The unique combination of a dense reticulate netting, strongly calloused margins with raised white spots, and purple-stained teeth makes the “Broderip’s Cowrie” one of the most illustrous beauties among living cypraeids, and a memorable and unmistakable species. One of S. Peter Dance’s 50 “Rare Shells” (1969), only a few specimens were known when the book was written despite its Indian Ocean origin had already been confirmed, majority of those specimens were ex-pisce, i.e. collected from fish stomaches (but nevertheless attaining high prices in auctions). About a decade later, Italian trawling vessels working in Somalian waters collected a fair number off Ras Hafun, extending its range and made it more available in the market; unfortunately the supply quickly dwindled. These Somalian specimens were generally smaller and with more ‘diffused’ pattern compared to those taken further south, and was given the form name “somalica” (Massilia, 1981; not valid under the ICZN Code). Over the years specimens have turned up from more localities such as Reunion, Mauritius, Saya de Malha Bank, and Zanzibar; together with the recovery of small specimens in South Africa that match the characteristics of f. somalica these finds served to establish that C. broderipii is greatly variable in shell morphology across its range and there is no grounds for separating the Somalian individuals. It occurs in rather deep water, being generally found between -50~200m in depth, and is an omnivorous grazer and browser feeding primarily on algae and sponges, Today, it remains an extremely sought-after and coveted rarity; specimens are usually collected by SCUBA diving in caves or crevices or trawl by-catches on rubble bottoms, but demand far exceeds supply especially for large, live-taken specimens with good patterns. As aforementioned C. broderipii is highly variable in shell shape, colouration (light pink to purplish to red), and especially development of the dorsal netting — relatively few exhibit clear, well-defined pattern all over the dorsum and these command premium prices. Most specimens from South Africa exhibit healed bite marks from a large molluscivorous fish, the Black Musselcracker (Cymatoceps nasutus (Castelnau, 1861)), which is also the origin of the cowrie’s early discovery as ex-pisce specimens. It is also very variable in size, with typical shell length around 75mm but size of mature specimens range between 50~110mm. It is named in honour of the british naturalist William John Broderip (1789-1859). – adapted from Chong Chen’s post