Chinese Cowrie

Ovatipsa chinensis

The Chinese Cowrie is a distinctive species of cowry characterized by its bright red mantle, which is covered in short protruding filaments. Its shell can reach lengths of 25 to 50 millimeters and is smooth and elongate, typically light brown or yellowish with clear dots on the upper surface and a flat white base. This species can be differentiated from similar cowries by its specific coloration and the presence of purple spots on the edges in the subspecies variolaria. This species inhabits the Indian Ocean and the Central Pacific Ocean, thriving in intertidal waters at depths ranging from 35 to 45 meters. The Chinese Cowrie is primarily nocturnal, seeking refuge under rocks in cracks and crevices during the day, which makes encounters with divers more likely at night. As a carnivorous mollusk, it feeds on small invertebrates. The reproduction process involves broadcast spawning, where embryos develop into planktonic trocophore larvae before maturing into juvenile veligers. The conservation status of the Chinese Cowrie is not evaluated, indicating a lack of specific information regarding its population trends.