Cypraecassis rufa

Cypraecassis rufa
Cypraecassis rufa
Ventral view of a shell of Cypraecassis rufa, anterior end facing downwards
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Caenogastropoda
clade Hypsogastropoda
clade Littorinimorpha
Superfamily: Tonnoidea
Family: Cassidae
Subfamily: Cassinae
Genus: Cypraecassis
Species: C. rufa
Binomial name
Cypraecassis rufa
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Cypraecassis rufa is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cassidae. It is commonly known as the bullmouth or red helmet shell, and also as the cameo shell.[1]

A shell of Cypraecassis rufa. The anterior end is to the lower left.
Shell showing posterior end, with spire and protoconch, and right side of the shell.

Distribution

This species is found off the southern African coast from northern KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. It is more common in Mozambique.[2] It is also a common shell to find on the shores of Kenya.

References

  1. ^ http://www.gastropods.com/3/Shell_103.shtml accessed 8 January 2010
  2. ^ Steyn, D.G. & Lussi, M. 2005. Offshore Shells of Southern Africa ISBN 0-620-33607-2

External links

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