CLASSIFICATION OF CYPRAEA
PHYLUM :- MOLLUSCA (Unsegmented bilaterally symmetrical and provided with visceral mass, foot and mantle. )
CLASS :- GASTROPODA (Visceral hump twisted.)
SUB-CLASS :- PROSOBRANCHIATA (Gills in front of heart.)
ORDER :- PECTINIBRANCHIATA (Ctenidium comb-like or monopectinate.)
GENUS :- Cypraea
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Tropical and subtropical form. Mostly found in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Africa and U.S.A. (Florida, California).
HABIT AND HABITAT
Cypraea lives on rocky ground, in shallow marine water.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF CYPRAEA
- Commonly called as cowry.
- Dorsal side is convex and the ventral side is flat with a narrow longitudinal opening extending along ventral length of the shell in the form of toothed channel or shell aperture.
- Solid shell is very smooth, polished and often highly coloured. Spine often concealed by the last whorl.
- Mantle and the foot are more beautiful.
- Lateral folds of mantle are reflected over the shell and may completely cover it.
- In entire expanded animal a pair of eyes, tentacles, pallial tentacles, foot mantle and siphon are easily seen.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The cowry shells are much used as ornaments, curious and mantle-piece decorations. The Cypraea moneta is used as money in the Pacific Islands and Africa. Cypraea tigris is beautifully engraved with Lord’s prayer and sold as curio or used as mantle piece ornament.
IDENTIFICATION
The animal has ventral shell contains toothed shell aperture and all above features, hence it is Cypraea.
OUR POSTS
WHALE (BALAENOPTERA)WHALE (BALAENOPTERA) CLASSIFICATION OF WHALE (BALAENOPTERA) PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present) Group :- CRANIATA (Definite head. Cranium with ...READ MORE
HEDGEHOG (ERINACEUS)HEDGEHOG (ERINACEUS) CLASSIFICATION OF ERINACEUS : HEDGEHOG PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present) Group :- CRANIATA (Definite head. Cranium with ...READ MORE
ZEBRAZEBRA CLASSIFICATION OF ZEBRA PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present ) Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present ) ...READ MORE
MANGOOSE : HERPESTESMANGOOSE : HERPESTES CLASSIFICATION OF MANGOOSE : HERPESTES PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present) Group :- CRANIATA (Definite head. Cranium with ...READ MORE
WHY ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGETS ?WHY ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGETS ? It’s a not unexpected saying that elephants always remember, and that is why these great creatures are more than just monster strolling on our planet earth. The ...READ MORE
SEAL : PHOCASEAL : PHOCA CLASSIFICATION OF SEAL (PHOCA) PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present) Group :- CRANIATA (Definite head. Cranium with brain present) ...READ MORE
HERDMANIA SLIDESHERDMANIA SLIDES Herdmania : Metamorphosis : Tadpole Larva Larva of Herdmania is called as tadpole larva. After hatching it leads a free-swimming life for 90-180 seconds and then undergoes ...READ MORE
AMMOCOETE LARVACYCLOSTOMATA SLIDES Lamprey : Ammocoete : Larva Whole Mount COMMENTS :- It is one of the stages in the development of lamprey. Egg develops into ammocoete larva, which is a tiny transparent creature ...READ MORE
VERTEBRAL COLUMNVertebral Column Notochord In all chordate embryos, the first axial endoskeleton to appear is a slender, stiff, unsegmented, gelatinous rod, the notochord. It is present below the nerve cord and ...READ MORE
SKULL BONESSKULL BONES SCOLIODON : SKULL BONES Skull consists of :- (A) Cranium and sense capsules, (B) Visceral skeleton. 1. Cranium and sense capsules Made up of a single piece of cartilage and divisible ...READ MORE
