Money cowrie

Reho Āmihi

We find this cowrie in the Caribbean sea, Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. It lives at the surface and down to 66 feet deep. It is a very small shell that measures barely 1.2 in (3 cm). Its shell is somewhat flat and irregular with large edges. It is a pale color but has a tendency to become beige while leaving a dark “ring” at the center of the shell. It has a large, zebra striped mantle. This shell was once used in the place of money.