| Luria lurida (Linnaeus, 1758) |
 |
Algarve to Angola, Azores to Mediterranean.
Omnivorous in the infralittoral, often in twilight zones. Found on some sponges, which may suggest a predatory behaviour on sessile preys.
Original taxon: Cypraea lurida.
Left: 2m deep, under rock, Punta di Spanu, Lumio, Calvi, NW. Corsica. 42mm. — Right: 9m deep, on rock, Falasarna bay, Kissamos, W. Crete, 43mm. |
 |
The number of synonyms is impressive.
5m deep, Almyra, Sisses, Rethimno, N. Crete. 43mm.
8m deep, Punta di Spanu, Lumio. 53mm. |
 |
9m deep, Siracusa, SE. Sicilia.
Original picture provided by A. Brancato (IT).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
 |
| Atlantic specimen. 50cm deep, at low tide, under rocks, Cap des Pères, Akanda, north of Libreville, Gabon. 39,3mm. |
 |
Cypraea lurida in M. Lister: Historiae sive synopsis methodicae conchyliorum…, Oxford 1770, 671-17 (left), and (right) in E. J. Burrow: Conchiologia Linneana, Milano 1836, plate XIV.
« Conchiglia alcun poco turbinata, ma lurida o di tristo colore, e leggermente fasciata; le estremità ne riescono quasi del colore di terra gialla, con sopravi due macchie nere. » – E.J.B. |
 |
A specimen among coralline algae.
Original picture provided by J. Regàs (ES).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
 |
| The species, pictured on a stamp of Malta Post. |
 |
Calanque de Saména, south of Marseille, Provence, S. France. Original picture provided by slebris for iNaturalist.
– (CC BY-NC) – |
 |
| Enhancement of the microsculpture in a juvenile (h=2,1mm), « con doratura da SEM ». Original pictures provided by A. Nappo (IT) – (CC BY-NC-SA). |
 |
Four specimens resting in a shelter at the foot of the western cliffs of Dramont promontory, west of Agay, Saint-Raphaël, Var, Provence. Original picture provided by slebris for iNaturalist.
– (CC BY-NC) – |
 |
A specimen with the mantle completely covering the shell. Shallow water, Ognina, Siracusa, E. Sicilia. Original picture provided by R. Rodolico and A. Brancato (IT).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |
| The species in F. Ronconce’s collection: |
 |
Above and below: specimens from Trapani, W. Sicilia.
34mm, adult. |
 |
| Subadult. 37mm. |
 |
| Lampedusa, young specimen. 37mm. |
 |
Variant “minima” Dunker.
Cold waters, Savona, Liguria, NW. Italy. 23mm.
Taormina, Messina, NE. Sicily. 30mm. |
 |
| Gargano, Puglia, S. Italy. 52mm. |
 |
Variant “ventricosa” Mollerat.
Mazara del Vallo, Sicilia. 33,5mm.
All the above pictures were provided by F. Roncone (IT).
– (CC BY-NC-SA) – |