These shells are a great example of how shells can have extreme local variants to the normal run of the mill shells of the same genus/variety.
The shell at the top is Cypraea mauritania (Dragon's Head Cowrie). These are common and in all the time I have been collecting shells ( I specialize in Cowries and Cone Shells), I have never seen one as heavy and as large as this one. Weighing in around 200 grams and around 8 cms in length.
The shell to the lower left is a Variant/Mutant patterned Tiger Cowrie (Cypraea tigris). The shell to its right is a 'normal' Tiger Cowrie. The difference is remarkable I am aware that there can be variants but I have never seen one with stripes!
The collection area is abundant with food for these shells (they are plant/algae eaters/grazers). These specimens were found in a sea-grass meadow on the leeward side of Mbabanga Island, Solomon Islands.
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