Species Type:
Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Atlantic deer cowrie
Size:
Atlantic deer cowries can grow up to 7.48 inches (19 centimeters).
Diet:
Atlantic deer cowries are omnivores, meaning they eat plants and animals. Their diet mainly consists of sea squirts algae and other aquatic plants.
Range & Habitat:
Atlantic deer cowrie can be found in bottom habitats, usually shallow, in the western central Atlantic and Gulf.
Details:
Atlantic deer cowries are aquatic snails that reside in benthic environments. These snails are broadcast spawners, meaning they spawn in synchronization in large groups during certain times of the year. They start life as larvae drifting with the currents, and they settle on the bottom to grow up. To feed, they scrape algae and detritus off surfaces using a special body part called the “radula.”