Zoila friendii

Black cowrie | Cypraea friendii
Zoila friendii
Zoila friendii, Adelaide, SA, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Zoila friendii
Zoila friendii, Adelaide, SA, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Zoila friendii
Zoila friendii, Kangaroo Isand, SA, Photo: Graham Edgar
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Zoila friendii
Zoila friendii
Zoila friendii

Same Genus

Distribution

Temperate Australasia


Description

Most common of Zoila species and can be identified by the lack of teeth on the inner margin of the aperture (a few protuberances are present at one end). Extremely variable markings and shape, although most have a light brown basal colour and darker brown spots and blotches. Specimens collected from the Perth region are relatively narrow and dark compared with those collected from SA or deep water. In SA there are now daily bag limits for harvesting to ease collecting pressure on this species.


Information

Max Size: 12 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 12.7-22.6°C

Depth: 1-183m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Infrequent (2.1% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney