Monetaria

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Monetaria
Cowrie shell (Monetaria moneta)

Cowrie shell
( Monetaria moneta )

Systematics
Superordinate : Caenogastropoda
Order : Sorbeoconcha
Subordination : Hypsogastropoda
Superfamily : Cypraeoidea
Family : Cowries (Cypraeidae)
Genre : Monetaria
Scientific name
Monetaria
Troschel , 1863

Monetaria is a screw - genus from the family of cowries (Cypraeidae). Shells of species Monetaria monetus and Monetaria annulus were earlier than cash, the so-called cowrie money , used

features

The size of the shell varies between 14 mm (in M. obvelata ) and 36 mm (in M. caputdraconis ). The shape is oval to rounded triangular and flattened. The sides on either side of the mouths are thick and greatly broadened. The mouth teeth are usually short but strong. One fossula is missing.

Occurrence, distribution and way of life

The species of this genus occur in the tropics of the Indic and the western Pacific . They occur in shallow water on stony ground, mostly in coral reefs. At night they crawl over stones and rocks with their wide creep feet and graze on the algae growth. During the day they hide under stones and in small hollows.

Systematics

The genus Monetaria was established by Franz Hermann Troschel in 1863. The type species is Cypraea moneta Linné, 1758. The genus is viewed by some authors only as a subgenus of Cypraea . The systematic scope of the genre also differs depending on the author. Here the systematic allocation of the species is shown, as described by Felix Lorenz . Other systematists see it differently in individual cases. The species caputserpentis and caputophidii, for example, are not a species of the genus Monetaria for every biologist , sometimes they are listed under the genus Erosaria . Cypraea caputserpentis is also the type species of the genus Ravitrona Iredale, 1930, which, however, is not recognized as an independent genus in more recent studies. M. sublitorea is not regarded by all authors as an independent species, but in some places merely as a subspecies of M. annulus . In the case of all other species of the genus Monetaria , there is broad consensus that they come under Monetaria .

species

photos

literature

  • Felix Lorenz , Alex Hubert: A Guide To Worldwide Cowries . 2. enlarged and completely revised edition. ConchBooks, Hackenheim 2000, ISBN 3-925919-25-2 .
  • Barry Wilson: Australian Marine Shells . Volume: 1: Prosobranch gastropods. Odyssey Publisher, Kallaroo Australia 1993, ISBN 0-646-15226-2 .

Web links

Commons : Monetaria  - collection of images, videos and audio files