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Capis shells
I personally cannot realize how these Spondylus happen to be there. They all seem to be old specimens and there is not a
single young one in the vicinity and only a few dead specimens.
Close to that spot, but near the reefs in shallow water, I have picked up quite a few shells, viz: Oliva, Cassis cornuta;
Lambis truncata, arthritica, crocata and elongata; Harpa ventricosa and costata; Mitra cardinalis and mitra; Terebra maculata
(15 cms long), crenulata, dimidiata, etc., but on the other hand have noted the complete absence of Cypraea.
On page one of the February, 1964, issue of Philippine Shell News, Dr. Pat Burgess reported the dredging from 200 fathoms of
a "very old and faded" specimen of Cypraea labrolineata Gaskoin. This shell was dredged aboard Mariel King's motor vessel
"Pele" (pronounced PAY-lay) on a mud and sand bottom off Waikiki, Oahu. Owing to the poor condition of the shell there
remained doubt in some minds as to its true identity.
This doubt was dispelled once and for all by Bert Chamberlin's exciting discovery of a live labrolineata (figs. 1-4 [left])
which he collected on October 16, 1965, while SCUBA diving off the Natatorium at Diamond Head. He was able to keep the animal
alive for several days in his aquarium before it finally expired.
During a recent conversation with Bert, I obtained a clue which may explain the reason why Philippine collectors have not
been able to zero-in on this species. Bert had been swimming at a depth of 40 feet, turning over small brick-sized chunks of
dead coral that were scattered over the flat, hard ocean floor. Here and there appeared patches of coarse sand. He had
pocketed a number of Cypraea helvola found underneath these coral chunks and was in the process of returning one such chunk
to its original position, when out rolled the little labrolineata. But it did NOT roll out from the bottom of the chunk.
Instead, it fell out of algae growing on top of the coral. What collector searches the algae ON TOP of dead coral? None, as
far as I know.
The shells were kept in a marine aquarium and observed for a few weeks following the dive. A number of interesting things
were learned about them. They eagerly ate filamentous algae and had a peculiar rocking motion with which they buried
themselves in the sand without leaving a trace. Of course, they moved by the usual Strombus method of levering themselves
along on their operculum, but also had the ability to crawl along on their foot like a conventional mollusk. They were very
animated in the use of their eyes. Every advance from the retracted position inside the shell was proceeded by the eyes
peeking around the lip to see if it was safe to appear. No distinct siphon is displayed by the mollusk. Rather the mantle is
folded within the siphonal canal and performs the task of inhaling fresh oxygen laden water.
News of the finds traveled like wildfire among local members and many came to observe and photograph the shells. At the
November meeting of HMS the two Strombs were placed on display in a small aquarium.. They caused quite a sensation, to say
the least!
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