Bostorycapulus gravispinosus

Japanese: クルスガイ（英語表記）Bostorycapulus gravispinosus

A gastropod of the family Caribagadae, known for its ability to change sex. Also known as Awabunegai (foam ship shell). It is so named because the inside of the shell resembles a shrine for Christ. It is widely distributed in the tropical Pacific Ocean south of the Boso Peninsula, and attaches to rock reefs near the intertidal zone. The shell is elliptical and low, at 0.7 cm high, and shaped like an upside-down slipper, and the English name for this genus is slipper shell. The opening is wide, 2.5 cm long and 2.0 cm wide. The coil is small and tilted backwards. The shell surface is purple-brown, with thin ribs on top and spines, but as it grows, various organisms attach to it, making it indistinguishable from the rock to which it is attached.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

性転換をするので知られるカリバガサガイ科の巻貝。別名アワブネガイ(泡船貝)。殻の内側をキリストを祭る厨子（ずし）に見たててこの名がある。房総半島以南熱帯太平洋に広く分布し，潮間帯付近の岩礁に付着する。殻は楕円形で高さは0.7cmと低く，スリッパをふせたような形をしていて，この属の貝の英名はslipper shellという。殻口は広く，長さ2.5cm，幅2.0cm。巻きは小さく，後方によっている。殻表は紫褐色で，表面には細い肋があり，その上にとげがあるが，成長するとそれにいろいろの生物が付着して，貝の付着している岩と区別がつかなくなる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Kursk - Kursk (English spelling)

>>: Jean-Baptiste Greuze