Please Help Me to Identify This Cowrie

[paul monfils]

Yes it is a typical immature C. tigris that has not yet developed the mature color pattern or mature dentition in the aperture.

[sogoodlah]

Hi All,

I just came back from Manado in Indonesia and I found this unique cowrie that I need all you experts out there to help me to identify.

Please have a look at the link below and let me know what type if cowrie is this. I suspect it is a sub-species of the tiger cowrie family, but it is much lighter, like mouse cowrie. Gone through my shell books and varies website and I still not able to find something similar.

<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185616" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185616">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185616</a><!-- m --></a>

Many thanks for your kind assistance in advance.


Regards,


William[move]

[paul monfils]

Not too clear a picture but it appears to be an immature tiger cowrie, Cypraea tigris.

[sogoodlah]

More pictures

<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185615" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185615">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185615</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185612" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185612">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185612</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185610" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185610">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185610</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185599" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185599">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185599</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185595" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185595">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4185595</a><!-- m --></a>

I can provide high resolution pictures, if needed.

Thanks.

[sogoodlah]

Thanks for the confirmation.

Is this shell is of any value? Or it is just like the common tiger cowrie?

[paul monfils]

It is the common tiger cowrie, just not fully mature.  Immature shells are usually worth less than mature ones, simply because the demand for them by collectors is much less.