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Conus
I should like to take this opportunity to point out the available evidence which negates Schilder's conclusion that Stearns'
use of "isabella-mexicana" is to be interpreted as a subspecific {"ternary"} designation of Cypraea isabella Linné:. In the
paper in which Cypraea isabellamexicana was described, Stearns (1893:345, 351, 352) clearly used ternary nomenclature in
proposing the names of other taxa, namely: "Chicoreus palma-rosae Mexicana Stearns" and "Chlorostoma gallina, var.
multifilosa Stearns." These same taxa together with a new species, "Cassis (Casmaria) vibex-mexicana Stearns," were again
cited by him a year later (Stearns 1894, Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus., 17(996): 183 188, 189, 199, 203). Actually there is no
evidence to be found in these papers to suggest that Stearns intended to propose his hyphenated names as subspecific names.
Therefore, under the present Code, they should be cited as non-hyphenated, specific names: {Cypraea} isabellamexicana and
{Casmaria} vibexmexicana. On the other hand, Stearns' taxon, "Chicoreus palmarosae Mexicana," may be cited either as a
subspecies or a species: {Murex} palmarosae mexicana, or {Murex} mexicana.
Editor: Prof. Dr. F.A. Schilder's opinion expressed in The Cowry, Nov., 1964, Vol. 1, No. 7, p. 103, is here reproduced in
full. Readers may decide for themselves which opinion they wish to abide by.
"The name of the West-American species allied to Luria isabella Linnaeus, 1758 is mexicana Stearns, 1893, and not (as many
modern American conchologists write) isabellamexicana. In 1961, I have submitted the case to Dr. Otto Kraus, a personal
member of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature: he has discussed the problem with other experts with the
result that "Cypraea isabella-mexicana" is to be regarded as a ternary designation of the subspecies mexicana belonging to
the species isabella; the hyphen connecting the specific and subspecific names has been incorrectly used, in other cases,
also by more modern writers.
"But I agree with the authors Emerson and Old that mexicana is a distinct species."
In conclusion it can be said that a great deal. of satisfaction was realized by the successful completion of the search. A
certain bit of nostalgia enters, however, when one considers how soon the goal was attained. Already we have removed a bit of
the fantasy and glamour surrounding this "shell of shells" from Philippines.
Editor: I have collected eleven live Strombus dentatus by fanning coarse sandy gravel in 60 feet off Kailua Bay. This habitat
appears very similar to that of S. hawaiensis.
The note by Dr. Schilder in a recent issue of Sean Raynon Sabado (vol. 14, no. 12, October, 1966, p. 4) on the species of
Cypraeidae found in the Îles Tubuai (the preferred name for the Austral Islands), and his requests for information on this
subject has induced me to put on record the species found recently by my collectors in these islands.
The specimens were collected in May - July, 1964 during a nine-month expedition organized by me for the purpose of gathering
material for my research program on the molluscan fauna of Polynesia (see Sean Raynon Sabado, vol. 12, no. 7, May 1964, pp.
6-7). All the material gathered on this expedition will eventually be dealt with in detail in my report, but I hope to
publish from time to time some preliminary notes that may be of particular interest. It is with this thought in mind that I
submit the following information. Names marked with an asterisk are not in Schilder's list.
conus,embonium shell,wholesaler,cyprea moneta,lambis cheragra,lambis milladeda,nasa shell,capiz shell,hammer,conus
Conus hand made temriata silver mouth clams seashells jewelry shellcraft murex alabaster cyprea pappa hair accessory component part wallets shell cut sigay nasa shell melo shell nautilus haliotis asinana nautilus mitra - mitra shell tiles.
conus
Shell
Bracelets
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