What are the characteristics of a cypraea mappa panerythra?

[shellhunk]

What are the characteristics of a cypraea mappa panerythra? What differentiates it from a mappa mappa?

[paul monfils]

The only difference from typical C. mappa is a red overglaze covering the entire shell, both base and dorsum. It isn't really a distinct form because all possible degrees of "redness" can occur, from shells showing no red pigmentation at all, to slightly pink specimens, to redder and redder ones, and finally the distinctly bright red specimens called "panerythra" (the name means "red everywhere" or "wholly red"). So the name actually just designates the most extreme specimens in a continuous range of possible red pigmentation. It is in fact a mappa mappa, just a color variation of that form.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2007-06-09 05:34:46 --</span>

[shellhunk]

Thank you very much Paul! <img src="images/smiley/smile.gif" alt="" border="0" /> I even gained a new word to describe myself - panerythra. Hahaha Because I turn red all over when I drink even just a glass of beer. I'm allergic to alcohol. <img src="images/smiley/frown.gif" alt="" border="0" />