Andrew Sharpe wrote:
Dear Shellers
I have recently acquired a shell for my
collection, where the data sheet says:

Cypraea Bataviensis (To be named) Nullabor
form   1 of 5 shells known
Narrow form of the Cyp.Raybaudi
Author: To be named
Collected by: D. Thorpe 1999
Locality:South Australia
Collected: By diver 35-40 meters, (Ceduna
Great Aust Bight)
Measures: 55.8 mm

Can anyone tell me anything about this shell?


Hello!

Probably not, until your shell and others are
at least "pictured" and
compared to the Zoila marginata raybaudii
from the nearby areas.

There have not been many marginata or Zoila,
for that matter, collected
at the GA Bight in shallow water. Most
specimens have been trawled.

I suppose that some will be found as more
diving takes place in these
areas.

I think Ceduna is about the western most
limit for the subspecies [raybaudii].
As far as the specimen(s) being narrower or
wider than the supposed norm.
It could be a character of the particular
population but it would be irresponsible
to split the population into another
subspecies without a rigorous study (and
lots more specimens).

On Pattty's comment about incessant splitting
of Aus. Cowries. Not any more
so than Cribrarula, Cypraeovula etc etc etc.
Don't feel picked on!

Please visit "The Marginata Home Page" at;

http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Gold/9440/marginata/marginPG.htm

Later,

Emilio Jorge Power