Happily some contributions truly substiantially elevate the intellectual
level of our debate and not only by their , huh , terminology . Without them
it would sadly have remained almost level with the sea ...

-------Message original-------

De : Conchologists of America List
Date : 03/19/04 23:11:36
A : [log in to unmask]
Sujet : Re: Lambis millepeda x Lambis lambis hybrids

I frankly think these discussions are going too far. I'm living with the
Lambis: I see them every weekend gently sitting on the bottom, a wife and a
female. We even don't collect them anymore (unless we decide to have them in
the dish) : they are for sale on the homepage for the price of a coffee in
an Airport and few people buy. There is not such thing as "populations" of
the two species 'Lambis lambis" or 'Lambis millepeda' in the Philippines.
They are just around everywhere where the bottom suits, but not in
populations. They are invidivuals as are crocata and scorpius. Strombus
vittatus is in populations, or isabellae. Not the Lambis.
When I'm invited in high society houses I get a dish full of Lambis lambis.
And that's it.
How can you guys make fantasies about mating or not etc... Of an animal not
studied at all ? Or just think the Lambis knows he is in or out of it range
? Or he is in need to mate ?

One month ago, we made a dive in Pandakan Island, 3 divers, all alone on
8-15 m bottoms. We all came up with two Pleuroploca trapezium, making love,
in the middle of their main dish: Isognomon isognomon at 8 m depth. So, at
that moment, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, all the Pleuroploca near
Pandakan decided to go out of the mud, and to fuck around in their main
dish. Why ? Nobody knows. Maybe the same thing is true for Lambis, but
anyhow, we don't know. We only stated this for Pleuroploca trapezium.

As for me the thing is simple: occasionally out of many thousands, a Lambis
will get chemical contact with a Scorpius or a Millepeda and they will just
do it.

On wheelwrighti: nodbody exactly knows the whereabouts: where does it live,
how many truncata are around etc...

So, we should stop speculating, travel, dive and see. It will cost many tens
of thousands of dollars. After, we speak again.

Guido.

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