Tuesday   February 1, 2000   06:50PM

Dear Friends,

I'm just come back from a great three weeks trip to
Philippines looking for Olives and making observation
on their behaviour on their habitat.

About that I would like to share with you three facts
I think probably to be interesting to some of you.

A) The place was Palawan Is., Sulu Sea side and the
species was the common Oliva oliva  Linnaeus, 1758.
Early in the morning at low tide in a tide-pool, where
no track of olives was evident, I put some small peices
of chicken. After about 35 seconds the first oliva appeared.
It came out from the sand about 60 cm from the bait.
After few centimeters it took the right direction to the bait.
The oliva went on with the propodium under the sand and
continually moving its siphon from one side to another.
When it was about two centimeters from the bit of chicken
the propodium came out from the sand. The animal was
very excited. With very fast moviments the propodium made
one or two attempts before to find the meat. With a really
amazing skill the two lateral free ends of the propodium
wrapped the bit. Immediately after the animal rolled on its
left side and the propodium pushed the piece of chicken in
to the pouch at the end of metapodium. Then quickly the
oliva disappeared under the sand.
The whole operation took only few seconds !!
I was able to observe that several times but not all the olives
rolled on one side to put the food in to the pouch. Some of
them simply rose.
At this time I cannot say if the size of the prey cause that
different behaviour. Any idea?
I was able to take some interesting series of pictures.

B) Same place and same species. Only in one occasion I
was able to see two olives united together.
The first one ( a black Oliva oliva ) came out from the sand
attracted by a bait. I was very surprised to see a second
specimen ( a gray zig-zag pattern Oliva oliva ) to come out
immediately behind the first one. But my surprise was greater
when I was able to observe that the second Oliva squeezed
by its propodium the posterior edge of the foot of the first
specimen. Is that a phase of mating ? Any idea?
Unfortunately... no picture !!

C) ... next time.

Kindest regards to all,

Maurizio.

======================
       Maurizio A. Perini
       Via Pedrazza, 9
       I - 36010 Zane (VI)
       I T A L Y

  Voice  +39.0445.380378
  F A X  +39.0445.384784
  e-mail  [log in to unmask]
======================
>   Oliva Collecting & Study  <
======================