Cowry
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| phylum | Mollusca | Nearly all cowries have a porcelain-like shine, with some exceptions such as Hawaii's granulated cowry, Nucleolaria granulata. Many have colorful patterns. Lengths range from 5 mm for some species up to 19 cm for the Atlantic deer cowry, Macrocypraea cervus. Cowry shells are also worn as jewelry or otherwise used as ornaments or charms. They are viewed as symbols of womanhood, fertility, birth and wealth. The symbolism of the cowry shell is associated with the appearance of its underside: the lengthwise opening makes the shell look like a vulva or an eye.
For more information, visit the Wikipedia entry. Get back to Sea snail |
| class | Gastropoda | |
| order | Sorbeoconcha | |
| family | Cypraeidae | |
| genus | Cypraea |
