I do not confirm Marco's identification at the moment, however, I like to
pay attention to the fact that single specimens of Erosaria spurca has been
found 3-4 times at various localities in the Red Sea. Probably they fall
within the category of hitchhikers not in that of Anti-Lessepsian migrants.
Henk K. Mienis

[log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marco Oliverio" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 7:27 PM
Subject: Re: Mystery cypraea


> Aaaggghhh!
>
> It looks an Erosaria spurca! Yes, I mean the Mediterranean commonest
cowry.
> Coming from Eilat (Red Sea) it would be one of the so-called
> anti-lessepsian migrant. Since I tend to be very reluctant in accepting
> antilessepsians, I would consider the possibility of fortuitous record. I
> must anyway admit that accidental import of a shell of cowry from the
> Mediterranean to the Red Sea would be strange ..... ?
> =========================================================
> Marco Oliverio - Evolutionary Biology PhD
> Research Scientist
>
> Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo
> Viale dell'Universita' 32
> I-00185 Roma   ITALY
>
> phone  +39.06.49914307
> FAX    +39.06.4958259
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>