The spotted shell is only part of the animal. When a tiger cowrie extends its black-and-white mantle, the living surface can cover the shell completely.
- Local names
- Poreho
- Habitat
- Lagoon and reef
About this species
Cypraea tigris has a large pale shell marked with dark brown or black spots. Its mantle bears elongated papillae and can spread over the whole shell. The animal feeds on molluscs and sponges.
It occurs from lagoons to outer reef slopes, with the guide describing depths of roughly 1–40 m. The original account reports that collecting pressure has made it harder to find in shallow Polynesian waters. This is a regional observation, rather than a global conservation classification.
