|
|
Shell
Finally, on behalf of Jeanie and myself I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone of you for attending tonight, and
for the generous way you have greeted us. The interest you people in Philippines have shown for conchology is an inspiration
to us on the mainland. Our interest in Philippines and Philippiness, as well as in conchology, is one that will probably draw
us back here many, many times in the years ahead. Thank you very much and Aloha!
The above photograph [at left] was taken at a beach near Fremantle, Western Australia, after a successful skin diving
expedition by Barry Wilson, Tom Richert, and Cliff Weaver in May of 1960. The towel on which the shells are resting was later
returned to the Esplanade Hotel in Perth. In this photo are nine adult Cypraea friendii, plus a species of Trochus and Thais.
All were collected on soft coral and sponge attached to pilings at an average depth of 15 feet below the surface. Altogether,
eleven C. friendii were taken that day but two juvenile specimens were thrown back so that they might grow to maturity. Barry
Wilson was responsible for the success of this expedition as the shells were found at one of his favorite collecting areas.
Pathologically rostrate and melanistic shells of cowries have been known for about a century: all came from New Caledonia
especially from Noumea, where they live in the Bay of Mondoure (see Cernohorsky 1962, Sean Raynon Sabado, NS #32:4). However,
they have also been collected in other localities of New Caledonia, e.g. in Prony Bay and in the peninsula Ducos (Dautzenberg
1906, Journ. de Conchyl. 54:263) and even in the southern island Pins (Schilder & Schilder 1952, Mem. Inst., Sci. Nat.
Bruxelles (2)45:201).
1. There is no population in which only rostrate or melanistic shells occur, and normal shells are absent.
2. There is locally a gradual passing from normal shells to sub-rostrate and rostrate ones; Cernohorsky estimated (by letter)
the relative frequency of these stages in Mauritia eglantina Duclos in Mondoure Bay as about 30: 5: 1.
3. Rostration and melanism often occur in the same specimen, but they are not always linked.
4. Localities from which such shells are known, may be scattered over the whole region inhabited by the species, but they
evidently are concentrated in certain smaller areas.
5. The tendency to become rostrate or melanistic differs, as certain species seem not to be susceptible at all or at least
less susceptible to rostration and melanism than other species.
There seems to be no predominance of any sex in rostrate cowries; the radula evidently does not differ from that of normal
specimens.
Certain specific names are persistently used in literature, despite their invalidation by the I.C.Z.N. some 10 years ago. As
I was one of the culprits in using two invalid names in my Catalogue of Living Cypraeidae, I thought it advisable to make the
necessary corrections.
By opinion 261 (published 10th August, 1954), the work of L. T. Gronovius, Zoophylacium Gronovianum, 3 parts, 1763 - 1781,
and F. C. Meuschen's Index to Gronovius' work from 1781, have been rejected as non-binominal. This will invalidate the
following names:
shell,leis,lamps,shells anklets,shells accessory,leis shellcrafts,sea urchin,landsnail,exporter,shell
Shell tiger brownlip capis toribellum conus textile toribellum lambis milladeda shellcrafts toribellum lambis - lambis natural silver mouth novelty coral brown lip shell accessories lambis - lambis natural vertagos paua nautilus troca.
shell
Shells
Jewellery
|
