Wes,
 
Thanks for the information.  I would love to do a little investigating into
the natural history of some of these fellows.  How do they find each other
to gather, how do they maintain position, are both sexes involved in the
same group, what is the purpose of the group, are the mechanisms the same
for the predators and the grazers, etc?   It would be a great study (never
mind the difficulties of any study under water as you have discussed).  The
shell is a beautiful and collectable item but the animal inside adds
intrigue.  Again, another reason why all of the live animal images featured
on the Hawaiian Shells News web page make it such a great read.  One of our
members on Conch-L keeps two aquariums with mollusks in them (Dan
Yoshimoto).  And I'll bet watching his Forreria belcheri attack and devour
its prey has just a touch of high (at the slug level) drama.
 
Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA
 
Wesley M. Thorsson wrote:
 
> Tom:
>
> I think you will find a number of families and species that travel in
> large numbers at specific times.  In Guaymas, Mexico, we saw at least a
> hundred Conus ximines in sand at 10 to 12 feet all heading for shore
> while we were swimming to shore ourselves. Other days of the 14 we were
> there, we would see one or two deeper.  This was repeated for starfish
> and Murex.
>
> In Hawaii, one day I sawa great many large Conus pulicarius in the sand
> at 3 to 4 feet.  They were spaced not over 1 foot apart.  I never saw
> that again.  I also saw at least 50 Costellaria pacificum all eating on
> a dead murex.  Normally you wouldn't see more than a very few in a dive.
> Many Strombus and Nassarius will be seen in crowds than there is the
> right kind of food around.
>
> Aloha,
>
> Wes