Green Sea Shell ID

[sandlewood]

Hi I am hoping someone can help me identify some very fine cone shaped shells which my son inherited from his elderly uncle who travelled to PNG and Asia frequently in the 60s and 70s. They measure approx 4cm in length x 2cm in width at shell opening.

<a href="http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae85/sandlewoodopshopmoorooka/051.jpg" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae85/sandlewoodopshopmoorooka/051.jpg">http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae85 ... ka/051.jpg</a><!-- m --></a>

Thanks in advance  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2010-05-10 21:42:13 --</span>

[paul monfils]

Hi. I have edited your link so it works.

These are Papustyla pulcherrima, from Manus Island, New Guinea.  They are not exactly "seashells". They are actually land snails - in fact, tree snails, commonly called "Emerald Tree Snail". This species is currently on the International Endangered Species list - not because the snail is rare in its natural habitat, in fact it is quite abundant there.  However, the snail was in great demand both by collectors, and especially by the shellcraft and jewelry industries.  It was also one of the few exportable products on the island where they live. The snails live up in the palm trees, and are quite difficult to obtain - unless you cut down the trees. From what I have read, about a third of the trees on the island had already been cut down in pursuit of these snails, so to save the ecology of the island, the snail was declared endangered.  It is now illegal to import or sell this species.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2010-05-11 02:44:25 --</span>