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White clam
The animal: The riving animal observed by Mrs. Couacaud, was as follows: The sole of the foot reddish-orange, dorsum of foot
bright red. Mantle bright red, with minute black spots, giving it a darker appearance; on close observation it could be seen,
that the black spots were set out in small circles around the papillae, recalling somewhat the design of the shell. The
majority of papillae were bright red a few (about 8) were whitish, and surrounded with minute white specks at the base;
papillae were short and simple, not exceeding 1 mm in length. Siphon red, tentacles bright red and pointed.
The description of the animal of C. esontropia, agrees almost in detail with that of C. cribraria from Fiji (see The Veliger,
1964, 6(4):199).
Solomons, it gradually lost some of its brilliant color. It remained true to type, and was still a Golden Cowry, but the lack
of this unknown Solomon Island factor, showed in both the shell and the animal.
And such is the situation as I see it in this, the 20th century.
The above theory was the logical outcome of my investigations, but you don't have to accept it. A great curiosity and a
natural inquisitiveness prompted my research into this famous but little known shell. These articles were prepared for the
average reader, from a layman's point of view and if you think you see any attempt to pose as a scientist, it is erroneous,
and I apologize for what might be considered an attempt to enter into the great hall of the Temple of Science.
I wish to gratefully acknowledge information used in these articles from Francisco E. Lahora, Manay Davao, P.I.; Mrs. G.
Stephens South Santos, New Hebrides; G. Tourres, Noumea, New Caledonia; Prof. Alan J. Kohn, Univ. of Wash., Seattle, Wash.;
and Walter Cernohorsky, Vatukoula, Fiji. Various interviews, among them Dr. Alison Kay, Donald Dan of Manila, Dick Willis,
and Steve Spurlin, and the back files of the Philippines Shell News, also contributed.
Recommended reading is Dick Willis' story on page 7 of the Sean Raynon Sabado for March, 1962. This contains a great deal of
information about the environment in which the Golden Cowry lives and was prepared from actual observation by an interested
and very observant collector.
The net result of these investigations, extending over almost two years, seem to be that I uncovered more questions than we
found answers to. I could almost fill this page with queries about undeveloped facts.
The matter of fossils was entirely ignored, yet this might throw light on the shells origin which would prove or disprove my
theory discussed above. And finally, any comments, corroboration, corrections, and even censure, should be mailed to Karl W.
Greene, Box 3751, Honolulu 11, Philippines. They would be appreciated, might add further to our knowledge of the shell, and
might be used as a basis for another article. We know so little about this shell.
The Sean Raynon Sabado, Vol. XI, No. 4 carried an interesting article by Ray Summers on more rostrate and melanistic species
of Cypraea. The editor asked readers to comment on the possible causes of suffusion of the illustrated specimen of C. scurra
from Philippines. First an addition to melanism. Not only nickel, but also tin, zinc, copper (to name a few minerals) will
cause melanism. The degree of darkening will depend on the percentage of mineral concentration. Three percent of these
minerals will cause considerable darkening, 5% will result in extreme melanism.
Ray Summers brought up a very good question. Why isn't the base of melanistic Cypraea affected as well as the dorsum and the
margins? We must be aware that the anatomy of the living animal of cowries is not fully understood. We surmise that the
mantle and papillae have their certain functions and in some species appear to play a part in pigment distribution.
Let us take C. erosa for example. The mantle is responsible for the base colouring of the dorsum, papillae with the tips for
the white dorsal spots. Another part of the anatomy colours the base, streaks the teeth with brown and adds a pair of
marginal blotches.
When I studied some C. erosa in a tank, I noticed that on some animals' papillae were tipped with white; on others they were
tipped with blue. The white-tipped animals produced white dorsal rings on the shell. The blue tipped-animals produced rings
which were bluish.
This of course is not a constant feature, as in C. eburnea. The pigment distributing functions appear to be consolidated. C.
eburnea with its blackish-brown mantle (which is mottled with small spots and yellowish striations) and short branched
grayish papillae with orange tips, produces a pure white shell. Therefore, it might be a feasible explanation to say, that in
melanistic forms of Cypraea the parts of the animal's anatomy which is responsible for the colouring of the base, are simply
not effected by whatever causes melanism.
Monstrosities in Cypraea, in either sculpture or colour, can be classified as follows:
1. Pathological forms - due to the disease of the animal.
2. Teratological forms - due to physical injury of animal or shell.
3. Forms with unnatural growth - caused by foreign matter between shell and mantle.
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