Dear list
 
I have recently been impressed with, and rather curious about, some
striking
concological similarities between Cypraea mus and Cypraea stercoraria:
anterior
extremities, dorsal profile, aperture features and base (thought the
teeth and
fossula are strikingly different I will remind the group about similar
extreme
variations in the arabica group).  Now whenever I look at a Cypraea mus
I tend
to see an expatriate C. stercoraria hiding under a teulereian glaze, as
if C.
mus were a product of C. stercoraria + C. teulerei.
 
These two species live an ocean apart.  Perhaps they, or a very close,
common
cousin, may once have shared some territory as gondwanaland split
apart.  Has
there been any anatomical studies or fossil record evidence that mus and
 
stercoraria are much more closely related (even genus level) than past
credit
has been given?
 
Just curious enough about it to bother me.
 
Respectfully,
 
Michael LaFosse