Ransoniella punctata (Linnaeus, 1771)
Punctate cowry, 8-17mm

The white shell with discrete brown spots is unmistakable, although fresh living specimens are often banded with very pale brown. Ransoniella punctata is found on shallow subtidal lagoon reefs and pinnacles, as well as on the leeward seaward reef. During the day it can be seen under chunks of dead coral. At night, the red-mantled cowry wanders about in ledges and caves, or even on the bright red encrusting sponge on lagoon bottom shipwrecks. We have seen it at depths from about 1.5-35m. The species has been split into a number of subspecies and is found across the Indo-Pacific with the exception of Hawaii. The subspecies found in the Marshall Islands is Ransoniella punctata punctata.

On an egg mass.

11.7mm, 6 November 1993

16.05mm, 7 November 2010

Created 1 April 2008
Updated 23 February 2020

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