tiger cowrie; tiger cowry
Refers specifically to the marine gastropod Cypraea tigris, known for its spotted shell. Used in biological and shell-collecting contexts.
The tiger cowrie inhabits coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific.
His shell collection includes a large tiger cowrie.
Katakana spelling is standard for this species name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly found in older or specialized texts; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
Compound of 星 (hoshi, 'star') + 宝貝 (dakara-gai, 'cowrie'), referring to the star-like spots on the shell. The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the name is descriptive.