DEar RUss
I did not say that I know the difference between M. maculifera maculifera
and M. maculifera scindata. I have Lorenz's book 2002 and a description of
the above taxon does not contain a section DIAGNOSIS. So I can not say
whether the difference between these populations is of a subspecific rank or
it is not. I study variability of cowry populations for years but M.
maculifera is not now on my desk, I will check intraspecific variation in
this species later.
I do recognize subspecies in cowries but this is a rather confusing subject
which demands a lot of work regarding each species.

What is your approach to this subject, what do you collect?
Best regards
Ed


----- Original Message -----
From: "Russ Webb" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 4:12 AM
Subject: Re: Cypraea maculifera scindata


> Thanks for your reply.
>
> I do understand all of that.
>
> Are you saying that the only discernable difference between C maculifera
and
> C. maculifera scindata is that the latter is from Tahiti?
>
> Could be. I just needed that "description".
>
> Maybe every island group should have a full list of ssp. And then every
> island... and so on.
>
> Personally I think that you should be able to see the difference in a
group
> of  1 or 2.
>
> I did notice that "lists" had the prices of these shells at 2 to 4X as
much
> as a regular C. maculifera. Maybe that is a discernable difference - price
> tag included in the data sheet.
>
> By the way, I do have quite a pile of these, self collected from around
the
> Pacific.
>
> I think that I'll give each one it's own name, unique, of course, to my
> shell closet. Or maybe C. maculifera stinka - didn't get that one quite
> clean enough.
>
> Sorry, I just couldn't resist.
>
> Russ
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Eduard had said:
>
> Dear Russ
> Subspecies are geographically isolated populations of a species which
share
> the main diagnostic shell characters of a species but the majority of
> individuals of a subspecies differs from other populations of the same
> species by at least one shell characteristic.
>  A correct (valid) modern description of a subspecies must include
> statistical data confirming the difference between shell characteristics
of
> a new subspecies and the other populations of a species and also a section
> DIAGNOSIS (or DEFINITIONS)  that states in words characters that are
> purported to differentiate the taxon. If a section DIAGNOSIS is absent or
> the difference between shell characteristics of a new subspecies and other
> populations of the same species is not singled out and stressed in its
> description nobody, in my opinion, can help  us to form a scientifically
> based opinion regarding a new taxon.
> If you have enough shells of Mauritia maculifera from Tahiti in your
> collection (several 30-50 at least) you can try by yourself to compare
shell
> characteristics of your batch of shells with shell characteristics of the
> species from other areas of the world published in the malacological
> literature.
>
> Eduard Heiman
>
>
>
> . ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Russ Webb" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2004 5:30 PM
> Subject: Cypraea maculifera scindata
>
>
> > Can anyone enlighten me as to the differences between Cypraea maculifera
> and
> > ssp. Cypraea maculifera sindata (Lorenz 2002)?
> >
> > Russ
> >
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