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Raw shell
The erroneous and often forged locality data one so frequently encounters on shell labels, has prompted me to write this
short note. Traveling shell-collectors are aware of the existence of the Suva shell market in Fiji, and are probably aware
that this market is occasionally the source of shells foreign to Fiji and also of plain simple forgeries. One will encounter
cowries of various species, which have been mechanically ground down, buffed and polished, until the dark purple layer of
Cypraea eglantina Duclos, or the chocolate brown bands of C. mauritiana Linnaeus are exposed. These specimens are sold to
souvenir hungry tourists as genuine deep-water species from between $3 to $5. Such forgeries, however, are too simple to be
taken seriously, nor can they be the cause of an inadvertent description as new species. A more serious problem, however, is
the appearance of Volute shells at the market-stalls which, according to the vendors, have been collected on the Suva reef in
deep water. Although species of Volutidae do occur in New Caledonia, this is about the family's most eastern limit of
distribution (with the exception of New Zealand). Amateur collectors apparently are ignorant of this fact, since local shell
collections contain Voluta hunteri Iredale, V. zebra Leach and other Australian volutids, all of which have been purchased at
the Suva shell-market with the assurance of having been collected on the Suva reef.
This regrettable circumstance is the outcome of a visit by an Australian shell collector to Fiji, who brought with him a
number of Volutes for exchange with local collectors. There was no demand for these shells in local shelling circles and the
lot was disposed of through sale to the vendors in the Suva shell-market. The same shells were sold for triple the price to
unsuspecting collectors with a verbal "Suva reef" label. Even the East North American species Busycon contrarium Conrad, has
been offered for sale at the Suva shell-market for $5 - $10, although it is worth only about 25 cents in its country of
origin. These chank-shells are of religious importance and are being used in local Hindu temples, and must have been imported
at one time or other for this specific purpose. Shells originating in the Suva shell-market should never be accepted as
genuine records for faunal lists. Indeed they should not be purchased by locality-conscious collectors in the first place.
Capt. and Mrs. Mal Loring, with daughters Jackie and Cathy had a successful day too. Mrs. Loring excavated an excellent
specimen of Strombus variabilis and a fragile, as yet unidentified, shell. Dr. Osborne's previous experience in fossil areas,
really helped produce a fine collection of specimens. "Doc" found and collected a Cypraea scurra (with reticulations still
evident), 4 C. cicercula 10 to 16 mm in length and in good condition, 2 C. semiplota, an excellent specimen of Strombus
ostergaardi 15 mm long and an almost perfect juvenile Strombus identified tentatively as S. gibberulus gibbosus. Conus
rattus, Mitra, Bulla, Polinices and 6 other unidentified shells completed her "haul" for the day.
Other finds were made by Mrs. Tom Shields (Strombus mutabilis); Mr. Andrus. Verne Olney and son (Strombus ostergaardi,
Cypraea cicercula, and C. tessellata); Mr. and Mrs. Bill Mitchell came up with Conus bullatus, tulipa, and spiceri and a
large Bursa affinis; and us O'Briens (Bob, Aline and children Jim, Mike, Carol, Pat, Terrie, and David) had a fine day of
collecting. Mike made the find of the day (as far as our family was concerned, at least) with three Cypraea scurra and a
beautiful specimen of Conus mitatis, the first to be found in Philippines (see pg. 3) [image not included].
Others present included Mr. and Mrs. Harold Androus; Richard Schulze and son Dennis; Laurie Sanderson and her parents and
baby sister; Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Thompson; Ed deVaul; George Miller; and Mr. and Mrs. Anderson with sons Leland and Rex who
found a fossil Cypraea mauritiana.
The weather was perfect, warm and sunny, and the ocean was calm. Some members took to the water with SCUBA and came back with
a few specimens of live-collected shells. The only species live-collected that was also found as a fossil was Cypraea
mauritiana. I wonder what happened to all the rest of the species in the million or so years since this fossil bed was
formed?
For the reader who needs further proof of indiscriminate shell collecting practices now going on, we give him the following
verified accounts which occurred during the last few months:
raw shell,brown conus,monggo shell,natural,conus omaria,pecten vexillum orange,hawaiian jewelry,bursa rubeya,dyed white rose,raw shell
Raw shell pillary exporters shell component shells violet oyster capis hanging lamp mop shell raw gold lip troca bead novelty tiger cowry strombus latesimus shells cardium cardissa shell beads triton supplier trocca silver mouth strombus.
raw shell
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Bracelets
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