Paul,

It doesn't take long, in the world of malacology, to get the feeling that the
descriptions of some species are like the three blind men describing an
elephant.

If the species Lambis lambis IS properly described, then you may have a hybrid
(or, maybe, a 'throwback' expressing a rare combination--for Lambis lambis--of
strombid DNA). If the species is NOT properly described, you may have a
prefectly normal, but rare form, of Lambis lambis.

Hawaii has plenty of 'in-between' specimens of Cypraea schilderorum and C.
Sulcidentata (see http://cowry.org/research/xbreeds.htm). Which are they?... C.
sulcidentata still morphing back into its 'parent' (somewhat) Pacific-wide
species, or C. schilderorum that have cross-bred (back-bred) to its daughter
species? Or,... is C. schilderorum just a 'relic' species, having been displaced
by C. sulcidentata's overwhelming gene pool but still genetically re-visited
more frequently than, say, C. nucleus is in Hawaii's C. granulata? (See
http://cowry.org/research/granuldb.htm)

In the final analysis, will we ever know for sure? :-/


makuabob
(aka, Bob Dayle)
webmaster: http://cowry.org
Quoting Paul Kanner <[log in to unmask]>:

> In going through my Strombs I was inspecting what is discribed as a hybrid
> between Lambis lambis and Lambis millepeda. I have 2 specimens like this from
> the P.I.. The only difference form a normal Lambis lambis is the presence of
> lirae in the aperture.  Isn't it possible that some Lambis lambis naturally
> form lirae in the aperture and therefore what is discribed as a hybrid is not
> so?  The reason I ask is because I have a Strombus peruvianus that is
> strongly lirate while I have others with a smooth aperture. There is no
> hybidization of Strombus peruvianus yet some are lirate and others smooth.
>
> Your thoughts?
>
> Regards,
> Paul Kanner

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