{"product_id":"9781250207319","title":"A Blade So Black","description":"\u003cp\u003ePurchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Cowry, Cypraea Tigris, Cypraeidae, Leporicypraea Mappa, Cypraea Arabica, Pustularia, Cypraea Moneta, Cypraea Spadicea, Erosaria Caputserpentis, Cypraea Leucodon, Cypraea Pantherina, Cypraea Aurantium, Perisserosa Guttata, Cypraea Chinensis, Cypraea Leviathan, Luria Isabella, Cypraea Mauritiana, Cypraea Testudinaria, Cypraea Mariae, Cypraea Talpa, Cypraea Erosa, Cypraea Minoridens, Cypraea Microdon, Cypraea Friendii, Cypraea Stolida, Erosaria, Cypraea Bregeriana, Ipsa, Ipsa Childreni, Cypraea Nebrites. Excerpt: Cowry Cowry , also sometimes spelled cowrie , plural cowries , is the common name for a group of small to large marine gastropods in the family Cypraeidae . The word cowry is also often used to refer to the shells of these snails. Many people find the very rounded, shiny, porcelain -like shells of cowries pleasing to look at and to handle. Indeed the term \"porcelain\" derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell ( porcellana ) due to their similar translucent appearance. Shells of certain species have historically been used as currency in several parts of the world, as well as being used, in the past and present, very extensively in jewellery , and for other decorative and ceremonial purposes. Some species in the family Ovulidae are also often referred to as cowries. In the British Isles the local Trivia species (family Triviidae, species Trivia monacha and Trivia arctica ) are sometimes called cowries. The Ovulidae and the Triviidae are somewhat closely related to the Cypraeidae. Distribution Cypraeidae are found in tropical and subtropical oceans and seas worldwide. Shell description Shells of various species of cowries; all but one have their anterior ends pointing towards the top of the page in this image The shells of cowries are almost always smooth and shi...\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MacMillan Audio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47062008660208,"sku":"9781250207319","price":45.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781250207319_p0.jpg?v=1763703358","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781250207319","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}