www.cowries.info

[crushed tomato]

is this the same new ssp for helvola that Dr. Lorenz mentioned in his cowry saleslist.
I got few them 4 years ago, this is the data
French Polynesia, Fatu Hiva, Hana Vave
picture is not great though
http://img42.imageshack.us/i/imgp2131.jpg/
i will try to take better pictures

in year 2000 i was in Madagascar, i self collected several helvola looks like hevola meridionalis, but i am not really sure.
data for this shell is; Ile Sainte Marie, Ile aux Nattes, south west side, on coral reef at 2-3 mt.
http://img42.imageshack.us/i/imgp2134r.jpg/
http://img42.imageshack.us/i/imgp2136y.jpg/

any help?
thank you...
_________________
you must be change you wish to see in the world...

[felix]

Hi CT

yes, and no. the Marquesan ones are bellatrix. Amazing how they fade. More than any other in the group. When fresh, they are nearly black and the white specks stick out like they were painted on, later they nearly disappear and the black colour fades to some creamy pink.

The Madagascar ones are argella. I am reducing merdionalis to the level of a mere large form of argella, most common in SA but occasionally found all over the place in East Africa.

[crushed tomato]

thank you for your comment.

i have few dark sp (bellatrix) as well, i will try to take picture, better one hopefully.
thanks again.
_________________
you must be change you wish to see in the world...

[benicypraea]

Dear all:

Recently I received a small lot for study of several nice and very dark gem helvola collected from a spot in Kenya. The colour of the base is deep red, and the shell is thick and solid, rather heavy and rounded. Some of these shells are callous and the margins are sometimes almost black when fresh and the colour does not fades absolutly with the time.
The both extremities are pale lilac, sometimes displays a fine greyish or greenish mantle line, with typical specks over the dorsum.
The shells are closer to the ones collected in Lumadjang, Java Island (Indonesia).
The helvola group is very interesting and very nice for study and collecting. You can find several intergrades in colour and shape.
Regards,
Beni
_________________
I started to collect seashells since my childhood but I decided to focus on cowries in 1990. I like all kind of cowries, freaks, normal, nigers, dwarfs...
Also I collect conidae and Muricidae.

[crushed tomato]

sadly my camera is not good enough but here is the darker one, this photo is little bit better

they are like painted with tiny brush and colors are very fresh but pictures is not great, oh well...
here it is, enjoy.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6794/imgp2142a.jpg
_________________
you must be change you wish to see in the world...

[benicypraea]

No bad picture, I can see the shell perfectly. Nice cowry, indeed.
Regards,
Beni
_________________
I started to collect seashells since my childhood but I decided to focus on cowries in 1990. I like all kind of cowries, freaks, normal, nigers, dwarfs...
Also I collect conidae and Muricidae.

[ricdoc57]

I was wondering about the name marquesana, that I have seen in use among dealers for this new form of the Marquesas: was it described as a form, and therefore is invalid according to the ICZN or was it a name simply indicating a geographical variety but never correctly described according to the rules?

Sometimes these multiple names become confusing.

Thanks in advance

Ricdoc57

[felix]

marquesana is reserved for fimbriata. A helvola marquesana has never been named in any official way, and we all know dealers and their fantasy with new names....

[benicypraea]

Hello all:

You can use the name "tahitiana" for helvola from Pacific Ocean...I think that that name is not used previously by other cowries
Regards,
Beni
_________________
I started to collect seashells since my childhood but I decided to focus on cowries in 1990. I like all kind of cowries, freaks, normal, nigers, dwarfs...
Also I collect conidae and Muricidae.

[felix]

You may as well use Franz, Kathleen or Jeremiah, all these names were never used for cowries. Jokes aside Beni, we should try to stick to the names available, which in the case of eastern Pacific helvola is callista Shaw, which was based on shells from Tahiti.

[oohboy]

Felix - A point of clarification. Will the helvola from the Tuamotos be classified as bellatrix or callista? Thanks much.

[benicypraea]

Hello all:

I have read in some labels Erosaria helvola "mascarena" to name specimens of Erosaria helvola argella coming from the surroundings of Mascarenes Islands, Indian Ocean. I suposse that this name is not valid or unavailable these days. I agree with Felix that all the helvolas from Western Indian Ocean are Erosaria helvola argella. Also I think that possibly there are several "local" forms or varieties in colour and pattern of these shells in its whole range.
Regards,
Beni
_________________
I started to collect seashells since my childhood but I decided to focus on cowries in 1990. I like all kind of cowries, freaks, normal, nigers, dwarfs...
Also I collect conidae and Muricidae.