Nancy

Given the locality data and your description it is almost certainly
Siphocypraea problematica Heilprin, 1887. The are number of other species
in this genus but all of the specimens that I have seen from the Cochran
pit are S. problematica. The genus was fairly short lived and is extinct.
There have been some conjectures that Macrocypraea is a descendant, but I
do not subscribe to that theory for a whole bunch of reasons. I have been
doing research on this genus for some time and am trying to make more sense
out of it. I will probably do a monograph on the genus once Ed. Petuch
stops naming all of the variations.

In spite of its apparent age the Olsson & Harbison book is the best
accessible reference on the Florida Tertiary. There are a lot more
references but many of them, Dall in particular, are almost unobtainable.
The various books by Ed. Petuch can be useful but are often very confusing.
I use them but with reservations on some of his taxa.

If you want more information I can probably give you pointers to the right
literature and possibly provide copies of the "impossible" to obtain papers.

Regards

Terry

At 09:53 AM 11/8/1999 , Nancy Smith wrote in flowing prose:
>Hi folks,
>
>Question for you fossil folks; this weekend I purchased my first fossil
>(geez I hope this isn't as addicitve as modern gastropods...)  at what I
>believe to be a reputable dealer.   I searched online for information
>however have not found too much as yet.  I was wondering if anyone might
>shed some light on my new addition.
>
>It is identified as Siphocypraea problematica, Heilprin, 1887.  It's 50.7
>mms long and retains a pale yellowish tan dorsum with some vague
>spotting.   The teeth and siphons are entirely intact and it's really
>lovely, even has some very slight gloss remaining.  It's locality data is
>from the Cochran pit, LaBelle, FL in the middle Caloosahatchee
>beds.  Pliocene period, "2 1/2 million years old".   Washed from pit
>wall.   It is also noted as extinct.   The posterior siphon is curled over
>upon itself in a "pig tail" configuration; very graceful and beautiful
>lines, and certainly more extensive an opening posteriorly than any modern
>Cypraea I have seen.
>
>Are there any modern "relatives" to this species?  This is my first
>encounter with fossils of any kind and I'm becoming quite
>interested...    any information at all would be great.   Was this a deep
>water species, coral, rock...?  Are there books for identification of
>fossil species such as the "Compendium" is for modern shells?     Have many
>Cypraea fossils been identified formally?   Information on where I might go
>to search for myself in south Florida would be a bonus but I have heard
>that these types of places are not open to the public...
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Nancy Smith
>Sunrise FL soon to be Boynton Beach FL :)

Terry S. Arnold 2975 B Street San Diego, CA 92102 USA
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