Bistolida ursellus (Gmelin, 1791)
Little bear cowry, 9-15mm

Bistolida ursellus is rarer than B. hirundo but more common than B. kieneri in the Marshall Islands. They typically are a bit more brown in color than the other two, and the anterior white dorsal band tends to be shaped more like a W, although in small specimens, it is often just a white blob. The teeth extend most of the way across the base and tend to be sharper and more pronounced than those of B. hirundo. Young specimens have less developed teeth that are structured more like those of B. kieneri. Specimens are found under rocks and in rubble on the windward and leeward seaward reefs, and occasionally on lagoon pinnacles exposed to swift tidal currents. We have seen specimens at depths ranging from about 5-20m. This species is known from much of the Indo-Pacific except for the extreme northeastern (Hawaii) and western (Africa) ends. The subspecies found in the Marshall Islands is Bistolida ursellus ursellus.

The mantle is mostly translucent and the dorsal blotches on the shell can be easily seen through it.

13.2mm, 2 February 1991

9.1mm, 1 September 1989

Created 1 April 2008
Updated 2 April 2024

Back to cowries

Kwajalein Underwater Home