Umbilia hesitata

Umbilia hesitata, common name the umbilicate cowry or wonder cowry is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.

Description

The shells of this uncommon species reach on average in length, with a maximum size of and a minimum size of. The dorsal dome is smooth, round and appears almost inflated. The basic color of this cowry is white or pale brown or light pink, with many brown irregular small spots, especially close to the edges. The anterior and the posterior extremities are rostrate, with well-developed flanges, extended around the base. The base is mainly white, with a large sinuous aperture and small teeth. Females are smaller than males.

Distribution

This species is widely distributed from South Australia to southern Queensland, mainly in the seas along Victoria, New South Wales and along northern and eastern Tasmania.

Habitat

These cowries live in cold deep waters on the bottom sediment at about of depth, where they are usually found by fishing. They likely feed on bryozoa or sponges. In parts of Tasmania, the species occurs in much shallower water in the subtidal zone.

Subspecies

Umbilia hesitata beddomei Schlinder, 1930
Umbilia hesitata howelli Iredale, 1931