Strombus (ss) too yields a lot of freaks.

With Lambis lambis I have noticed that many have a slit near the
periphery, implying a cut in the mantle edge. This got me to thinking.
I suspect that some collectors are deliberately injuring the animals
of this species to produce freaks, which are later harvested. Of
course such freaks can happen "naturally" (what is more artificial
about a crab, than a human,  injuring the snail?). But so  many are on
offer that I think that people are making the most of the market
forces and recoverability of large obvious shells (ie they have a good
chance of being able to find them again a few days or weeks later...
the terminal varix will take at most a few days to produce, I would
think).

The tall-spired specimens of Strombus luhuanus, S. urceus etc are also
generally caused by mantle injuries; likewise I would expect this to
be the case with the arostrate and canalless specimens of  L.
millepeda. Some of these may be artificially-induced. However I have
also seen canalless specimens of S. mutabilis and Neptunea arthritica,
and these are most unlikely (because of size/recoverability and
trawl/recoverability issues respectively) to be human-generated.

Harpago with extra spines are true mutations, as are Lambis which are
normal except for fewer/more spines than normal. These specimens do
not display any abnormality-related deformities or healed breaks
healed breaks.

On 02/03/2009, Martin H. Eastburn <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I was rather thinking it was due to the walk/flop it does
> while the various spider.... arms are forming.  Shock movement
> might dislodge and bend that recovers leaving a crook.
>
> Yea - old dad kicking the kid out of the hole!
>
> As the shell needs a bigger hole to live it, it dissolves the fingers
> off in an almost perfect line down the swirl.  The snail begins to
> build upon this - and sometimes it is below this cut - so a bump in
> the back starts as the shell material is slathered upon the edge.  When
> the opening and hole is the proper size, slots are made in the shell
> and they start as open inverted U's.  These soft channels are prone
> to change.  They eventually fill in - some to sharp spikes.
>
> I suspect the change out of fingers is likely a seasonal / phase of the moon
> type of operation.
>
> That is my take.  Just less fluent as Winston :-)
>
> Martin
>
> Winston Barney wrote:
>> Dear Eddy,
>> A better question might be, why aren't there any more normal Lambis
>> specimens? I personally feel that they weren't loved by their parents.
>> Maybe
>> the father was a drunkard or druggie and always in the local Lambis jail.
>> There could be other factors, however. For example severe, repeated
>> beatings, crippling their tender little appendages. Or they may abuse
>> themselves because they aren't accepted by the more beautiful members of
>> the
>> family, the former genus Strombus, probably slamming their little digits
>> in
>> the car door or picking a fight with a big crab.  You know what they say,
>> "there must be something in the water".
>>
>> Winston
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
>> Eddy
>> WILMET
>> Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 4:50 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: [CONCH-L] Lambis
>>
>> Hi friends,
>> I was just wondering if there is an explanation why there are so many
>> freak
>> lambis specimens. Is this animal particular sensitive to factors like
>> pollution or other triggers which causes distorsions?
>> Are there any studies or research available on this problem.
>> Thanks already for your help in this matter,
>>
>> Eddy WILMET
>> http://system.seashell-collector.com/collector/eddy
>>
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>
> --
> Martin H. Eastburn
> @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
> TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
> NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
> IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
> http://lufkinced.com/
>
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--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van nut

<[log in to unmask]>

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