Andrew Vik
[log in to unmask]
Dear Harry, Bob, Betty Jean, Javier, Paul, etc.:
Here is what I have gleaned about Cymatium distribution for the species
and/or subspecies that we have discussed:
C. aquatile: Indo-Pacific through the Mediterranean/E.Atlantic
to the West Atlantic/Caribbean
C. macrodon: Panamic/E.Pacific
C. martinianum: E. and W.Atlantic
C. nicobaricum: Circumtropical
C. pileare: Indo-Pacific
Now, about the longevity of these species. Their wide geographic range
hints that they must be geologically very ancient. I don't believe that
warm water planctonic larvae can survive the trip around the cold waters
at the North & South ends of the continents. These species had to have
gained widespread purchase back when sea level was quite a bit higher
than at present.
Andrew