Hi...

I have recently come across an odd looking Cypraea which by coloring and
pattern I assume to be C. tigris.   It's 62 mm long and is grossly
malformed in that the aperature at it's widest is 15 mm!   I haven't ever
seen or been able to find anything written on what bulla stage Cypraea look
like but I had kind of thought that they'd be much smaller than 62 mm in
length, even tigris, when that "young".  There are the beginning formations
of columellar teeth and also labial teeth inside the rim of the outer
fold.   This outer lip of the shell extends far beyond the normal curvature
of the shell however and has almost a grotesque bulbous appearance to it,
as if injured in formation.

It's most interesting and fascinating to look at and examine; I was
wondering if anyone had information on bulla stage Cypraea, ie how big
would they normally be (I realize this would be dependent upon the species
in part) and where might I find pictures that show the growth stages (I
would really love to see this illustrated)?   Or... is this more likely a
freak and if so I have to really wonder how the poor thing survived with
such a vulnerable shell!!

I've been waiting for Dr. Lorenz's new edition of Worldwide Cowries to be
published but have heard nothing from Conchbooks as yet.  :(

Thanks, and "re-greetings" to all; I'm still here, just doing a lot of
listening lately. :)
Nancy Smith
Boynton Beach, FL