Leporicypraea mappa

The Leporicypraea mappa is a gastropod of the Indo-Pacific, Red Sea included. Of globose shape, the shell of this known cowry measures 60-90 mm, exceptionally 100, and cannot be mistaken due to the brown drawings that evoke an ancient geographical map and the wide irregular longitudinal band that protrudes ramified on the sides. The mantle is somewhat translucent seen that with all those drawings the animal does not need any other camouflage inputs, with short ramified papillae. The foot is whitish-pinkish. Useless to add that for the infinite colour variations of the drawings, up to a completely black form, is a shell very sought after by collectors © Giuseppe Mazza