Thanks, Jack. As you say, Wikipedia may be just 2nd hand, but at least it is a source. I'm going to accept it until I find something more authentic. I need to find time to dig into the Heritage BioLib, to try to find the original descriptions for some of these. But there is so much work to do I have to depend on what I can see. On many other species I've found that several different species often get lumped together on even the best sites. Example: I just finished determining Hexaplex nigritus, H. princeps, H. radix, and H. ambiguus. Most sites show at least two of these species lumped together as H. nigritus. This study of all my specimens took two work days. Really slows me down when I have about 100,000 shells to verify.
---- Jack Sullivan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
=============
Here is the description of H. cichoreum from Wikipedia but this may only be second-hand knowledge:
The height of the oblong, fusiform shell varies between 50 mm and 150 mm. The short spire of the shell consists of eight to nine ventricose whorls that become flat-shouldered and thick with age. They are transversely ridged and striated. They show six to seven frondose varices, with the fronds elevated and recurved. The umbilicus is rather large and deep. Its color is yellowish-brown, frequently banded with a darker tint. The fronds are usually dark brown or blackish. The white, almost round aperture has a rather long, open posterior siphonal canal that gradually widens, but is narrow and turns to the right at the beginning.lips are tinged with pink. There is also an all-white variety (var. albicans) from the Philippines.
The image at Conchology, Inc. (http://www.conchology.be/?t=34&u=994024&g=1c0451c23d140d0e7b9d00fc1ab072f6&q=d9feb69c1e5b3571bfefac9bef68753d) shows a pinkish color around the outer margin of the lips.
From: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, June 1, 2017 5:28 PM
Subject: [CONCH-L] Hexaplex cichoreum
Sorting Muricidae and have a lot of shells tagged as Murex endivia (now Hexaplex cichoreum), and find that many have pure white around the callus and inner margin of the aperture, but many have a narrow salmon pink edge. All are reportedly from the Philippines.
One label simply sans "Murex sp. similar to M. endivia".
I've learned from experience that similar shells of different species end up lumped together on even the best websites. Can anyone tell me if H. cichoreum should have the pinkish color?
And if not, do you have any suggestions?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
