Dear List The more spurcas I meet, the less I understand the conchological differences between the two subspecies spurca spurca and spurca verdensium. Cowries specialists, could you remind me of these differences, if they still exist today? http://www.idscaro.net/sci/01_coll/plates/gastro/pl_cypraeidae_3.htm#aero shows 5 pics of both taxa, say two screens below the genus-title bar. Better pics of mediterranean specimens can be found here: http://www.idscaro.net/sci/04_med/class/fam3/species/cypraea_spurca1.htm You could compare them with the specimens that are shown by L. Limpalaer here: http://perso.orange.fr/loic.limpalaer/Taurus/Cypraeidae/spurcaspurca.htm http://perso.orange.fr/loic.limpalaer/Taurus/Cypraeidae/spurcaspurca.htm Thanks for any help Olivier Caro Rennes, France ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs To leave this list, click on the following web link: http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1 Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and click leave the list. ----------------------------------------------------------------------