Home > Invertebrates > Shells > Cowries > Nucleolaria nucleus

Updated 11/10/2025

Family Cypraeidae

INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII

Nucleolaria nucleus



 
   
 

Solomon Is. 17 mm

 
   

NUCLEAR COWRY

Very rare in Hawaii, but common elsewhere, inhabiting caverns or under slabs exposed to surge at any depth.  Glossy cream to light brown, inflated with protruding extremities, nodules edged with orange-brown, marginal callous developed, indistinct dorsal groove.  Attains 1.5 inches, 37 mm.  Red Sea to Okinawa, Hawaii, and the Tuamotus.  Nucleolaria hinuhinu and Nucleolaria pseudonucleus are hybrids between endemic Nucleolaria granulata and this species.

 


HAWAII - HYBRIDS

Nucleolaria nucleus x granulata 

 



Oahu
(Woody Woodson collection)

   

FALSE NUCLEAR COWRY

Very rare in caverns or under slabs exposed to surge deeper than 10 feet.  Glossy grayish-cream to light brown, inflated with protruding extremities, smaller granules mostly uniform in size, connected by ribs extending to the base, both edged with orange-brown, marginal callous barely developed, indistinct dorsal groove skewed to the side.  Attains 1 inch, 25 mm.  Endemic to Hawaii.  This is a hybrid between Indo-Pacific Nucleolaria nucleus and endemic Nucleolaria granulata.  It was described in Severns, 2011 as Nucleolaria pseudonucleus, and synonymized by WORMS under N. nucleus.

Nucleolaria granulata x nucleus 

Sharkfin, Lana'i, 25 feet, 22 mm

 



Oahu, 21.4 mm
(Don Anderson collection)
   

GLOSSY GRANULATED COWRY

Very rare in caverns or under slabs deeper than 10 feet.  Glossy cream to brown, inflated with protruding extremities, distinct marginal callous, prominent dorsal groove nearly centered, large granules joined by ridges on left side extending onto base.  Attains 1.3 inches, 32 mm.  Endemic to Hawaii.  This is a hybrid between endemic Nucleolaria granulata and Indo-Pacific Nucleolaria nucleus.  It was described in Severns, 2011 as Nucleolaria hinuhinu, and synonymized by WORMS under N. granulata.