Callistocypraea aurantium

Callistocypraea aurantium, (formerly classified inside genus lyncina) common name the golden cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.^[2]

Callistocypraea aurantium
Five views of a shell of Callistocypraea aurantium
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Cypraeidae
Genus:	Callistocypraea
Species:	C. aurantium
Binomial name
Callistocypraea aurantium (Gmelin, 1791)
Synonyms[1]
Cypraea aurantium Gmelin, 1791 Cypraea aurora Lamarck, 1810 Lyncina aurantium (Gmelin, 1791)

Distribution

This is an uncommon-to-rare species which is found in the tropical waters of the west-central to south-central Pacific Ocean.^{[citation needed]}

Habitat

This animal is usually found on the ocean side of islands, on the reef, at depths of 30 to 100+ feet.^{[citation needed]} It normally hides in the coral during daylight and comes out to feed at night.^{[citation needed]}

Shell description

This is a large cowry, 80 to 100 mm (3.1 to 3.9 in) long.^{[citation needed]} The shell that is yellowish brown to reddish orange on the dorsum, with white to cream colored margins.^{[citation needed]} The mantle of the golden cowry is a combination of dark gray with translucent spots and patches that the orange color of the shell shows through.^{[citation needed]} The scattered branching papillae are brownish gray, often white at the bases and tips.^{[citation needed]}

Human use

In the past, on the Fiji Islands, this shell, known as "bulikula", was drilled at the ends and worn on a string around the neck by chieftains as a symbol of rank or privilege.^[3] As the shells are rare, they are prized by collectors.^{[citation needed]}