Some species of cowries are grow a lot larger when they are far from the
equator and very small near the equator. Have a look at some of the
widespread Indo-Pacific species that occur all the way from the Japan to
the Philippines to far down on Queensland's coast. I think we mentioned
this once before. Does anyone know why this is so? I've heard something
about it but can't remember. Could knowing the cause of that help us to
understand dwarfism? (Of course, from what's been said, there are many
causes.)

Also, I believe I have heard that scarce food supply creates dwarfs,
just as abundance creates giants.  This is so in other groups, so isn't
it likely so in mollusks?

Lynn Scheu
Louisville KY
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