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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."
The Samoan trip was a great success in every way. It was also thoroughly enjoyed by my wife Grace. It is hoped that other
Pacific Islands can be covered. So far as cowries are concerned, many frontiers remain and there is much to be learned.
specimen of C. gaskoini has been collected by Mr. F. Freitag on the main Suva reef; the reef was exposed at low tide, and
the shell was found on the underside of a coral boulder in one foot of water.
The shell is small, elongate-subpyriform and rather depressed. The dorsum is rusty-brown with a faint tinge of orange, and
ornamented with round whitish spots, some larger than others. A clear dorsal line connects the extremities, and is slightly
offset towards the labial margin. Sides are white and profusely spotted with moderately large blackish-brown spots, 22 on the
labial side and 19 on the columellar side; the columellar spots extend partly onto the base. The labial side is angulately
margined, columellar side rounded, base convex; both lips are bent to the right posteriorly, and the hind end of the labial
lip is produced and calloused. Aperture only moderately narrow, almost uniform in width; labial teeth coarse, extending
half-way towards the margin, columellar teeth are finer and confined to the aperture. Fossula steep, columella ribbed and
denticulate. Length: 11.4mm, Width: 6.3mm, Lab.T: 18, Col.T: 17 ( formula 11.4/55, 23:22, reduced).
The animal's sole of the foot is reddish-orange, dorsum of foot orange with a pattern of close-set darker orange spots.
Mantle is orange, streaked and spotted with black in between papillae, which are short and simple, and composed of small
wart-like clusters; while the majority of papillae are orange, four papillae are creamy-white. Tentacles long and slender,
orange in color, siphon light orange, with short triangular serrations at the distal end.
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