Paul, John, and Brooke,

All of this on C. brunneus, torrefactus, and microphyllus got me to dig
mine out and check them over.  The brunneus is easily separated but the
other two are problematic.  Aside from the intervarical nodes I did
notice what looked like a difference in the anal sulcus.  That of
torrefactus is callused and shallow while microphylus seemed to have a
clean, deep sulcus.  These two are very, very close and I have one that
looks like an intergrade between the two.  Brooke, if you like I can
send you a scanned image that will show the differences (and sorry about
the gender assumption).

Another problem is that I would swear both of the generalized books I
use (Eisinberg's "Collector's Guide to Seashells of the World" and
Abbott & Dance's "Compendium of Seashells") illustrate the typical C.
microphylus and then right next to it a variation that looks to me like
C. pinchinati and not a red or cream colored C. microphylus.
Unfortunately I do not yet have the murex specific books -- so I'll have
to check a friend's library.

This is a large and often times confusing family -- and we haven't even
talked about tribulus and it's forms.

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA