Dear Lambis crocata lovers,

In his original description Abbott gives 182+, 212+ and 240 mm as length
including spines. I seriously doubt the identity of Mr. da Silva's L.
crocata pilsbryi, but there is of course always a possibility. I have two
rather large L. crocata crocata of approx. 155 mm from the Philippines, and
one of approx. 160 mm from the Seychelles, still considerably smaller as
the sizes indicated by Abbott. My other specimens of L.c.crocata,
originating from different localities, throughout the distribution area as
indicated by Abbott, are smaller.
Size however is not a very good, at least not always, a reliable
indication; in my stromb collection I have adult specimens measuring less
then half the size of adults of the same species.
L.c.crocata and L.c.pilsbryi are however also differentiated in other ways:
+ the spines (3rd, 4th and 5th) are straight or just slightly curved in
L.c.pilsbryi
+ L.c.pilsbryi lacks the fairly prominent edge on the left of the parietal
callus
+ in L.c.pilsbryi the dorsal knob on the shoulder is larger
+ in L.c.pilsbryi the apes of the spire is usually buried by the first
digitation
When the Sri Lanka and Zanzibar records of L.c.pilsbryi prove to be
reliable, this would start a new problem: can L.c.pilsbryi still be
accepted as a subspecies, or do we have to synonymyse it with L.c.crocata,
or do we have to recognise L.pilsbryi (i.e. as a species).

kind regards,

Gijs C. Kronenberg

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> Van: Gunasena De Silva <[log in to unmask]>
> Aan: [log in to unmask]
> Onderwerp: Re: Request for information on Lambis crocata pilsbryi
Abbott,1961
> Datum: maandag 11 september 2000 8:36
>
> Dear Timothy,
> Lambis  c. pilsbryi, is found in the north west part of Sri Lanksa,
> (Kalpitiya) . I have managed
> to keep one specimen in my collection, size +120mm, Gem.
> Your private email is invalid, I tried twice.
> Gunasena de Silva,
> Sri Lanka <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>
> At 21:50 10/09/00 -0700, you wrote:
> >Dear Henk,
> >
> >     Thanks.  :)  I don't think it will be a problem to obtain a copy of
> the needed article
> >through inter-library loan.  Will let you know what happens.  Also, I am
> trying to track down
> >additional articles regarding Lambis crocata pilsbryi.  Ross has
suggested
> checking the Science
> >Citation Index.  I would like to do that, but do not have access to
> universities with access to
> >these resources.  My hometown isn't located in the best place for
> conducting this type of a
> >literature search.  Once I have the citations, however, I can request
them
> through the
> >inter-library loan service at the local community college.  Can you
supply
> any additional
> >citations regarding L. c. pilsbryi, including information on typical
> habitat and where it has been
> >collected?  Also, have you come across any references to L. c. pilsbryi
> being found at localities
> >outside the Marquesas (i.e. East Africa)?  Any additional information
will
> be greatly appreciated.
> > Thanks in advance.  Take care!  :)
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >Tim
> >
> >
> >=====
> >Timothy J. Blackwood
> >E-mail:  [log in to unmask]
> >Home Address:
> >20755 US Highway 169 South
> >Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744
> >
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