How much does a rare nerite cost?  The most expensive nerite I've seen is
Clithon coronata (Leach, 1815) (syn. Theodoxus coronatus, Neritina
longispina).  This is a dark nerite with long spines found in fresh water on
Pacific islands and is actually rather locally abundant.  I paid $10 --
yeah, I know, he saw me coming, and I didn't even get an operc!!  On the
other hand there are a number of nerites I have never seen offered but I
think it may be a case of not bothering to collect a common "snail."  I have
heard dealers say it just isn't worth while to mess with a 50 cent or $1.00
shell (average dealer price for a nerite or even a set of nerites).
Thankfully not all dealers feel this way (thanks Paul, Guido, and Bob) or I
wouldn't have much of a nerite collection.  The only "rare" nerite that
comes to mind is N. smithi and even though I have kept my eye out for one of
these for years I have yet to find one.  Another rare nerite would be the
deep-water Bathynerita naticoide brought to our attention by Jose Eduardo
Moreira.  Common around hydro-carbon seeps in 1,000 meters of water but just
a bit beyond snorkeling depth!!  Also, I believe Guido Poppe had a deep
water Septaria (un-named) that was priced at a few hundred dollars before he
pulled it off the sale block and gave it to scientists to describe and
publish.  Another way to think of it is that my entire nerite collection,
skillfully marketed, wouldn't buy an F- Cypraea leucodon.  But I'll match
color and pattern with anybody's favorite shells.

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA (still looking for some of those oddball
nerites)



> A $20 miter is at least uncommon.  A $50 miter has to be
> rare.  Of course, if miters were as widely collected as cones
> and cowries, this wouldn't necessarily be true.  How much
> does a "rare" nerite cost, Tom?