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Tuna zulcosa
The species was established by Duclos in 1833 (Mag. de Zool., Mollusqu., Paris), and illustrated on page 26. Monographers of
the genus Cypraea, such as Reeve, Sowerby, Roberts, and Hidalgo, erroneously recorded the species from various Indo-Pacific
localities, with the "Philippine Islands" being the favourite locality quoted; Hidalgo even reported it from the "Sandwich
Islands". Most authors treated C. esontropia as a valid species, and the Schilders, in all their papers, restricted the
distribution of the species to Mauritius.
Doubt about the species taxonomic status and distributional range, was raised by Dr. Verdcourt in his monograph on East
African Cowries (Journ. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc., 23(7):282), who suggested that C. esontropia may be no more than a variety
of C. cribraria Linnaeus. A specimen of C. cribraria, with small, pale wine-coloured spots on the labial margin, collected by
Penn at Shanzu, Kenya, was thought to be C. esontropia by Mr. W. Old, Jr. (in Verdcourt).
I have a theory which if substantiated by subsequent investigations might very well prove why the New Hebrides are without
the Golden Cowry. If you will look in the November 7, 1960, issue of LIFE, (Yes, we filed it) you will find that it is
devoted to some of the accomplishments of the International Geophysical Year. Included in the projects which the world
scientists had outlined for themselves during this period of 18 months were extensive studies of the various ocean floors.
LIFE shows the main features of this investigation in a series of maps. It is a double page, fold-out map of the floor of the
South Pacific to which we wish to call your attention. This map shows among other things a New Hebrides Trench. The New
Hebrides are located on the western side of this trench, and the Solomon Islands and Fiji are on the eastern side. Could this
trench, channeling along the northern shores of New Guinea waters of the Indian Ocean, prove an impassable barrier to
expansion of the Golden Cowry in its trip from Fiji to the Solomon Islands? A study of Map 61, referred to above, seems to
support this theory. Now, you researcher with the necessary maps, charts, I.G.Y, results, get busy!
Again referring to this map of the floor of the South Pacific, we find shown very prominently thereon a giant fissure called
the TONGA trench. It runs northwesterly from the New Zealand neighborhood to almost the equator where it turns sharply in a
westerly direction. Fiji lies west of this Tonga Trench. The Tonga Islands, Samoa, still further away from the Society
Islands, and the Tuamotus all lie to the east of this giant fissure. Could this be the reason for the very infrequent
occurrence of the Golden Cowry, in the islands east of the trench? Does this trench form an almost complete barrier? It's
something to think about.
In my next installment, I will tell you where they are found, how I believe they got there, probable points of origin, and a
few tales involving this shell.
The Maroro, a ketch with auxiliary diesel that once belonged to the queen of Tonga, left from Lautoka, near the Fiji airport
of Nandi. After visits to reefs and islands in the Mamanutha group it went onward to the Yasawa Islands for a couple of days.
Then down to the Kandavu Island group and the great Astrolabe Reef.
The Evanses, who had spent hours at a stretch snorkeling in the clear 80-degree water, reported that the area did not beat
the Great Barrier Reef, but that it was highly rewarding, and easy of access. They remarked further, "It is different. After
you come out of the water at the Barrier Reef there is nothing, and accommodations are undeveloped. Here in the Fijis you
have an interesting region with native villages and tropical islands, and very good hotels and boat accommodations."
They reported miter shells in abundance, spider conches, Tridacna, and black-lipped pearl shells, the latter on the Yasawa
Island reefs. There were also many "lettered cones'' and "marbled cones", an "orange spider conch", a "hawk-winged conch,"
and a very rare "Isabell cowrie" [Cypraea isabella]. [The] Terebra maculata, the big auger shell, were in quantity. Another
prize they found was a six inch "sparky vase."
The Evanses reported many strombs or Strombus and where a family of these was encountered other shells were also found, such
as the "blood-mouthed conch." Other shells they added to their collection were: a "globe vase," or Globulus, poisonous Conus
striatus, Conus californicus, a "skiff ark" or Arca scapha, and a "lithograph cone" or Conus litoglyphus Hwass.
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