In the May 1989 issue of HSN (p.4), Teri Marche reported on a Murex
palmarosae growing in her aquarium. Part of that process included "the
mantle dissolving away at the base...five spines from an earlier varix"
I always assumed it had to be done with acid, what else would dissolve the
earlier spines?

At 05:09 PM 6/11/99 -1000, you wrote:
>James:
>When you posted the question, I asked Dr. E. Alison Kay, who specializes
>in Cypraea if she has heard of cowries using acid as a defense.  She
>hadn't heard of that, but said, "There have been reports in the
>literature that acids have been detected in mantle cells of cowries. The
>only example that comes to mind at the moment (without me going through
>my literature lists) is that of some evidence for acid secretion in
>Trivia. I can try to track the reports down, but not today! Alison
>--
>                     Aloha from Wesley M. Thorsson
>Editor of Internet Hawaiian Shell News, a monthly Internet Publication
>           122 Waialeale St, Honolulu, HI  96825-2020,  U.S.A
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