

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.

This species was once considered to belong to the archaic genus Siphocypraea (now including extinct species only). 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). 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 usyally 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.

Distribution

These cowries live in the Atlantic Ocean, along northern Colombia and western Venezuela.

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).

Subspecies

Muracypraea mus bicornis Sowerby, 1870
Muracypraea mus donmoorei Petuch, 1979
Muracypraea mus mus Linneaus, 1758
Muracypraea mus tristensis Petuch, 1987

References

WoRMS
Lorenz F. & Hubert A. - A guide to worldwide cowries. Edition 2. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 584 pp

External links

This Cypraeidae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | name = ''Muracypraea mus''
 | image = Cypraeidae - Muracyprea mus - Venezuela, Amway Bay.JPG
-| image_caption =  A [[gastropod shell|shells]] of ''Muracyprea mus'' from Amway Bay Venezuela,  anterior end towards the right
+| image_caption =  A [[gastropod shell|shell]] of ''Muracyprea mus'' from Amway Bay Venezuela,  anterior end towards the right
 | regnum = [[Animal]]ia
 | phylum = [[Mollusca]]
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 * ''Cypraea mus'' <small> Linnaeus, 1758 </small>
 }}
-'''''Muracypraea mus''''', [[common name]] the '''Mouse Cowry''', is a [[species]] of [[sea snail]], a [[cowry]], a marine [[gastropod]] [[mollusk]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Cypraeidae]], the cowries.
+'''''Muracypraea mus''''', [[common name]] the '''mouse cowry''', is a [[species]] of [[sea snail]], a [[cowry]], a marine [[gastropod]] [[mollusk]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Cypraeidae]], the cowries.
-This species was once considered to belong to the archaic genus'' [[Siphocypraea]]'' (now including extinct species only). In 2004 it has been placed by Meyer in the specifically created [[genus]] '''''Muracypraea''''' <small> [[Woodring]], [[1957]]</small>.
+This species was once considered to belong to the archaic genus'' [[Siphocypraea]]'' (now including extinct species only). In 2004 it was placed by Meyer in the specifically created [[genus]] '''''Muracypraea''''' <small> [[Woodring]], [[1957]]</small>.
 ==Description==
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ==Distribution==
 These cowries live in the [[Atlantic Ocean]], along northern [[Colombia]] and western [[Venezuela]].
 ==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).
 ==Subspecies==
@@ Line 45: / Line 43: @@
 * ''Muracypraea mus mus'' <small> Linneaus, 1758 </small>
 * ''Muracypraea mus tristensis'' <small> Petuch, 1987 </small>
 ==References==
 * [http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=531822 WoRMS]
 * Lorenz F. & Hubert A. - A guide to worldwide cowries. Edition 2. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 584 pp
 ==External links==
@@ Line 61: / Line 57: @@
 [[Category:Cypraeidae]]
 [[Category:Animals described in 1758]]
 {{Cypraeidae-stub}}