Palmulacypraea katsuae

Palmulacypraea katsuae, common name : Katsua's cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.^[1]

Palmulacypraea katsuae
Shell of Palmulacypraea katsuae guidoi (holotype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Cypraeidae
Genus:	Palmulacypraea
Species:	P. katsuae
Binomial name
Palmulacypraea katsuae (Kuroda, 1960)
Synonyms[1]
Cypraea katsuae (Kuroda, 1960) Cypraea vicdani Lan, T.C., 1985 Erronea (Gratiadusta) katsuae Kuroda, 1960 (Original combination) Notadusta katsuae Kuroda, 1960 Palmulacypraea katsuae katsuae (Kuroda, 1960)· accepted, alternate representation

There are two subspecies :

• Palmulacypraea katsuae guidoi (Lorenz, 2002)
• Palmulacypraea katsuae katsuae (Kuroda, 1960): represented as Palmulacypraea katsuae katsuae (Kuroda, 1960)· accepted, alternate representation

Description

The shell size varies between 15 mm and 24 mm.^[2] Cowries are prized for their beauty and diversity, and are mostly used for jewelry.^[3]

Distribution

This species occurs in the Pacific Ocean off Japan and the Philippines; also off New Caledonia.