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Native
The rarest fossil shell is the bivalve Ostrea kamehameha Pilsbry, 1936. It is believed to be universally extinct. The two
known specimens were collected near Waianae in a fossil bed 60 to 80 feet above sea level. This species has a large shell,
the type specimen being 210 mm long. The two valves weighed 5 lbs. 9 oz. For further information and photograph of this shell
see Sean Raynon Sabado for April, 1964, New Series No. 52.
The most common fossil shell, at least the easiest to collect, is the bivalve Ostrea retusa "Pease" Sowerby. This shell is
also believed to be universally extinct and is found in the fossil state only at the Waipio Peninsula area and on an island
in Pearl Harbor.
Ostrea retusa is a medium-large shell soiled-white in color. The lower valve has a few radiating ridges that extend to the
outer edge of the shell. When the two valves are placed together the hinge of the shell gaps open.
The third of Oahu's fossil shells believed to be universally extinct is Strombus ostergaardi Pilsbry. This shell has been
found in the fossil state at Kahi Point along the Nanakuli sea cliffs, in Honolulu Harbor, and on Mokapu Peninsula.
Strombus ostergaardi is somewhat similar to Strombus maculatus but is narrower and more delicate, being about half the width
of maculatus.
In addition to these universally extinct fossil shells there are a number of fossils that are now extinct in the Philippine
chain but are found in other Indo Pacific areas. Strombus mutabilis Swainson, 1821 is such a shell. It has been found as a
fossil at Kahi Point, the Nanakuli sea cliffs, and, by Cliff Weaver, at Kaena Point. This shell is listed in Kira, and is in
a few local fossil collections under its synonym S. floridus Lamarck. The easiest way to differentiate this shell from S.
maculatus is that mutabilis has the inner row of teeth in the aperture extending the full length of the columella. Also it
has a more humped shoulder than other similar Strombus species.
To illustrate all forms and color variants of P. l. humphreysi would require several plates, and only some have been
illustrated here.
If a new prior name should come to light which would invalidate Gray's C. humphreysi because of primary homonymy or
chronological precedence, only then would C. l. yaloka take its place; in the meantime, however, C. l. yaloka is a junior
synonym of humphreysi (Gray) and does not even merit to be retained as a "form" name.
I have been asked to comment on the opinion of Prof. Dr. F. A. Schilder (Cowry, 1964, 1(7):103) that "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." Schilder's comment was prompted by our statement: (Emerson and Old, 1963, Amer. Mus.
Novitates, no. 2136, p. 6)"...the component words of an originally proposed compound name are to be united without a hyphen,
and the name is to be treated as originally published in that form," which was based on Articles 26a and 32c(i) of the
current International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
Actually Schilder and I agree on the taxonomic status of Stearns' taxon, which was proposed as "Cypraea (Luponia)
isabella-mexicana" (Stearns, 1893, Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus., 16(941): 348, 352), but we disagree on the nomenclatural status of
this taxon, because of differing interpretations of the above mentioned provisions of the Code. We both concur in the belief
that Stearns' taxon is a distinct species which is closely related to Cypraea isabella Linné of the Indo-Pacific fauna.
Schilder, however, cites Stearns' taxon as {Cypraea} mexicana, believing that " 'Cypraea isabella-mexicana' is to be regarded
as a ternary designation of the subspecies mexicana belonging to the species isabella." Whereas I cite Stearns' taxon as
{Cypraea} isabellamexicana, following a literal interpretation of the Code.
Official interpretations of the provisions of the Code must be based on decisions made by all the members of the
International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, and until this matter has been decided by this body, students must use
their own judgment, based on objective criteria, in interpreting the Code.
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