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gil · Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 15

Hi all,
if you have interesting cypraea pantherina please put here his pic. and write something- from were?... Smilie

benicypraea · Posted: 03.10.2009, 17:21 Post subject:

Hello Gil:

I have in my collection pantherina from:

Port Sudan
Dahlak Is.
Nabeq, Sinai Peninsula
Djibouti
South Egypt

I have some typical but very nice pantherina and the rusty coloured also named as "funebralis". I don´t have any freak of pantherina, only tigris freak, very common in Philippines.
The nicest one for me is a couple of small pantherina from old collection, made in the 70´s, not fully gem but certainly interesting, from Dahlak.
Pictures, if I have time, soon.
Regards,
Beni Cool

_________________
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.

EmberCowrie · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 39 Location: New York, USA

This thread brings up a question that has aways bugged me (my apologies if this seems a stupid question, I'm just start out cowrie collecting and still have a LOT to learn) Given that pantherina is so very closley related to Tigris, and that the form "pardalis" is a color form, not a subspecies, would a pantherina that showed the same color pattern (white base strong black spots) correctly be referrable to as C. pantherina forma "pardalis", or is pardalis exclusive to Tigris? I seem to recall seein someone use that term (minus the "forma") but seeing one use, does not confirm rightness or wrongness.

benicypraea · Posted: 07.10.2009, 14:26 Post subject:

Hello all:

Most interesting for me are the intergrades between Cypraea pantherina and Cypraea tigris that ocurs in several spots near the tip of Hearn of Africa. I have seen in the net several specimens with typical features resembling pantherina and tigris, and even I was able to get some years ago from an old collection a very nice gem - tigris or pantherina from Djibouti with typical pattern for pantherina but shape and dentition closer to tigris. I have heard that these intergrades are not often found there, but I want to learn more about it.
Any remark or idea about these kind of shells?
Regards,
Beni Cool

_________________
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.

Guest · Posted: 08.10.2009, 00:41 Post subject:

I've seen people offer shells they professed were Tigris-Patherina hybrids (no idea if they actually were) dont know it that would be considered the same thing.

rjsheller · Posted: 08.10.2009, 09:12 Post subject: Tigris pardalis

Cypraea tigris pardalis Shaw 1795 is a subspecies, not a "color form". It is incorrect to use this name in association with pantherina. For further information i suggest having a look at the Schilders' "Prodrome" and "Ph. Dautzenberg's Collection".

skalinnikov · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 10

Not far ago there are discussion in the Russion shell club about pantherina. I think citation from discussion will be interesting for anybody:

“Thus, because now we have here an interest in pantherina suddenly grown, and grown almost to interest for umbilia, I did the list of names that everyone is free to interpret as he sees fit - form / synonym .. . Classify these names, in my opinion, simply is not possible ... - VERY diverse shell... And at different times by different researchers had an Attempts to classify this, but today's experts, in my opinion, simply overawed by the avalanche of such variations and so the universal flood, "name" inherited inherited from its predecessors ... I believe that there is one taxon - actually kind pantherina pantherina and an infinite number of color variations ... However, a few terms relating to this species, already firmly established as a routine, and such names "forms" as "funebralis", "albonites" - constantly on the ears ... The first form is used to indicate a very dark specimens, the second - for those in whose color is dominated by white ... They are mentioned in the books, they are set on sites dealers, they finally have a Tome Rice ... But that's not all ... Here is a list that may prove to be very incomplete simply on the basis of name, I, in many cases, not very present, what you are talking about! And I can only guess ...
1. pantherina f. albinea - "white" or "snow white" ... This name, in addition to pantherina dates back to the 11 species, among which, for example, venusta ...
2. pantherina f. albonites - "dazzling white" (- nites (Latin) - "flash", "light") What is interesting, it differs from the previous variation? How to tell which of the shells "Albinea" and what "albonites?? Where is the boundary between the two forms?? (For example, a purely thetorical questions!)
3. pantherina f. auricomata - has a golden color stripes or spots ...
4. pantherina f. badionitens - has a light golden color brown or brown tone, with brilliant (- nites (Latin) - "flash", "light")
5. pantherina f. catulus - reminiscent of a kitten (in form of equal merit??).
6. pantherina f. funebralis - in his remarkable work of Edward Heyman notes that the origin of this name it is not entirely clear, perhaps it means "the shell with a dark color ... The most common and popular among collectors and dealers name .. Click to refer a rare, dark variation pantherina ...
7. pantherina f. insignis - "delicious," "extraordinary" (Interestingly, this is some still pantherina?? and how it differs from other variations?? Again, a thetorical question!)
8. pantherina f. juvenca - "calf" variation, which has a color of a young calf ... Never seen a young calves - not so imagine it to color ... Sinks same ...
9. pantherina f. syringa - has in the color purple hue (the name comes from is not clear, but may have Greek roots). VERY beautiful shells ... The collection is now two copies!
10. pantherina f. vinosa - has a dark pink color, wine color ... I did, but I have no... Yet ... “

Good luck.. Sergey.

Bart · Gender: Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 24 Location: Netherlands

This is one of my favourite Cowries. Why? It is extremely variable in colour. I will try to add photos to show you what I mean...
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I am always interested in buying or exchanging Cowries, especially when they are very variable.

skalinnikov · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 10

Foto from Herminage S. Peterburg, Russia.- http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_Ru/03/hm3_4_1e.html
Good luck, Sergey.

cowryman3sai · Posted: 30.08.2010, 04:19 Post subject: Pantherina Variation topics

A lot of great stuff said of Pantherina's but I'm suprised no one mentioned the difficulty in finding a ultra large and a dwarf of these.White one fake?Nah,but many years ago one would see quite oftain white ones as with the tigress's.For sometime now though excellent Pantherina's have been very readily available with high gloss full of colors and fantastic shape.When you look at the range of a species perhaps every two or three hundred miles the habitat may be different.Like less food over time might make them adapt by dwarfing just as food aplenty would slowly make for geneticly bigger ones.Whats nice is each new family creates stonger genes for the next generaration.Adapt or die?Deffinitely adapt. Sehr glücklich

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Robert F.Grant lll in Salina,Kansas 67401 U.S.A. Check webshots.com and cypraea collectors are now on Facebook.com.It's extremely cool!!A must check.Been collecting for 45 years.

cypraea pantherina colors