Description: This cowrie has a pale brown, oval shaped shell with white ridges, and no black spots. It grows up to around 10 mm in length and 8 mm wide. The shell has a glossy appearance and on the underside there is a narrow, toothed aperture. The siphon, foot and tentacles are usually a pale yellow and translucent. There are normally some yellow spots on the tentacles and foot. The mantle can come out and around the shell, in this species there are dark spots/marks along the edge of the mantle.

Habitat: Found on the lower shore and subtidally, under boulders or on rocky substrata.

Distribution: Found all around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Trivia monacha, although in T. monacha the shell has three black spots, and the body of the animal is more brightly coloured, often with striping on the foot. Juvenile cowries lack the distinctive shells of the adults so may be confused with some other species.

Key Identification Features:

• Oval-shaped ridged shell with no black spots.
• Siphon, foot and tentacles are usually a pale yellow.
• Dark spots/marks along the edge of the mantle (only visible in active animals).

Distribution Map from NBN: Trivia arctica at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Trivia arctica at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Trivia arctica

WoRMS: Trivia arctica at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Trivia arctica (Pulteney, 1799). AphiaID: 141741.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Gastropoda; Caenogastropoda; Littorinimorpha; Velutinoidea; Triviidae; Trivia