Rosewater's Egg Cowrie

Primovula rosewateri is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ovulidae, the ovulids, cowry allies or false cowries.

Description

Mantle is white with large red spots, short yellow filaments with white tips. Well camouflaged on its host, often the first hint of its presence is the sighting of egg masses towards the ends of the gorgonian branches. The shell of this egg snail is purple with white stripes.

Grows to 15 mm. Formerly known as Crenavolva rosewateri.

Distribution

Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the West-Pacific region, from Indonesia and the Philippines, to Japan and Australia. The family is recorded in Australia from around Exmouth in Western Australia, across the tropical north, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland south to around Port Stephens in New South Wales.

Habitat

Frequents host gorgonian branches, upon which it feeds and lays eggs.