Tim,

In Walls' book on Conchs, Tibias, and Harps he describes T. serrata as a
freak Tibia fusus in which the posterioir canal grows to reach the tip of
the spire developing extra digits on the way up. He also states with
certainty that it is NOT a freak of T. insulaechorab.
Elmer Leehman, writing in Hawaiian Shell News (April, 1977) states that
although T. serrarata is listed in Van Nostrand's Standard Catalologue, no
one seems to have a specimen; The name is either based on a freak or it is a
one-of-a-kind species.
La Conchiglia index yields a hit on that name in # 102, p.3 but I don't have
copies back that far.
Hope this helps.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Timothy Blackwood" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 10:41 AM
Subject: Question about Tibia serrata Perry, 1811.


>      Many years ago, I saw a photo of Tibia serrata Perry, 1811, in an
edition of the Guinness
> Book of World Records, identifying it as the rarest shell in the world.
I've found one reference on the web, but it was in Italian.  Thus, I was
> unable to read it.  Any assistance you can provide would be greatly
appreciated.  Thanks in
> advance and I'll look forward to hearing from you.  Bye for now. :)
>
> Sincerely,
> Tim Blackwood