Cowries have been universally collected, admired, and treasured for centuries; their beautiful colors, their glossy surface, and simply just holding them are all good reasons for their popularity. There are about two hundred different species and some are abundant, especially in the tropics.
In the first stage of its growth, a cowry develops a short, pointed spire and a large body whorl, then the body envelops the spire and its growing edge thickens; finally, it forms teeth along each side of the restricted aperture.
The basic shpe varies little, but the species differ greatly in size, color, pattern, arrangement of the apertural teeth, and margins. The line seen down the length of the shell is where the animal's mantle flaps meet. Active at night, but hidden by day, these animals feed on algae around coral reefs.