Cribrarula gaskoinii (Reeve, 1846)
Gaskoin's cowry, 29mm

Cribrarula gaskoinii lives from shallow subtidal reefs down to at least 40m. Specimens living deeper tend to be small, and the largest were along rough lava shores in 3-6m depths. They appear to be active nocturnally, when they graze on a red encrusting sponge. In the 1970s and 80s when these photographs were taken, they were not especially rare on a number of Hawaiian reefs. We have heard that they are harder to find nowadays. This species is considered endemic to the Hawaiian islands, although two specimens, tentatively identified as the closely related Cribrarula taitae, have been found in the Marshall Islands.

The two photos below show white patches where they prey red sponge has been grazed from the substrate.

Below is a juvenile specimen.

Created 25 July 2010

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