Free Cypraea if you can identify it :) from Laguna Beach, CA

[mark]

Hi,

It's looks like a Trivia (radians or solandri ?)for me

<a href="http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/TN_Family_TRIVIIDAE_TRIVIINA.shtml" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/TN_Family_TRIVIIDAE_TRIVIINA.shtml">http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/T ... IINA.shtml</a><!-- m --></a>

Regards,

Mark

[dave r]

I would say Trivia solandri, I think radians comes from further South. The Trivias (Triviidae) are sometimes known as 'False Cowries' They are closely related to the true cowries (Cypraeidae)but not in that family, there are major anatomical differences between the two. They are always much smaller than most true cowries and always have the ribs running around the shell.
Dave

[tlamber]

There are these small wrinkled skin Cypraea.  If you know where to look and are the only one on the beach, you'll find one every 7 full days of shell collecting.  They are quite rare.

We call them coffee beans.  I once saw a live one in a tide pool.

Everywhere I look says that the chestnut cowrie is the only type of cypraea on the west coast of US, however there is another one that the internet does not have any mention of.  Maybe it is not a cypraea, but it sure looks like one from the top and bottom.

If you scroll to the bottom of this picture you will see it.  

<a href="http://www.letscomtogether.com/shellsofrtade.jpg" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.letscomtogether.com/shellsofrtade.jpg">http://www.letscomtogether.com/shellsofrtade.jpg</a><!-- m --></a>

I have found a few of them myself... and because i have such a liking for them have traded lots of other rare beach shells with fellow Laguna Beach shellers for more.

If you can identify it, I'll mail you one!

Also, there is a yellow limpit - the old ladies remember them from decades ago and call them lemon drops, it is the rarest shell on the beach.  I've only found one and am very lucky for that.  If you can identify that shell, I'll also send you a wrinkled skin cypraea!

<!-- e --><a href="mailto:tlambershell@gmail.com">tlambershell@gmail.com</a><!-- e -->

[marlo]

Tim,

I indicated in email this morning that this shell might be <i>Trivia californica </i>, but I was wrong.  I believe Dave is correct that it is <i>Trivia solandri</i>. The large usually white lobes along the manlte line are apparently diagnostic, plus the shell lines do not cross the midrib in the case of <i>T. solandri</i>; whereas the lines do cross in the case of T. californica.

marlo

[tlamber]

Interesting, interesting, interesting...

<a href="http://www.seaslugforum.net/message/18710" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.seaslugforum.net/message/18710">http://www.seaslugforum.net/message/18710</a><!-- m --></a>

This website compares the two - though they also seem unsure on the difference.  Assuming that the pictures on this website are correct, then upon close examination they are a mixture of both Trivia solandri and Trivia Californica.   As such, you are all right!

Email your address to <!-- e --><a href="mailto:tlambershell@gmail.com">tlambershell@gmail.com</a><!-- e --> and I will mail you your prize!