Cowry? from Townsville, Queensland

August 17, 2007
From: Melanie Wood

Hi,
I was hoping for some help with the identification of this nudibranch I have seen a few times in the Rowes Bay area. It is quite a small size and looks just like a little blob. The photographs do not show it in 'all its glory' as the only time I could see it fully was while in muddy water. I believe it may have had a small internal shell but am unsure on that fact as it was hard to tell.

Locality: Rowes Bay, Townsville, Low tide (0.47metres), Queensland, Australia, 11 July 2007, Intertidal muddy area, under rocks. Length: 1.5 cm. Photographer: Melanie Wood.

Thanks
Melanie

melanie.wood@jcu.edu.au

Wood, M. J., 2007 (Aug 17) Cowry? from Townsville, Queensland. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20196

Dear Mel,
It is usually easier to put an animal like this into a pool, or dish, of seawater and see what it looks like when it is in its 'normal' surroundings. At low tide, all these animals are trying to do is stay wet and not dry out so they curl up. In the lower photo the bottom animal seems to have a gap down the midline, suggesting it has a flap of skin on each side which is folded up. Have a look at the Cowry Fact Sheet  as I suspect that is what it is.

Next time you see one of these put it in a pool - or have a little plastic container of sea water - and pop it in for a few minutes. It's head should extend out and if these are flaps, they will probably contract a bit to show a bit of the shell.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Aug 17). Comment on Cowry? from Townsville, Queensland by Melanie Wood. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20196

Factsheet

Cowries or cypraeids

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