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Cyprea mauretiana
In the excellent paper on the variability of the West Australian cowry Zoila friendii (Journ. Malac. Soc. Austr. 9:3-24,
1966), B. R. Wilson and R. Summers have recorded an unique specimen from the northern limit of distribution: it has been
collected in 25 fathoms off False Entrance in Shark Bay. The shell's relative breadth (expressed in per cent of length) is
59: it agrees with the mean of 9 deep water friendii collected off Geraldton to Rottnest Is., and it is intermediate between
the "usual breadth" (i.e. the range of the central two thirds of shells) of friendii from the southernmost west coast of
Australia (52 to 56) and that of vercoi from its western south coast (61 to 68).
Meanwhile I have examined two other specimens collected in Shark Bay: The first shell, which has been figured above, is no.
798 in coll. A. Schelechoff (Brisbane, Qld.); its formula (length in mm, relative breadth, number of labial and columellar
teeth) is 71/66.25:18 (posterior columellar teeth obsolete). The second shell coming from "very deep water" in Shark Bay is
in coll. A. Kalnins (Maylands, W.A.); its formula is 67/68.28:24, the shell is not fully grown as the chestnut dorsal
markings are confused and cloudy, the margins are less dilated, the lateral spots very small, and the columellar teeth well
developed along the whole aperture.
Therefore, both specimens from Shark Bay are much broader than the friendii from False Entrance so that they look like
vercoi; besides the outer lip is crossed by brown striae which merge in the teeth so that the lip recalls thersites (in
Kalnins' shell the striae become confluent longitudinally in the central third of the lip, comparable to Erosaria guttata),
but the inner lip is uniformly blackish brown from the margin as far as to the aperture as it is in true friendii. After
discovery of some more specimens this northernmost deep water cline possibly will deserve a racial name.
Five specimens of [Cypraea] Notadusta superstes (Schilder, 1930) {Zool. Anz., 87:115} have recently been obtained by Mr. H.
C. Gay and Miss J. Pincott from dredgings at Tonga. The specimens were dredged at the new wharf site, 1-1/2 miles east of
Nukulalofa, in 0' - 30'; some of the specimens, although dead, are in a good condition.
Several of the species collected seem deserving of special comment, as well as do a few species that I did not see or
collect.
One of the latter group is Cypraea ventriculus. This cowrie, found in Fiji and Tahiti, was not collected or seen in
collections or the market place. I believe it is there, but lives deeper than the shallow areas covered. Another widespread
cowrie not seen or collected was Cypraea chinensis. Cypraea globulus, which were collected by Phil Harris (deceased) many
years ago on the beach in American Samoa, was not collected or seen. This was also true of Cypraea mappa although one
specimen was seen in the market. There are other species such as Cypraea testudinaria, Cypraea serrulifera, Cypraea mariae,
Cypraea yaloka (formerly humphreysi), Cypraea eburnea, Cypraea cernica, Cypraea limacina, Cypraea maculifera, Cypraea
clandestina, Cypraea scurra, and Cypraea stolida that might be collected in deeper water by a person with more vigor or by
using SCUBA. Cypraea vitellus, seen in the market and usually a shallow water cowrie, was not collected on the reef.
Two specimens of an elongated cowrie were collected alive across the bay from Pago Pago. These were most unusual shells and
probably represent an extreme variation of Cypraea gaskoini. They also have some characteristics of Cypraea cumingi. Cypraea
gaskoini has been reported by Thaanum from Fiji, and C. cumingi from Jarvis Island by Harold Jewell.
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cyprea mauretiana
Shell
Bracelets
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