Mauritia arabica
©Anne: Mauritia arabica about 4 cm long from under rubble exposed at low tide at Coconut Beach, Lizard Island. Thanks to iNaturalist contributors for the identification.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Gastropoda
Order
Littorinimorpha
Family
Cypraeidae
Genus
Mauritia
Species
Mauritia arabica
Colours
Distinguishing features
Lacks a brown blotch on upper rear part of shell.
Size
- Up to 10 cm (Shell length according to Wilson (1993))
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
species: Mauritia eglantina
is very similar and can be hard to distinguish. It has a "prominent brown blotch above the posterior canal" that is absent in M. arabica, and it is "usually more slender and calloused at the margin" than M. arabica (Wilson, 1993).
Comments
Geometric Art is based upon lines and shapes.
Abstract Art is defined as an image that is non-objective or unrecognisable and yet evokes feelings or emotions.
This shell does not resemble a recognisable object or pattern, the animal cannot see it, it gives poor camouflage and they are not bright warning colours. The pattern is random, a gene mutation which programs some cells to have pigment and the others not.
Shell collectors however are drawn to patterns like these. They are drawn to them because they are Art; Geometric Abstract Art in its purest form
and Nature is the Artist.
by David Witherall
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Wilson, B. (1993). Australian Marine Shells Odyssey Publishing, Kallaroo, Western Australia.