Hi,
I inherited my grandmother's entire seashell collection (consisting of about 5000 shells). I know very little about shells and am trying to learn about them but am still overwhelmed with figuring a lot out.
I am going slowly so I can get the info right. So far I have separated all of the Cypraea shells and taken photos of them. Some of the shells had id tags with them so I know what they are but the majority of them did not. Would anyone be able to help me identify each of the Cypraea shells?
Here is a link to all of the pictures:
<a href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a32/MtyMseHarmer/Cyprea%20Shells/?albumview=slideshow" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a32/MtyMseHarmer/Cyprea%20Shells/?albumview=slideshow">http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a32/Mt ... =slideshow</a><!-- m --></a>
Hi There, you have some real good Cowries there,nice collection! Where are you based? It is too much hassle to try and name them from Photobucket, could you email me the images?
Dave
I am in Topeka, KS. I can email you the pictures no problem. What is your email address?
<blockquote><p><b>Quote :</b><table width="80%" border="1" style="border-color:#000099;background-color:#CCD4EC" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="petit">bharmer wrote : I am in Topeka, KS. I can email you the pictures no problem. What is your email address? </td></tr></table></p></blockquote>
Hi, my email address is :
<!-- e --><a href="mailto:bug.shell@yahoo.co.uk">bug.shell@yahoo.co.uk</a><!-- e -->
Shame you are the other side of the pond otherwise I could help you more. I am sure there are others in the States that could help you but if you email me photos of any species you want identified I will be glad to help.
Cheers,
Dave
Since you are dealing with a collection of about 5,000 shells of which the Cowries are only a part and if you are consiering expanding the collection, you might find it worthwhile to invest in the Compendium of Seashells:
<a href="http://www.mdmshellbooks.com/Compendium-of-Seashells_p_243.html" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mdmshellbooks.com/Compendium-of-Seashells_p_243.html">http://www.mdmshellbooks.com/Compendium ... p_243.html</a><!-- m --></a>
May seem a little pricy, but the quality and coverage is well worth it if you are dealing with world-wide shells. Â <span class="petit">--Last edited by marlo on 2010-03-30 17:53:45 --</span>
Dave was going to ID these but it sounds like there is some problem sending the images? Â Anyway I thought I'd take a look at the slide show. Â I didn't have time the other day when it was first posted. Â Here's what I came up with. Â The images are not numbered, but I will number them to help keep track of things:
1 Â aurantium
2 Â testudinaria Â
3 Â uncertain - looks immature - perhaps perlae??
4 Â hesitata Â
5 Â cervus
6 Â not certain, looks like cervus or zebra but not sure what is wrong with it
7 Â tigris
8 Â not a Cypraea - Cypraecassis rufa, in family Cassidae
9 Â stercoraria
10 Â tigris
11 Â tigris
12 Â Ovula ovum, family Ovulidae
13 Â marginata
14 Â lamarckii
15 Â annettae
16 Â friendii
17 Â nivosa
18 Â mappa
19 Â tigris
20 Â hesitata
21 Â vitellus
22 Â depressa
23 Â tigris
24 Â tigris
25 Â arabica
26 Â venusta episema
27 Â histrio
28 Â tigris
29 Â tigris
30 Â tigris
31 Â mauritiana
32 Â probably thersites, not certain
33 Â friendii vercoi
34 Â argus
35 guttata
33 Â talpa
37 Â eglantina
38 Â talpa
39 Â talpa
40 Â looks like Ovula ovum, but not typical - uncertain
41 Â eburnea
42 Â lurida
43 Â Left - eburnea; section 2, top (in bag) uncertain, bottom - pulchra; Center section, top - decipiens, bottom adusta; section 4 - mus; Right top - ventriculus; bottom -turdus
44 Â Top L to R: onyx, teulerei, succincta, caputserpentis (with eroded dorsum); Â Bottom L to R: first one uncertain, perhaps a light colored teulerei?, then 2 caurica
45 Â Top L to R: moneta, caputserpentis, errones, spurca, annulus, and the last one I believe is an unusual cribraria missing its dorsal spots; Â Center L to R: hirundo, kieneri, pyrum, and 2 uncertains (the last one may be pyriformis); Â Bottom, L to R: first one uncertain (hidden), then bistrinotata, ovum(?), walkeri, hungerfordi, and uncertain
46 Â Top L to R: grayana(?), chinensis, caurica; Bottom L to R: miliaris, caurica, vitellus
47 Â Top L to R: robertsi, spurca(?), helvola; Bottom L to R: carneola, nucleus, isabella
48 Â Same as 47
49 Â two large ones - eglantina; front - moneta; rear - erosa
50 Â Top L to R: diluculum, spadicea; Bottom L to R: pyrum, spadicea
51 Â 2 lynx
52 Â Top L to R: lutea, subviridis, uncertain; Â Bottom L to R: cribraria, asellus, obvelata
53 Â Left: lynx; Â R Rear: Calpurnus verrucosus (family Ovulidae); R Front: limacina
54 Â Top L to R: caputserpentis, bistrinotata; Â Bottom L to R: margarita (probably), angustata
55 Â Rear - caputserpentis; front - 2 ocellata
56 Â Rear: Â saulae, saulae, staphylaea; Â Front: ziczac
57 Â square box - caputserpentis; round box rear: moneta, front: uncertain (partially hidden); right side of image: teres
WHEW!
He was sending me the images 6 at a time Paul, you have saved me a lot of time!
Cheers,
Dave
Dave, any thoughts about that #3? Â Anyone else? Â Here it is:
<a href="http://members.cox.net/paulcyp/PIC3.jpg" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://members.cox.net/paulcyp/PIC3.jpg">http://members.cox.net/paulcyp/PIC3.jpg</a><!-- m --></a> Â <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2010-03-31 05:52:45 --</span>
I was not sure Paul, I think it could even be a juvenile valentia.
Dave