Hi David,

Sorry for a late reply to this most interesting mail. Malea ringens is
indeed one of those - as all Tonna's - where size and age are not equivalent
to one another.
A young ringens (juvenile) will not have the "grin", and basically looks
like a young Tonna galea to the untrained eye. If you like, I can put some
pictures on my website when we get back from our trip. For those who have
the Emerson & Old (1960, or was it '65): there's a picture of an immature
ringens in there as well.

Tonna's in general, when attacked and damaged, tempt to re-built what whas
there before. Some will make a varix (sulcosa) but others (most of them)
will just repair the damage, even if that means the "grin". I guess that
60mm one had more luck than the 90mm one ... which might have passed through
that "rocky zone" as well ... seems like an absolute "normal" beach find to
me.

Best regards,

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of David Kirsh
Sent: woensdag 16 oktober 2002 5:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: web site updated


Paolo,

Exciting photos, it was a lucky encounter for you.

I just returned from Costa Rica and found many fragments of Malea ringens
with the "grinning" aperture on the beach. However--and this is a little
puzzling-- I also found two specimens (about 90mm each) intact in rocky
zones but without the "grin". Referring to Keen's book on Tropical West
America, it looks like there's no other possibility for identity. The
grinning fragments were from smaller shells (about 60mm).

Is this another case where size at maturity varies a lot? Or does the lip
ornamentation get resorbed and re-built,  as in some species?

David Kirsh
Durham, NC

> From: "Paolo G. Albano" <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 20:51:43 +0200
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: web site updated
>
> My homepage has been updated with some photos of live Tonna galea and its
> eggs. Follow "online contributions".
> Other minor updates have been added.  Have a look at:
>
> http://members.xoom.virgilio.it/pgalbano/index.htm
> Best regards,
> Paolo
>
> Paolo Giulio ALBANO
> Bologna, ITALY
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> Homepage: http://members.xoom.virgilio.it/pgalbano/index.htm