Andrew
 
Please send me a copy.
 
Terry
 
At 08:17 AM 4/28/1998 , you wrote:
>A technical article by Enrico Savazzi has just been published, entitled
>"The colour patterns of cypraeid gastropods" (Lethaia, v. 31, no. 1, 15-27,
>1998). According to Savazzi, the color patterns of adult cypraeids
>(cowries) differ from those of most mollusks by having three-dimensional
>structure, the result of being generated two-dimensionally. Most mollusks
>with a color pattern have a one-dimensional "program" for color generation.
>In other words, most mollusks have color patterns made of unevenly
>distributed pigment, but cowries have color patterns determined by the
>different thickness of a pigmented layer. This would account nicely for the
>subtlety of coloration in cowries. The article is well illustrated with
>black-and-white photos and describes a computer model of cowry
>pigmentation. Given that 190 of 200 species of cypraeids are strikingly
>colored, Savazzi concludes that the patterns must have some functional
>significance (which may differ from species to species), but, as usual,
>"More research is needed" to discern the functional patterns behind the
>color patterns.
>
>Lethaia is a paleontological journal that is widely distributed in college
>libraries. I will send photocopies to the first five emailers who write
>with their mailing addresses. Please don't ask if you already have access
>to the journal in a library.
>
>Andrew K. Rindsberg
>Geological Survey of Alabama
>
Terry S. Arnold 2975 B Street San Diego, CA 92102 USA
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