ID help

[beth_castroll]

Greeting-

Today was a great day to be a diver. We found this little dude over at Cedral today. Is this a flamingo tongue with his spots on inside side? A Nudi? Thanks to the team at BlueXTSea for a great welcome back to the island. We dive again tomorrow.

 

[ggunn]

It may be some sort of cowrie. In all the years I have been going to Cozumel (first trip:1987) I have found only one cowrie (excepting flamingo tongues, which I believe are closely related), and that was many years ago when I only snorkeled. A weird thing about cowries is that the outside of their shells are polished like the inside of most other shells. That's because when they fully extend, their bodies completely encapsulate their shells.

 

[KeithG]

Looks like a young Measled Cowrie that has not yet developed spots on the shell.

How big was it?

 

[T.C.]

I disagree with both of the above; I do not think it is a Cowrie. Most Cowries, even the young, are banded, spotted or stripped.

I believe it to be a Marginella, probably a Oblong Marginella. The solid color, and small size given the algae in the foreground are basis for this.

 

[beth_castroll]

Looks like a young Measled Cowrie that has not yet developed spots on the shell.

How big was it?

It was about the size of a flamingo tongue or the first knuckle of my thumb.