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The subfamily Ovulinae is a highly specialized, extant subfamily of Ovulidae composed of predatory or parasitic sea snails of the phylum Mollusca and class Gastropoda. They are also known as cowries (singular: cowry or cowrie), although this refers more specifically to any member of the superfamily Cypraeoidea.

Habitat
Ovulines live parasitically on anthozoans (of the phylum Cnidaria), feeding off of the exterior of the organism. In these cases, the Ovuline in question has almost always evolved a size, shape, and color that will either mimic the appearance of the cnidarian or camouflage itself to it. Alimentary homochromy, or the process of gaining the pigmentation of a host by feeding on the host, further helps to hide Ovulines amongst their prey. Most members of the Ovulines live in tropical and subtropical waters.

Bouchet & Rocroi (2005)
Bouchet and Rocroi (2005) present the following subfamilies of the family Ovulidae, of which Ovulinae is a subfamily.
 * Ovulinae Fleming, 1822
 * Cypraediinae Schilder, 1927
 * Jenneriinae Thiele, 1929
 * Pediculariinae Gray, 1853
 * Pseudocypraeinae Steadman & Cotton, 1943

Fehse (2007)
Fehse (2007) presents the following subfamilies of the family Ovulidae, of which Ovulinae is a subfamily.
 * Prionovolvinae Fehse, 2007
 * Simniinae Schilder, 1925
 * Ovulinae Fleming, 1828
 * Aclyvolvinae Fehse, 2007

Of note is that at least one researcher suggests that there is still much work to be done is properly categorizing the taxonomy of the Ovudlids in general, and the Ovulines in particular.

Genera
There are several genera of note, including the following.
 * Ovula
 * Primovula
 * Diminovula
 * Margovula
 * Calpurnus
 * Procalpurnus

History
Ovulidae in general have been reclassified numerous times throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, affecting the classification of Ovulinae (Shilder 1932, Allan 1956, Care 1973, Fehse 2001). Historically, the Ovulids have been separated into the two subfamilies Ovulinae and Volvinae, although this is no longer true and the taxonomy is changing often.

Physical Description
Ovulinae typically have either an ovate (egg-shaped), lanceolate (lance-shaped) or pyriform (pear-shaped) shell. The spire is not prominent, and the funiculum is absent. The anal canal is twisted anteriorly. The extremities are usually short and the outer lip of the aperture has well-developed teeth. The mantel covers the shell in life, and is typically brightly colored, while the shell is often white, although in some cases is pink or even red. This can easily be seen in photographs of the snails.