Frank S. Walker wrote:
 
> This may already have been posted, but since I have only been on the list for
> a short time, I will take a chance that it has not been posted.
>
> Recently received this from a very good contact in Albany W. Australia:
>
> "I was under the impression that you wanted only the one eludens the other is
> still here if you want it can be sent with your next lot and after the rather
> large cyclone that hit Exmouth last month they will be in very short supply
> for two or three years. Exmouth the town is still closed to all visitors and
> it is anybody's guess what has happened to the ocean floor in the shallow
> reef areas. Winds were 290 klm gusting to 350 klm the largest storm to ever
> hit the Australian mainland, a sign of the times." My friend indicated that
> over 50% of the town had serious damage and 125 homes were ruined. As of a
> few days ago the town was still closed to outsiders.
>
> There are many nice shells that come from this area and I have no idea what
> will actually happen to the value of shells from this area, but I can only
> guess. At least when nature does it's damage in an area, it can usually
> recover over time. Not so with the so called progress of man.
 
Hello!
 
Hi Frank and all,
 
A few years ago a similar undercurrent regarding Zoila perlae eludens (or Cyp.
eludens to some)
began circulating in the shell collecting community. "Get them (the eludens)
while you can as very few
are being fished/found". Seems the eludens are like the Battery Rabbitt "just
keeps goin' and goin'. "  I have
not seen much of a scarcity at dealers tables or "shells available" lists. Kinda
pricey shell anyway.
 
From what I know the eludens are found in 35-40 meters or deeper water not in the
shallower areas
where cyclone wave action or tidal surges rips up the bottom. Surely they are not
found IN the gulf
of exmouth. Do you know of exact locality(ies) for the eludens?  Are they truly
sympatric with Zoila decipiens as some have stated?
 
I truly feel for the inhabitants of Exmouth, kinda of a way out of touch place to
have an emergency situation. About the only thing going in that area are Nature
Preserves, Satellite tracking station, VLF station etc, dont think there is much
fishing activity in the gulf proper.
 
Can some of the Australian conch-l 'ers contribute to this subject? What kind of
habitat is the bottom
of the Exmouth Gulf; depth, reefs, sponges, mud, sandy etc etc? Shoreline is
mangrove? Waters are muddy/silty? Do the pearling luggers operate IN the gulf?
 
Could this communique be connected to another price hike for the eludens? Eludens
means elusive (in nomenclature language; Latin or Greek), will it really be as
elusive as the name implies?
--
 
Later,
 
Emilio Jorge Power
 
Please visit;
"The Liguus Home Page"
http://pw1.netcom.com/~ejpower/lighompage.html
West Melbourne, Florida  USA