Phylogeny: Cowry Shells of the Cypraeidae Family are gastropod mollusks in the Littorinimorpha order. The name Cowry comes from the Hindi word Kauri. The Italian term for the Cowry Shell is “porcellana”, referring to the shiny porcelain-like surface of these shells. This order is large and very diverse in shape including snail-like, cowry shaped, and limpet-like. Most are marine species but some are found in freshwater or on land. They all have a twisted shell and a muscular foot that is used for movement. The key characteristic is that they all exhibit torsion, which is a process where the body twists so that the anus, gills, mantle cavity, and reproductive organs all point forward. There are sixteen superfamilies in this large order. The Cypraeidae Family is one of three families in the superfamily Cypraeoidea. Family Cypraeidae consists of eight subfamilies – Cypraeinae with five genera, Cypraeovulinae with three genera, Erosariinae with ten genera, Erroneinae with seventeen genera, Luriinae with eleven genera, Pustulariinae with one genus, Umbiliinae with one genus, Zoilinae with two genera, and Zonariinae with four genera. There are between 250 and 260 valid cowry species. These shells are also commonly called Cypraeids.

Description: Adult Cowry Shells are somewhat egg-shaped, with very strong shells. They have no visible spire. Their aperture is long and lined with “teeth”. The exterior surface is covered with smooth and shiny enamel. This enamel is deposited by the mantle that covers the surface of live individuals. In some species this enamel is thick around the margins, forming callus deposits.  Juvenile Cowry Shells resemble Bubble Shells in that they have thin shells and lack the long, narrow, toothed, aperture. They frequently display a spire. The color patterns of the juveniles shells may also be very different from adult shells making identification more difficult. These shells lack an operculum. Cowry Shells range in size from as small as 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) to as large as 19 cm (7.1 inches) in length.

Habitat and Distribution: Most Cowrie Shells are nocturnal, hiding under rocks and in crevices during daylight hours. At night they can be found crawling about on rocks, coral, rubble, and other hard surfaces. They live in the intertidal zone and at depths up to 700 m (2,296 feet). Cowries are found worldwide in subtropical and tropical waters. At least ten species are found in Mexican waters.

Natural History: Cowries may be carnivores, herbivores, omnivores or spongivores. They may feed on  algae, anemones, carrion, sponges, and tunicates. The strong shell of cowries protects them from many predators, however, venomous cone mollusks, some crustaceans, and octopus can defeat that defense. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. The eggs are laid in protective capsules.

Cowrie Shells have been used as charms, currency, funerary goods, jewelry, and ornaments, by many cultures around the world for centuries. To this day they are sought by shell collectors.