Northern Cowrie

Trivia arctica

Trivia arctica is a small sea snail with a glossy, lemon-shaped shell featuring 20-30 transverse ridges. The upper shell is a uniform pale brown, lacking pigment spots, while the mantle may show darker colors in shallower waters. This species can reach a shell length of about 10 mm and a width of approximately 8 mm. It is often confused with Trivia monacha, with which it shares habitats, but they can be distinguished by their larvae, which are easily identifiable. In the British Isles, these shells are colloquially known as 'cowries' or 'Groatie Buckies' in certain regions, where they are considered lucky and used in art and jewelry. Northern Cowries inhabit areas from the Mediterranean Sea to the northern reaches of Scotland and Norway, with a preference for sublittoral zones below the low tide line. They can be found at depths ranging from 100 m in the north to as deep as 1000 m in the south. Their diet primarily consists of compound ascidians, such as Botryllus schlosseri. Breeding occurs during the autumn, winter, and early spring months. An encounter with a Northern Cowrie while diving may reveal it nestled among its food sources on the seafloor. Divers should observe its behavior, as it secretes acid when disturbed, suggesting a warning mechanism linked to its brightly colored mantle. The conservation status of this species is currently not evaluated.