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It seems as if Strombus hawaiensis may not be as rare as once believed, but it will always be a difficult shell to find. They
bury quite deeply in the sand without any track or trace. The depths at which they are found inject a definite hazard into
diving for them. Such vigorous fanning is required as to place a diver in jeopardy by obscuring himself in a cloud of
sediment. Not [just] any deep coral bottom covered with sand could be considered likely territory for the shells for there
must be a generous supply of filamentous algae for feeding. A second true plant (one having a root system) is also found at
this site and may have some bearing on the matter. Even sand density, depth and granular quality may be important. It appears
quite definitely that the amount and type of rubble present with the sand is an important factor. The shells displayed a
decided tendency to avoid larger rocks while in the aquarium. Much of this mystery remains unsolved making pure luck a
significant constant in the discovery of this beautiful shell.
I personally cannot realize how these Spondylus happen to be there. They all seem to be old specimens and there is not a
single young one in the vicinity and only a few dead specimens.
Close to that spot, but near the reefs in shallow water, I have picked up quite a few shells, viz: Oliva, Cassis cornuta;
Lambis truncata, arthritica, crocata and elongata; Harpa ventricosa and costata; Mitra cardinalis and mitra; Terebra maculata
(15 cms long), crenulata, dimidiata, etc., but on the other hand have noted the complete absence of Cypraea.
On page one of the February, 1964, issue of Philippine Shell News, Dr. Pat Burgess reported the dredging from 200 fathoms of
a "very old and faded" specimen of Cypraea labrolineata Gaskoin. This shell was dredged aboard Mariel King's motor vessel
"Pele" (pronounced PAY-lay) on a mud and sand bottom off Waikiki, Oahu. Owing to the poor condition of the shell there
remained doubt in some minds as to its true identity.
This doubt was dispelled once and for all by Bert Chamberlin's exciting discovery of a live labrolineata (figs. 1-4 [left])
which he collected on October 16, 1965, while SCUBA diving off the Natatorium at Diamond Head. He was able to keep the animal
alive for several days in his aquarium before it finally expired.
During a recent conversation with Bert, I obtained a clue which may explain the reason why Philippine collectors have not
been able to zero-in on this species. Bert had been swimming at a depth of 40 feet, turning over small brick-sized chunks of
dead coral that were scattered over the flat, hard ocean floor. Here and there appeared patches of coarse sand. He had
pocketed a number of Cypraea helvola found underneath these coral chunks and was in the process of returning one such chunk
to its original position, when out rolled the little labrolineata. But it did NOT roll out from the bottom of the chunk.
Instead, it fell out of algae growing on top of the coral. What collector searches the algae ON TOP of dead coral? None, as
far as I know.
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