David, here's what I have in the database:

occa Sowerby, 1834 (curved spines)  133 mm max
Illustrated in Fair, Compendium p130, Ponder & Vokes, 1988 Fig 26, Radwin &
D'Attilio Plate 10 fig.7 as scolopax, Kaicher N524, N6042

scolopax Dillwyn, 1817 (no axial sculpture)  190 mm max
Illustrated in Fair, Compendium p129, Hawaiian Shell News 2/81, Ponder &
Vokes, 1988 Fig 24, Kaicher N100, N6048, (N105 is altispira), Sharabati
P17/2, Bosch, 1995 Fig 465, Eisenberg, Higo et al,

Could you give us some more info about that book?

Best regards,


  1/12/02 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear Murex-lovers,
>
>What's the current opinion on whether M. occa is separate from scolopax?
>
>I'm going through the book just out: "The Molluscs of the Southern Gulf of
>Thailand," and I'm not sure whether my specimens from Phuket Sea are one or
>the other.
>
>I can't remember where, but I read that scolopax is distinctive for having a
>broad flat tooth on the outer lip pointing toward the viewer. Mine do (my
>specimens' teeth, not my personal teeth). However, none of them have strong
>spiral ridges. One of my specimens is about 113mm, which is larger than
>cited for occa in various books.
>
>David Kirsh
>Durham, NC

John Wolff
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