# Lyncina leviathan

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{{Short description|Species of gastropod}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii.JPG
| image_caption = A [shell](/source/gastropod_shell) of ''Lyncina leviathan leviathan'' from Hawaii,  anterior end towards the left
| taxon = Lyncina leviathan
| authority = Schilder & [Schilder](/source/Franz_Alfred_Schilder), 1937
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="WoRMS" />
| synonyms =  *''Cypraea leviathan'' <small>(Schilder & [Schilder](/source/Franz_Alfred_Schilder), 1937)</small>
}}

'''''Lyncina leviathan''''' is a [species](/source/species) of tropical [sea snail](/source/sea_snail), a [cowry](/source/cowry), a [marine](/source/marine_(ocean)) [gastropod](/source/gastropod) [mollusk](/source/mollusk) in the family [Cypraeidae](/source/Cypraeidae), the cowries.<ref name="WoRMS">[http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=529741 WoRMS : Lyncina leviathan]; accessed : 17 October 2010</ref>

==Description==
The shells of these cowries reach on average {{convert|60|mm}} of length, with a minimum size of {{convert|22|mm}} and a maximum size of {{convert|98|mm}}. The dorsum surface of these elongated, smooth and shiny shells is pink-salmon, crossed by darker bands. The base is whitish or pale pinkish or pale brown, with a long and wide aperture with several teeth. In the living cowries the mantle is brownish, almost transparent and well developed, with external antennae and several  sensorial tree-shaped papillae. This species is superficially similar to ''[Lyncina carneola](/source/Lyncina_carneola)''.
{|
||[[File:Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii only-2.JPG|thumb|200px|left|A [shell](/source/gastropod_shell) of ''Lyncina leviathan leviathan'' from Hawaii, lateral view, anterior end towards the left]]
||[[File:Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii only-6.JPG|thumb|200px|left|A [shell](/source/gastropod_shell) of ''Lyncina leviathan leviathan'' from Hawaii, dorsal view, anterior end towards the left]]
||[[File:Cypraeidae - Lyncina leviathan leviathan - Hawaii only-3.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Apertural view of a [shell](/source/gastropod_shell) of ''Lyncina leviathan leviathan'']]
|}

==Distribution==
''Lyncina leviathan'' is common throughout the tropical [Indian](/source/Indian_Ocean) ([East Africa](/source/East_Africa), [Red Sea](/source/Red_Sea)) and the central [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean)s, in the sea along [Thailand](/source/Thailand), [Australia](/source/Australia), [Polynesia](/source/Polynesia) and [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii).

==Habitat==
They inhabit rocky intertidal areas and caves in very shallow water, but they can reach up to {{convert|40|m}} of depth.

==Subspecies==
Three subspecies are known:
* ''Lyncina leviathan leviathan'' <small> Schilder & Schilder, 1937</small>- leviathan cowry, [endemic](/source/Endemism) to [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii)
* ''Lyncina leviathan bouteti'' <small> Burgess & Arnette, 1981</small>- Boutet's leviathan cowry, found throughout [Polynesia](/source/Polynesia)
* ''Lyncina leviathan titan'' <small>Schilder & Schilder, 1962</small>- titanic cowry, found throughout the [Indian](/source/Indian_Ocean) and central [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean)s

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Lorenz F. & Hubert A. (2000) A guide to worldwide cowries. Edition 2. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. 584 pp
* Burgess, C.M. (1970). The Living Cowries. AS Barnes and Co, Ltd. Cranbury, New Jersey

==Bibliography==
*[http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cowries/CGDPhome.html Cowrie Genetic Database Project]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Lyncina leviathan}}
* [https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id142874/ Biolib]
* [http://www.cowry.org/archive/NAMESj_l.HTM#leviathan On-line articles with ''Cypraea leviathan'' in the '''HAWAIIAN SHELL NEWS''' (1960-1994)] Hawaiian shell
* [http://clade.ansp.org/obis/search.php/77348 Clade]
* [http://www.underwaterkwaj.com/cowry/Lyncina-leviathan.htm Underwater]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q6708513}}

Category:Cypraeidae
Category:Gastropods described in 1937

{{Cypraeidae-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lyncina leviathan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyncina_leviathan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyncina_leviathan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.