The lip on the Lambis is very thin - I figured at this size 275 mm it must
be more than a teenager!! I forgot about the Strombus thickening at maturity
- bonehead mistake!

The pictures will be up in a few hours - please have a look.

Thank you for such a fast response!!


Bob & Rosemary

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> From: "Monfils, Paul" <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 10:31:54 -0500
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Help please with a couple of puzzling shells
>
> Hi Bob and Rosemary,
> Your Lambis sounds like an immature specimen that has not yet developed the
> spines on the lip. Is the lip rather thin and fragile?  That would be
> another indication of immaturity.
> Murex duplex commonly exceeds 150 mm.  In fact, an African Hexaplex that
> size almost has to be H. duplex.  However, I wasn't aware that H. duplex
> occurred in southeast Africa.  I thought it was restricted to northwest
> Africa??  I have received large specimens from Mauritania and Senegal.
> Regards,
> Paul M.