Bistolida stolida


Bistolida stolida, common name the stolid cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

Subspecies

The following subspecies are recognized :Bistolida stolida brianoi Lorenz, 2002Bistolida stolida clavicola Lorenz, 1998Bistolida stolida crossei Bistolida stolida kwajaleinensis
  • Bistolida stolida rubiginosa
  • * forma : Bistolida stolida rubiginosa rufodentata Biraghi, G., 1976Bistolida stolida salaryensis Bozzetti, 2008
  • * forma : Bistolida stolida salaryensis fulva Bozzetti, L., 2009Bistolida stolida stolida
  • * forma : Bistolida stolida stolida vietnamensis Bistolida stolida uvongoensis Massier, 2004

Description

The shells of these uncommon cowries reach on average of length, with a minimum size of and a maximum size of. The dorsum surface is very smooth and shiny, the basic color is blue-gray, white or light tan, with large irregular dark brown dorsal blotches. The margins are decorated with two orange - brown spots. The base may be white or pink, with a long and narrow aperture and long white or brown fine teeth. Both the extremities are more or less rostrated, with an orange brown blotch. In the living cowry the mantle is transparent with white long tree-shaped sensorial papillae and can be completely retracted into the shell.

Distribution

This species and its subspecies can be found in the seas along Aldabra, Chagos, the Comores, Kenya, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, the Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, in the Indian Ocean and in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean in the Kwajalein Atoll, New Caledonia, Guam, Samoa Islands and the Marshall Islands, Melanesia and along Vietnam, Taiwan, Australia, Sulu Sea, Samar Island and Philippines.

Habitat

These cowries mainly live in tropical intertidal and subtidal zone on coral reefs up to of depth. During the day they are usually hidden under rocks and in crevices, as only at dusk they start feeding on sponges or algae.