Hi Carolyn -
Do you have a picture of it?
There was a Melo diadema in old books (your label may be misspelled) - that name is a junior synonym of Melo amphora (now the correct name) which is found in Australia and southern Indonesia but doesn't make it up to the Philippines.  If your specimen is from the Philippines it is probably Melo broderipii, which comes in at least two distinct forms that I've collected, both large.  It's the most common species there.  There is another form from the Philippines called Melo nautica, but it looks an awful lot like a variation of broderipii or Melo melo and most people I know don't recognize it as distinct species.  About the only other melon from the Philippines is Melo melo, which doesn't have any spines, found in the northwest part but more common in southeast Asia.  All the other Melo species I'm aware of are from the Australia/Indonesia area.  
If your Melo is from the Philippines and has a row of short (not long) spines along the shoulder it's probably Melo broderipii.  I could probably tell you which one it is from a picture.  After collecting Melo for years, though, I've found so much variation among many of the species, and it doesn't help when the popular books have errors in them.
- Rick Batt

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From: Conchologists List on behalf of [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue 7/29/2008 10:36 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CONCH-L] Volute Help Needed


Hi Everyone,
 
I'm hoping someone can help me with a shell I recently obtained.  It's labeled Melo dagema from the Philippines.  Are any of you familiar with this Melo?  I'm unable to find any reference to it--is there a synonym?  
 
Thanks for any help--
Carolyn



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