PTERYNOTUS BEDNALLI / PTERYNOTUS PHYLLOPTERUS

[pilsbryi]

These are two example of shells that always kept attention for their beauty. Unfortunately they are turning to very rare, and virtualy impossible to get shells.

I never found them uncommon or moderately rare, even 15-20 years ago. Maybe a violet or a lemon yellow phyllopterus are amongst the rarest of all shells.

They inhabit depths that are accessible to recreative diving. Many and may were caught over the years, and now it is a prize to see one at the market over 60 mm, no matter the color.

About the bednalli happens just something alike. It can be found only in a remote region in West Australia. It can assume like phyllopterus a wide range of colors , from white, yellow ; white with brown to full brown.

Like phyllopterus specimens that come up to the market are shrinking.

Despite having this or that defect, these species are rare, and i strongly belive that soon only specimens from older collections shall appear on the market.

[de donder]

Indeed it has been a while since I have seen nice phyllopterus on the market.  I remember about 10-15 years ago there was a dealer who actually raised them in aquaria and who always had a lot of nice colourful large specimens.