page_title: Talparia talpa
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Talparia talpa / Description
caption_attribution_description: Talparia talpa (synonym&#160;:Cypraea talpa ) English: Porcelaine Taupe Author me (clmiadfl) This sea shell is part of my collection
context_page_description: Talparia talpa, common name the mole cowry or chocolate banded cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
context_section_description: The shells of these quite uncommon cowries reach on average 50–70 millimetres (2.0–2.8 in) of length, with a minimum size of 23 millimetres (0.91 in) and a maximum size of 105 millimetres (4.1 in). They are very variable in pattern and colour. The dorsum surface is smooth and shiny, the basic color is brown or yellowish brown, with three or four yellow or light brown transversal bands. The margins, the base and the teeth are completely dark brown or black. Also the teeth are dark brown, but the teeth spacing is clearer or white. In the living cowries the mantle is greyish or black, with long cylindrical papillae. Mantle and foot are well developed, with external antennae. The lateral flaps of the mantle may hide completely the shell surface and may be quickly retracted into the shell.
caption: A shell of Talparia talpa, anterior end towards the bottom
exif: {}