Notocypraea piperita, common name peppered cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Description Notocypraea piperita has a shell reaching a size of 16–30 mm. The dorsum surface usually shows pale brown or peach-coloured transversal bands on a paler background, while the base is whitish or yellowish, with small dark spots on the ventral margin.
Habitat This cowry lives subtidally on rocks.
Distribution This species and its subspecies occur in the seas along southern Australia and northern Tasmania.
Subspecies Notocypraea piperita bicolor Gaskoin, 1849 Notocypraea piperita piperita Gray, 1825
References Lorenz F. & Hubert A. (2000) A guide to worldwide cowries. Edition 2. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 584 pp Lorenz F. (2005) Taxonomic notes on two poorly known species of Notocypraea (Gastropoda: Cypraeidae). Visaya 1(5):16-21
External links Biolib WoRMS Encyclopedia of Life
Molluscs of Tasmania Flmnh