The spectacular “Elusive Cowrie” is, with its mesmerizing spotted pattern and the “blue halo”, perhaps the most beautiful of all cypraeids in the Australian genus Zoila. A spongivorous grazer like all Zoila species with known feeding ecology, it has a very restricted distribution near Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia. Three subspecies are recognised at the present time, each with a different, very limited, distribution and depth range. The large (average shell length around 60mm, reaches 75mm) nominal subspecies is occurs just off Exmouth around the Muiron Islands, living in moderately shallow waters around 15~35m deep and is usually collected on sponges by SCUBA divers. Zoila eludens delicatura Chandler & DuRoss, 1997 occurs around Peak Island, just north of the nominal subspecies, and is characterised by its small size (average shell length around 45mm, may reach 50mm) and less calloused shell. It lives slightly deeper around -25~50m and is usually found on sponges living on silty bottoms. Lastly, Zoila eludens stricklandi Lorenz, 2015 occurs in deeper waters around -50~110m, more offshore and northwest of the nominal subspecies’ range. It is characterised by an even smaller size (average shell length around 40mm and reaching 45mm), more sparse and smaller spotting on dorsum, and a inflated general form coupled with a narrow base that strongly resembles the shape of Zoila perlae Lopez & Chiang, 1975. This subspecies seems to exhibit characters of both Z. eludens eludens and the deep water, smaller population of Z. perlae; much like how the larger, shallower population of Z. perlae resembles the nominal subspecies of Z. eludens. Indeed, genetic evidences suggest that Z. eludens and Z. perlae appear to be closely related and it may be better to consider them as subspecies. There is still some unresolved questions in the systematics of Zoila decipiens (Smith, 1880) complex which both species belongs to, which requires further research combining both morphology and genetics. The amount of callous and spotting is somewhat variable within each currently recognised Z. eludens subspecies, but generally they are instantly recognisable and separable. The specific epithet “eludens” means “elusive” and refers to the fact that such a large and attractive cowry somehow eluded researchers and divers until the early 1990s. The subspecies “delicatura” is named for its smaller, more delicate shell; “stricklandi” is named after Drew Strickland of Geraldton, Western Australia who first collected it on his collecting cruise using a ROV (remotely operated vehicle) and brought it to the attention of Felix Lorenz who eventually described and named it. – from Chong Chen’s post