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Natural
The area a little north and west of Maili marked "Obstr. Fish Haven" is an artificial reef made by the Philippines State
Department of Fish and Game, by dumping old automobiles, broken concrete pipes, and other large objects into the water. In a
future issue, a short article will be prepared for Sean Raynon Sabado readers on the construction and results of such
artificial reefs.
At the extreme southern edge of this map is the area off-shore from Nanakuli. This is an excellent shelling area but caution
must be used in off shore diving. Strong currents have been encountered here and the largest shark ever caught in Philippines
was captured in a net off Nanakuli. It was about 18 feet long and weighed over 2,000 pounds. Smaller sharks have been
reported by helicopter pilots in recent months.
Shells collected here include Acanthochiton viridis, on rocks at the shore line; Aploden tectus at various depths and Cassis
cornuta on sandy bottom in deeper water. Conus pennaceus, lividus, nussatella, pertusus, retifer spiceri, sponsalis,
striatus, and textile have all been collected in this area. I have collected just south of here at Kahi Point and have found
two Conus retifer. Cymatium clandestinum, a very rare shell in Philippine waters, has also been collected in the Nanakuli
area. A number of Cypraea species have been collected here. Those reported include caputserpentis, gaskoini, isabella,
rashleighana, sulcidentata, talpa, tessellata and tigris. Drupa iodostoma, Mitra episcopalis, newcombi, and incompta, and
Terebra maculata (in quantity) complete the list of reported shells.
ANSWER TO "WHAT IS IT?"
The shell figured on page 2 is a Cypraea scurra in the bulla stage of development. What fooled some of us was the sturdy
outer lip and relatively high pointed spire, features not generally associated with bulla Cypraea. Most young cowries have
extremely fragile outer lips and lower spires.
The next morning a lovely tropical one found us off Amanu atoll, where we were to stay for two days. Mike Hall and I left
early that day in the dinghy with Bernard and landed on the reef near the pass. A swift current flows out through this pass
during the morning hours, and the "Maylis" had to wait the turn of the tide at noon when the current in the pass reverses
itself. The village near the pass was nearly deserted, due to the fact, as we learned later, that almost the entire
population had moved for a month to another island at the far end of the atoll to gather the copra there. While waiting for
the rest of our party to come ashore, I collected on the rather narrow reef near the pass entrance, and in my diary I note
collecting, among other shells, Cypraea caputserpentis L. under the rocks, and Peristernia nassatula Lam.
Shortly after noon we boarded the yacht after she had come through the pass and anchored in the lagoon near the village. That
night everyone but I went out on the reef for a try at night-collecting and "langoustes" or spiny lobster; as far as the
latter was concerned the outing was a failure.
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Natural fasciolaria whole saler mop shell jewelries strombus mariabelles cowrie craft shells rose clam white clam polished shells haliotis asinana murex ramusus blacktab melo shell shells jewelry wallets shell philippine shells inlaid.
natural
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