Specimens of Siphocypraea problematica are easy enough to come by; it's the
ones with shine to them that are highly prized and rare.

The genus Siphocypraea was erected by Heilprin, 1887.  Vaught, however,
placed the name in sub-genus status while Millard moved it back up.  No
living relatives are known.

Books I recommend are:
      "Explorations on the West Coast of Florida and in the Okeechobee
Wilderness", Heilprin, 1887.  Reprint 1972 available from the
Paleontological Research Institute.
     "Pliocene Mollusca of Southern Florida", Olsson & Harbison, 1953.  1990
reprint available from the Shell Museum and Educational Foundation, Inc.,
the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum.
     "A Guide for Identifying Florida Fossil Shells and other
invertebrates", Brayfield & Brayfield, 1993, 3rd edition.
     "Florida's Fossils", Brown, 1988.
Books by Ed Petuch are nice because of the many pictures but I use them with
the understanding that many of the so-called species he personally named are
just forms.

As to how many fossil Cypraeidae there are, I don't know.  All the fossil
Cypraea I collected in Hawai'i are still extant.

Most of the prime collecting spots (usually working mines) have been closed
to the public mostly due to liability concerns.

John Jacobs
Seffner, FL
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----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Smith <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 12:53 PM
Subject: info on cowrie fossil


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 :)