APRIL 24, 1998. 15 people headed south out of Miami for a 9-day trip to an
island in the Atlantic off the coast of Venezuela called Margarita. It was
a good group of very congenial people; but I wasn't surprised because we
were all shell collectors, and I have learned they tend to be pretty nice
people.
First I would like to tell you a little about the history of this island.
Margarita is the largest of three islands that form the Caribbean State of
Nueva Esparta, the other two being Cubagua and Coche, which are not too far
off the south shore of Margarita. Columbus discovered the islands in 1498.
A year later Christobalde la Guerra and Pedro Alonso Nino found a bed of
pearls off Cubagua and eventually went back to Spain with 80 pounds of
them. Margarita is the Greek word for pearl. But, because of
over-collecting and the need for conservation, pearl diving ended in 1962.
Today, following a massive earthquake and tidal wave, Cubagua is
practically deserted. However, Margarita thrives and is now a shopping
mecca for international goods as well as a popular tourist attraction with
its wonderful beaches and delightful climate.
Now on to more important things, I want to tell you about the shelling,
which in some respects is different from other places I have been. But then
I find most of my trips unique in one way or another. I hope to write
books on my travels someday, I could do a great one on "Bathrooms Around
the World."
APRIL 25. We went to a beach on the north shore of the island that had a
sand beach and exposed rocks. It was not far from our hotel in Juan
Griego. The tide was low, but there was very little beachwach, and the
rocks didn't have anything on them. As for what was under them, I have no
idea. I couldn't turn a single one. Some people were poking in the rubble
around the base of the rocks; but I have never bothered with that type of
collecting. I picked up a few common beachworn things, but it was
discouraging.
APRIL 26. We tried another beach on the north shore that was much better.
The tide was out and there was from 10 to 20 feet of exposed beach ending
in a drift line at the base of a three to four foot bank. And there were
piles and piles (AND PILES) of dead shells that had been washed in by the
tides. The majority were completely clean, but many were badly broken.
However, with a little looking and poking some really nice shells could be
found. I only picked up shells that were new to me, plus a few very good
specimens of things I already had. I will list a few. Fasciolaria tulipa
hollisteri Weisbord, 1962 (in several different shades of reddish brown).
Chicoreus breviforms (Lamarck, 1822)(some pure white, some almost entirely
dark brown, others inbetween; some with fairly short fronds, some with
lovely long ones). Chicorcus pomum (Gmelin, 1791)which were not as common
as Chicoreus margaritensis (Abbott, 1958)(the latter had many variations of
color in the aperature, I never could decide which one was the loveliest -
yellow, orange, tan, beige, peach, apricot, blush - each one was
beautiful. Turritella variegata Linne, 1758 (none in very good condition,
but I kept a couple because I had never found Turritella in the Atlantic
before, although i have many from the Pacific}. Amalda tankervillei
(Swainson, 1825)(I had never seen this shell and was impressed, although it
was not a very good specimen and I meant to toss it when I found a better
one - only I never did). Cymatium (Monoplex) parthenopeum von Salis, 1793
(for someone who studies the Ranellidae Family, it was a treat to find
these. Parthenopeum is found in warm waters around the world due to their
long veliger stage. I have collected many both in the Atlantic and the
Pacific, but usually only one or rarely two at a single location; here I
was lining up 20 specimens in a row so I could select the few I wanted to
keep - some with a complete periostracum.
APRIL 27. Took a boat from the south shore to Isla Cocha, a one-hour
ride. In our group only 5 snorkeled and this was one of the two days
planned for that activity. I was in that catagory but because of having
popped several eardrums I was not supposed to go down more than 3 feet,
which is not exactly what one would call a deep dive. Unfortunately the
wind was up, the shallow water choppy, the visibility at 3 feet very poor
and I found nothing. The beach walkers didn't do much better. However,
the other snorkelers did well and where generous in sharing. I received a
nice Voluta musica Linne, 1758, darker and much smaller than some I had
found many years earlier on Bonaire.
However, along side of the dock where we landed back on Margarita there was
a pile of Strombus pugilis Linne, 1758, probably 16 feet wide and 4 or 5
feet deep. Apparently this shell is a popular delicacy on Margarita. The
shells were empty and the majority in excellent condition so we all helped
ourselves, swarming over the pile like a bunch of bees.
APRIL 28. We went to the south shore of Margarita to a small fishing
village which consisted of a row of maybe 20 shanties on the beach. Behind
them were garbage piles, consisting mostly of huge mounds of cleaned out
shells. Surprisingly there was no odor, the shells were dry and well
bleached in the sun; but when you dug into the piles there were some very
nice specimens. These were mostly shells we had already seen, but of
course you were continually finding specimens that were larger or prettier,
or had longer fronds or in better condition than any you had already picked
up, so you took a few more. Melongena melongena Linne, 1758 was a species
I had never found before and the specimens here were great, many with
complete periostracum.
And then there was this local lady who had a couple of big bags full of
cleaned pairs of Spondylus americanus Hermann, 1781. The group bought all
she had for a ridiculous price (especially when it was divided among the
group) and then we shared the shells. It was one of our best days.
APRIL 29. We went back to the south shore to a beach of very muddy sand
where we found 4 or 5 species Marginellas that I haven't gotten around to
IDing yet. Also Terebra angelli Gibson-Smith & Gibson-Smith, 1984, note
the length - 12mm, a species apparently limited to Venezuela. Suprisingly,
this was the only cone I saw on the trip.
Not far away on a different beach was a small resort (I use the term
loosely) where we had lunch and walked the beach. There was a great
quantity and variety of bivalves. Particularly numerous were two species
of Donax - denticulatus Linne, 1758 and striatus Linne, 1767. And a
bivalve I had never seen before. Finally found it in the Abbott/Dance
Compendium. It was Periploma margaritaceum (Lamarck, 1801). The book gave
the locality as S. Carolina to Texas, but considering the shell's name and
where I found it, I assume it also comes from Margarita.
APRIL 30. Another boat ride, this time to the island of Cubagua. We tried
several different spots but no one did too well. However, to add a little
spice to the day, on the return trip to Margarita we ran out of gas and
only momentum took us the last 10 or 15 feet to the dock after the motor
died. It was one of those days when someone asks you how it was, and you
reply is "Well, it was interesting."
MAY 1. After much discussion as to where to go it was decided to return
to the first beach we went to as several people wanted to look through the
little stuff. I was not enthusiastic but went anyway and had the time of
my life. I sat down among the rocks and started digging in the little
piles of stuff that had collected there, and what I found was incredible.
Also it was a sight to behold to look up the beach and see your fellow
collectors - some sitting, some kneeling, some lying down, or on all fours
diligently going thought the grunge. Several locals wandered by to see
what we were doing; and, when I showed them my handful of tiny shells, they
didn't understand and wanted to know if I was going to eat them. I found
about 20 epitomiums ranging from 1/4 to 3/4". I'll be disappointed if they
all turn out to be one kind. I may even have to call for some help. Seems
to me I have heard of someone on Conch-L who thinks he knows something
about wentletraps. Want to take a look at them, Art? And I found the only
cones that I got on the trip in this drift, 18mm Conus puncticulatus Hwass,
1792. I brought back about a cupfull of grunge for a friend, and he found
over 80 different species in it.
MAY 2. Some people went out collecting again, but some others like myself
spent the day drying clothes and packing shells. The last day of a trip is
not near as much fun as the first. Now, let me add a few comments about
the collecting. We did some different kinds than I have never done before
(like going through garbage piles), I found quite a few shells that were
new to me, and I have not listed all I found because I haven't got them all
ID'd yet. I did miss the shallow-water snorkeling which I love; but it was
a good trip and I would like someday to go back to that Island called
Margarita.
Betty Jean, The Tall One
Betty Jean Piech
Hockessin DE,USA
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_@/-The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.-\@_
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