The tiger cowry was one of the many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, and the species still bears its original name of Cypraea tigris. Its specific epithet tigris relates to its common name "tiger" (the shell however is spotted, not striped). This species is the type species of the genus Cypraea.
Roughly egg-shaped and dextral, the glossy shell is large and heavy for a cowry. It measures up to 15 cm (6 in) in length, and the upper or dorsal side is white, pale bluish-white, or buff, densely covered with dark brown or blackish barely circular spots. I used a layering technic from the classic botanical art to recreate its gorgeous colouration.
This artwork is unique and totally hand-drawn with archival quality watercolour paints on the 100% cotton paper by ARCHES.
