Rare Cypraecassis tenuis Cassidae of the Eastern Pacific - Height: 108 mm - Width: 68 mm- 68 g - (1)

Specimen of Cypraecassis tenuis, a species described by W. Wood in 1828, belonging to the Cassidae family and originating from Baja California, Mexico. With a length of 108.5 mm, this shell presents a robust and strongly characterized structure, typical of large tropical helmet shells. The shell is massive, globose, and compact, with a surface traversed by a dense succession of spiral cords, keels, and regular reliefs that generate an extremely complex, almost textile, pattern. The light lines overlap the brown-chestnut background, creating a very elegant and immediately recognizable geometric weave. Viewed from above, the spire forms a concentric sequence of reliefs that accentuate the architectural structure of the shell. Laterally, the parallel bands and the strong three-dimensionality of the surface sculpture emerge. The large outer lip, thick and deeply expanded, frames a wide and solid opening, while along the inner margin the typical alternating denticulation in light and dark tones is visible. Cypraecassis tenuis belongs to the fauna of the Eastern Pacific and is distributed along the American coasts, from Mexico toward the southern regions of the tropical Pacific. From a collecting standpoint, Cypraecassis tenuis can be considered a rare species and not well represented on the market, especially when available in well-preserved specimens. The relative scarcity of specimens compared to many other large Cassidae increases its appeal within specialized collections.