Description: This cowrie has a white, oval shaped shell with brown ridges, and three black spots along the top. It grows up to around 12 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 and tentacles are usually a bright orange colour. There is usually some white striping on the foot. The mantle can come out and wrap right around the shell, in this species there are no dark spots/marks along the edge of the mantle (just on the shell itself) but there is usually some spotting lower down the mantle.

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

Distribution: Found all around Britain and Ireland where there is suitable habitat.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Trivia artica, although in T. arctica the shell does not have the three black spots, and the body of the animal is more pale, and lacks the 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 three black spots.
• Siphon and tentacles are usually a bright orange.
• There is usually some white striping on the foot.
• Mantle has some spotting lower down but no black marks at the edge (only visible in active animals).

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

iNaturalist: Trivia monacha at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Trivia monacha

WoRMS: Trivia monacha at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Trivia monacha (da Costa, 1778). AphiaID: 141744.

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