Bistolida stolida (Linné, 1758)
Length: 22.1mm, Width: 12.8mm, Height: 9.5mm. Snorkel, day, 10 ft, under coral rubble. Apra Harbor, Guam. Collected by Steve Norby on 05 July 2005.
Length: 22.7mm, Width: 12.5mm, Height: 9.6mm. Scuba, night, 15 ft, crawling alongside a coral head. Apra Harbor, Guam. Collected by Bob Abela on 01 December 1987.
Distribution: Widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Typically found under coral rubble, on or very near the sponge it feeds upon. Although usually found in shallow water (5-30 ft), they may be found deeper.
Availability: Uncommon.
Size: Guam specimens are typically between 20-25 mm.
Comments: Mantle coloration may be a light shade of yellow, gray, or white.
References:
Abbott, R. Tucker & S. Peter Dance. Compendium of Seashells. p. 93.
Burgess, C. M. 1985. Cowries of the World. p. 154-155.
Cate, Crawford N. 1969. The Cowry Species Living at Guam. The Veliger 12(1):128. pl. 25, fig. 55.
Cernohorsky, Walter O. 1971. Marine Shells of the Pacific. revised ed. p. 102. pl. 19, fig. 110.
Heiman, E. L. 2004. Diagnosing Cowry Species. p. 46, 99.
Hinton, Alan. 1972. Shells of New Guinea and the Central Indo-Pacific. p. 22. pl. 11, fig. 23.
Kira, Tetsuaki. 1965. Shells of the Western Pacific In Color, Vol. I. p. 48. pl. 20, fig. 15
Lorenz, Felix & Alex Hubert. 2000. A Guide to Worldwide Cowries. p. 171-173. pl. 79, fig. 1-12, 15-31, 33-37.
Springsteen, F. J. & F. M. Leobrera. 1986. Shells of the Philippines. p. 94. pl. 24, fig. 4 a-b.
Walls, Jerry G. 1979. Cowries. Second ed. p. 157.
Wilson, Barry. 1993. Australian Marine Shells, Part One. p. 177. pl. 32, fig. 8 a-c.
Links:
- Randy Bridge's Bistolida group
- OBIS Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database
- Seashell-Collector.com - two stunning images by Jean-Andre Detterer of living niger-forms: image 1 | image 2