Well, Dave, the 'histrio' mention was an error on my part. I was thinking
'arabica' so that just shows that telepathy doesn't work through e-mail!

There are very likely some quirky little recessive pieces of DNA 'floating
about' in any given cowry's gene pool. A good example is the very rare
appearance, in the Hawaiian area, of a 'typical' C. helvola with the
honey-brown base that does NOT fade upon drying. This is not a "stray" veliger
from a far-away population, but a rare pairing up (or, maybe, if it is a double
recessive like albinism, quadrupling up) of recessive alleles.

As Don mentioned below, there are "in-between" specimens to be found. In Hawaii,
try the schilderorum/sulcidentata group. In their extremes, one looks quite
different from the other. However, once you get enough specimens, the
borderline blurs and vanishes. Have a look through the variations of this group
at http://cowrys.org/research/xbreeds.htm for an idea of how this plays out.

Also, as Ed Heiman pointed out in his recent article on cypraeid variation,
Hawaii's C. teres conchologically 'bleeds' into what has been called C.
rashleighana when you have enough of ALL of the specimens to look through.

Over time, there will be more "discoveries" like yours. Just keep looking!

Aloha,

Bob Dayle

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quoting Don Barclay <[log in to unmask]>:

> David,
>
> I guess Eduard confirmed what I thought, that M.
> histrio isn't supposed to occur there.  M. depressa
> is never cylindrical, and M. maculifera usually comes
> to a peak toward the spire from the middle of the
> dorsum, although the few I found in Samoa showed
> a less distinct peak than the ones I have from Hawaii.
> And then again, I have some shells from two different
> sites in American Samoa that I call "deprabica."  I
> haven't done DNA comparisons on them, but they
> seem about evenly split on characteristics of M.
> depressa and M. arabica.  I've always figured they
> were hybrids/interbreeds.  If you move outward
> toward the reef edge from where they live, you find
> M. depressa, and if you move inward you find M.
> arabica.  The "deprabicas" mostly occur in the
> overlap area.  Some of them show dorsal patterns
> typical of M. arabica, and some look very much
> like an inflated M. depressa.  Average size is between
> 30 and 40mm, although a few were as small as the
> one you found.
>
> If you have Burgess' Cowries of the World, look on
> page 68.  That live animal photo isn't C. depressa,
> it's one of my "deprabica" shells.  (I guarantee you I
> could take you within 50 yards of where it was
> collected.)   That is the typical shape, although as I
> said, the pattern ranges from mostly lines to an
> almost-typical depressa pattern.
>
> I didn't see a scan of the shell you're talking about
> but if you have it up on the web, let me know the
> address, or e-mail the photo?
>
> Cheers,
>
>
> Don Barclay
> Cut -n- Shoot, Tx
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Kirsh" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2006 11:48 PM
> Subject: Re: little cowrie
>
>
> > Don,
> >
> > This is nearly cylindrical. I don't whether this showed up on the scan
> > (due to foreshortening).
> >
> > No trace of dark smear. And the teeth are short, unlike the images of
> > C. depressa I've seen. I don't know the extent of variability with
> > these.
> >
> > Does C. histrio range into the Marshalls to your knowledge?
> >
> > David
> >
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