Very many thanks to those who responded, directly or via the group, to my original request for identities of a few small cones. I am as pleased as Punch that certain species I never thought of actually exist here (on the open Pacific Ocean side of the Philippines).* But there are a few remaining problems: Conus axelrodi - I originally assigned these small pink shells to Conus papillosus, based on 'Shells of the Philippines' (page 227) only to discover this name doesn't exist any more. So then I adopted the answers from this group, who uniformly said the shell was Conus axelrodi. Then, on organising the half-dozen shells I have, I discovered this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28722516@N02/4113316523/ where the shell changes its entire character in half a whorl, to a Conus magus which abound here. On the other hand, some of these appear to 'grow up' quite unlike Conus magus: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28722516@N02/4113304883/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/28722516@N02/4113304617/in/photostream/ *Still, this exercise has reinvigorated my interest in shells, and maybe I'll buy Danny a net and send him out to Dinakpan (beyond the reef) to find some more. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs To leave this list, click on the following web link: http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1 Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and click leave the list. ----------------------------------------------------------------------