Yes I will be glad to assist. I may need a specimen or a
better picture on the net. But glad to help. I have an
uncle in Morandava. We do stop some trips to see him since
my wifes father died and he is the only living brother.
Glad to assist anyone.
Fred in MN

----------
From: Karen Lamberton <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Help please with a couple of puzzling shells
Date: Thursday, March 09, 2000 4:58 PM

Try getting in touch with Fred Hinkle at
[log in to unmask] he has relatives in Madagascar and has
collected there as often as one can who lives in the USA
(cost of flight)! He is most helpful.
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Family Roadrunner <[log in to unmask]>
    To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
    Date: Thursday, March 09, 2000 10:32 AM
    Subject: Help please with a couple of puzzling shells


    We have just concluded negotiations to open up a supply
channel for marine and land shells from the region around
Madagascar - Eastern coast of Africa. We received the first
shipment of shells last night and I have a couple of
questions. Both specimens were harvested offshore of
Morondava, on the west coast of Madagascar just recently.

    1]  The first shell appears to be s a Lambis truncata
275 mm.  It has the typical flat apex of truncata. The
shell itself is in great condition, very glossy in the
ventral apertural area, and was collected live, as the
smell indicates [but I can fix that!]. The puzzling thing
is that the spines are absent. I am wondering, is it
typical for a Lambis truncata to wear off or overgrow it's
spines at maturity, or do we all think that the shell was
damaged during harvest?

    2] The other puzzle is a specimen that appears to
Hexaplex duplex. A large 175 mm heavy bodied Muricid. It is
much larger than my sources indicate for this species [35 -
50 mm]. It is heavily worn on the dorsal side but the
ventral area and siphonal canal are in great shape. It was
live collected and the smell has now been taken care of. It
retains the collar around the aperture and has a nice soft
pink color inside the aperture. Murex experts, please
suggest some alternative identifications for this shell, or
reassure me that it simply a very mature specimen.

    I will post pictures of these shells by 3:00 PM EST at
the following location:

    http://www.univershell.com/african/recent.html

    Thanking you in advance for all your help

    PS: [no Cypraea fultoni yet!!!! but I will get some!!!]



    Bob & Rosemary

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