Colors in Marisa cornuarietis

        Although a very interesting species with a great deal of natural color variation, Marisa cornuarietis is often overlooked as a species, perhaps because of its more fickle nature in the aquarium when compared to P. bridgesii and canaliculata. However, two color forms have been cultivated so far:

• Marisa cornuarietis:
  • Wild Type - light yellow to brown shell base, dark brown spiral stripes thicker to one side, light brown-speckled body. Some rare individuals have an all-black body with the underside of the foot being white.
  • Golden - light yellow shell base, no stripes, either a black & white splotched body or an almost solid black body.

The two Marisa colors: Golden (top) and Wild (bottom, shown from the "dark" side.).

A Wild Type Marisa, shown from the "light" side. Some of these type will have red-brown stripes (shown here), others will have stripes closer to black, and a yellower shell base. Unfortunately both individuals' shells are slightly obscured with encrusting algae. Image contributed by Nannasmom.