Luria lurida
Luria lurida is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Description
The shells of Luria lurida reach on average of length, with a minimum size of and a maximum size of. The dorsum surface of these elongated, smooth and shiny shells is mainly pale brown or reddish, with three transversal darker bands alternating with narrower clearer bands. At the extremities of the shell there are two separate dark brown spots. The aperture is wide, with several teeth. In the living cowries the mantle is dark brown and may cover the entire shell. The male is usually smaller and elongated than the female.
Distribution
This common species is distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Atlantic Ocean along Macaronesia and West Africa, mainly in Senegal and Angola.
Habitat
As they fear the light, during the day usually they hide themselves in small caves, crevices or under rocks up to about of depth. They live on rocky seabed and corals, feeding during the night mainly on sponges of Verongia aerophoba, Aiplysina aerophoba, Chondrilla nucula and Tethya aurantium.
Subspecies
Three subspecies have been recognized :Luria lurida lurida Luria lurida minima Luria lurida oceanica Luria lurida pulchroides Alvardo & Alvarez, 1964
Synonyms
Cypraea amethistina Costa O.G., 1830Cypraea aurora Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea kunthii Audouin, 1826Cypraea leucogaster Gmelin, 1791Cypraea lurida Linnaeus, 1758 Cypraea lurida congiunta Settepassi, 1977 Cypraea lurida elongata Settepassi, 1977 Cypraea lurida immaculata Settepassi, 1977 Cypraea lurida oceanica Schilder, 1930 Cypraea lurida var. albida Costa O.G., 1829 Cypraea lurida var. brunnea Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. caerulescens Mollerat, 1890 Cypraea lurida var. cinerea Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. concolor Kobelt, 1906 Cypraea lurida var. curta Mollerat, 1890 Cypraea lurida var. cylindrica Mollerat, 1890 Cypraea lurida var. fasciata Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. fulva Mollerat, 1890 Cypraea lurida var. major Pallary, 1900 Cypraea lurida var. maxima Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. media Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. minima Dunker, 1853 Cypraea lurida var. monochroa Mollerat, 1890 Cypraea lurida var. monstrosa Gray J.E., 1828 Cypraea lurida var. nebulosa Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. normalis Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. pubescens Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. rufescens Costa O.G., 1829 Cypraea lurida var. rufofulva Kobelt, 1906 Cypraea lurida var. turdicula Monterosato, 1897 Cypraea lurida var. ventricosa Mollerat, 1890 Cypraea lurida var. virescens Costa O.G., 1829 Cypraea lurida var. zonata Mollerat, 1890 Luria lurida lurida · accepted, alternate representationLuria lurida var. badia Coen, 1949 Luria lurida var. incrassata Coen, 1933 Luria lurida var. liburnica Coen, 1933 Luria lurida var. obstructa Coen, 1933 Luria lurida var. onycina Coen, 1933 Lurida lurida Voluta pumilio Brusina, 1865