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Black pen squarecutrs
The original description of this lovely new Strombus appeared in Indo-Pacific Mollusca in April, 1965, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp.
397, 398. Apparently it is found only off the coast of Somalia, East Africa, and is rare even in its type-locality. We are
illustrating it here in the hopes that readers may discover that they have a specimen of S. oldi in their collection. Should
this be the case, please notify Dr. William Emerson, Dept. Of Living Invertebrates, American Museum of Natural History, New
York 24, New York who is anxious to obtain more collecting and locality data on this obscure species. The following "Remarks"
are reproduced from his original description.
"Although the fauna of the Somalian coast is not well known, it seems remarkable that this very distinctive species has not
been previously discovered. it was first brought to light by my associate, Mr. William E. Old, Jr., who was curating small
collection of marine mollusks that as labeled '50 miles north to 60 miles south of Obbia, Italian Somaliland {Republic of
Somalia}, East Africa, November 21, 1956.' Recently, other specimens have been found near Mogadishu {Mogadiscio}. One of
these was kindly forwarded by Mrs. Orville R. Davis for examination.
"Of the known species of Strombus, the shell of S. oldi most closely resembles Strombus (Tricornis) sinuatus Humphrey, 1786,
but it lacks the 3 or 4 tongue-like blades on the upper end of the outer lip and a thickened outer lip. In spire angle and
nodulation and in the spiral ornamentation of the shell, S. oldi closely resembles Lambis (Millepes) digitata (Perry), 1811,
From-the Indian Ocean, but lacks the strong labial and parietal wall ornamentation of that Lambis. This new species is
characterized by the wing-like projection on the upper end of the outer lip, by the relatively high, noduled spire, by the
strong, rounded cords on the back of the outer lip, by the dark-brown blotches within the smoothish aperture, and by the rich
chestnut coloring of the outer shell.
Many such supposed similarities are expressed by substantive nouns: algasea-grass, annulusring, aurantiumthe orange,
cicerculasmall chick pea (cicer), diluculummorning twilight ("day breaking cowry" of Reeve, why?), fabulasmall bean
("feverolle"), globulussmall sphere, mappa(with markings like in a geographical) map, margaritapearl, nucleuskernel,
onyx*onyx, ovumegg, pyrumpear, ventriculusventricle, vitellusyolk (not little calf, as Reeve suggested, which is spelled
vitulus).
Other specific names refer to supposed resemblance with animals chiefly in color: so the adjectives felinacat-like,
limacinalike a slug (limax), pantherinapanther-like, pulicaria(with) flea-like (spots), and testudinariatortoise-shell
like; and the nouns asellussmall ass (carrying three dark bags), camelopardalisgiraffe, caputdraconishead of dragon,
caputserpentishead of snake, cervusstag, chrysalis*pupa (chrysalid), hirundoswallow, lynxlynx, musmouse,
nebriteshind-calf, scarabaeusscarab beetle, talpamole, tigristiger, turdusthrush, ursellussmall bear, zebrazebra.
Comparisons with human beings are less frequent, as castachaste (immaculate), histrioharlequin, scurrajester,
virginalisvirgin; or with mythological beings: argus*Greek Argos with hundred eyes, leviathan**a Hebrew mythical giant
dragon, thersites*a hump-backed Greek hero, titana mighty Greek deity of mythology.
Some names indicate similarity to other cowry species: arabiculasmall arabica, cervinettasmall cervus, cribellumsmall
cribraria (incorrect diminutive), subteresallied to teres (not "rather cylindrical"); other names express general terms of
affinity or facts concerning history of naming: cernicaseparated (from spurca, badly formed adjective from cernare),
clandestinahidden (among Linnaeus' shells), decipiensdeceiving (to be confounded with thersites), episema*conspicuous,
errones (misprint for erronea?)erroneous (confounded with stolida), hesitata (incorrectly spelled instead of
haesitata)hesitated (in re-christening), maturatamatured (why?).
black pen squarecutrs,shell jewelry s,lambis cheragra,lambis scorpio,heishe,green abalone,hair ornament,pukalet,spondylus tsenensis,black pen squarecutrs
Black pen squarecutrs yellow punaw native cut sigay m.o.p ornament shell fashion shelltiles capiz shell inlay seashells jewelry cyprea lynx shells puka shell-madebelts shell-madebelts troca sprial polished landsnail earring white voluta.
black pen squarecutrs
Shell
Bracelets
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