Luria tessellata

Description:

[syn. Cypraea tessellata]Leho or Checkered cowryIndigenous to the Hawaiian Islands (also Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines)Chun's Reef, Oahu mid-1970'sThe Hawaiian name in general for cowries is leho. Early Hawaiians used larger leho to lure hee (octopus) to capture. Smaller leho were used in lei work.Please note: I do not collect or trade sea shells any longer. For me, the value of the animal is far greater than the shell it possess.