Need help with Cypraea identifications

[bharmer]

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>

[dave r]

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

[bharmer]

I am in Topeka, KS. I can email you the pictures no problem. What is your email address?

[dave r]

<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

[marlo]

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.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by marlo on 2010-03-30 17:53:45 --</span>

[paul monfils]

Dave was going to ID these but it sounds like there is some problem sending the images?  Anyway I thought I'd take a look at the slide show.  I didn't have time the other day when it was first posted.  Here's what I came up with.  The images are not numbered, but I will number them to help keep track of things:

1  aurantium
2  testudinaria  
3  uncertain - looks immature - perhaps perlae??
4  hesitata  
5  cervus
6  not certain, looks like cervus or zebra but not sure what is wrong with it
7  tigris
8  not a Cypraea - Cypraecassis rufa, in family Cassidae
9  stercoraria
10  tigris
11  tigris
12  Ovula ovum, family Ovulidae
13  marginata
14  lamarckii
15  annettae
16  friendii
17  nivosa
18  mappa
19  tigris
20  hesitata
21  vitellus
22  depressa
23  tigris
24  tigris
25  arabica
26  venusta episema
27  histrio
28  tigris
29  tigris
30  tigris
31  mauritiana
32  probably thersites, not certain
33  friendii vercoi
34  argus
35 guttata
33  talpa
37  eglantina
38  talpa
39  talpa
40  looks like Ovula ovum, but not typical - uncertain
41  eburnea
42  lurida
43  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  Top L to R: onyx, teulerei, succincta, caputserpentis (with eroded dorsum);  Bottom L to R: first one uncertain, perhaps a light colored teulerei?, then 2 caurica
45  Top L to R: moneta, caputserpentis, errones, spurca, annulus, and the last one I believe is an unusual cribraria missing its dorsal spots;  Center L to R: hirundo, kieneri, pyrum, and 2 uncertains (the last one may be pyriformis);  Bottom, L to R: first one uncertain (hidden), then bistrinotata, ovum(?), walkeri, hungerfordi, and uncertain
46  Top L to R: grayana(?), chinensis, caurica; Bottom L to R: miliaris, caurica, vitellus
47  Top L to R: robertsi, spurca(?), helvola; Bottom L to R: carneola, nucleus, isabella
48  Same as 47
49  two large ones - eglantina; front - moneta; rear - erosa
50  Top L to R: diluculum, spadicea; Bottom L to R: pyrum, spadicea
51  2 lynx
52  Top L to R: lutea, subviridis, uncertain;  Bottom L to R: cribraria, asellus, obvelata
53  Left: lynx;  R Rear: Calpurnus verrucosus (family Ovulidae); R Front: limacina
54  Top L to R: caputserpentis, bistrinotata;  Bottom L to R: margarita (probably), angustata
55  Rear - caputserpentis; front - 2 ocellata
56  Rear:  saulae, saulae, staphylaea;  Front: ziczac
57  square box - caputserpentis; round box rear: moneta, front: uncertain (partially hidden); right side of image: teres

WHEW!

[dave r]

He was sending me the images 6 at a time Paul, you have saved me a lot of time!
Cheers,
Dave

[paul monfils]

Dave, any thoughts about that #3?  Anyone else?  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>  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2010-03-31 05:52:45 --</span>

[dave r]

I was not sure Paul, I think it could even be a juvenile valentia.
Dave