Hi, I would like to obtain a full identification checklist of all available/known cypraea species. Where can I find a full checklist with names (photos and biggest sizes registered if possible), any known websites/links? Thanks in advance!
Hi there, try Felix Lorenz's site at <a href="http://www.cowries.net" target="_blank"><!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cowries.net">www.cowries.net</a><!-- w --></a>
Dave
Besides Felix Lorenz you can try <a href="http://www.cypraeidae.com" target="_blank"><!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cypraeidae.com">www.cypraeidae.com</a><!-- w --></a> ( belongs to Philippe Quiquandon ) but just dont take the prices seriously :-) .
<a href="http://www.deepnreef.com" target="_blank"><!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.deepnreef.com">www.deepnreef.com</a><!-- w --></a> ( Portuguese dealer )
<a href="http://www.atollseashells.com" target="_blank"><!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.atollseashells.com">www.atollseashells.com</a><!-- w --></a> ( Portuguese dealer )
About the maximum size you can buy World Record Sizes magazine 2008.
Personally i think that the biggest doesnt mean the best quality. If you have both then you`ll have a special one but these are one in a million shells, and for their own they do not make your collection more interesting. Â
Be carefull with strange patterns ( abinos or orange c.f. ) mainly those that come from Asia. Some maybe fakes.
pilsbryi
Yes, you can get Orange specimens by baking them in the oven and these are often advertised as rare colour forms.
I forgot to tell about the sinistral fakes. With 3 shells the artist builds up 1 sinistral with fake periostracum. Some time ago a dealer was cheated in this way and paid a fortune for the shell. In the Philippines they do this job for over than 30 years now. The local gonverment knows the deal, so there`s no way to get the money back.