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Abalone
Abalone Outer Apra Harbor itself is small as far as harbors go, being only 3 miles long by 1 mile wide and has a fairly isolated history compared to the surrounding ocean due to the configuration of Orote Peninsula, Cabras Island, Luminao Reef and Calalan Bank. Further isolation was provided by a breakwater built upon the Luminao Reef and Calalan Bank in about 1941. This structure eventually evolved into its present form known as Glass Breakwater which was completed in about 1951 and leaves the harbor with only one narrow opening to the sea.
One would presume with conditions such as this that a population of a shell species would become inbred with a tendency to greatly resemble one another as to size, form, and markings, although possibly departing from the norm of its species living in other areas. At any rate, the accompanying photos may serve to illustrate the variations observed with perhaps the following being the most interesting:
Note 1. The considerable difference in size, especially in a species noted for the uniformity of this feature in shells from most other single small localities i.e., shell No. 1 with a length of 76mm and No. 12 with a length of 46mm on plate A.
Note 2. On plate A, the difference in width/length and height/length ratios from the inflated shell No. 3 with a W/L of 69 percent and H/L of 58 percent as compared to the cylindrical No. 10 with W/L of 54 percent and H/L of 46 percent.
Note 3. The heavy columellar callus present on the depressed-appearing No. 7 on Plate C. Light calluses are on shells No. 1, 2, 3, 5 but absent on all others.
Note 4. The conspicuous dark, mask-like blotches on the dorsals of shells No. 1, 2, 7, 8 - plate B, while faint or absent on the remaining specimens.
Abalone I have been collecting shells in Reunión Island for 11 years. Recently, with other members of the Reunión Shell Club, I started a new inventory of marine molluscs found here. Since Deshayes' monograph was compiled in 1863, skin diving has opened horizons that were inaccessible in those days. We discovered that several species now are found on Reunión that were not included on Deshayes' list.
The most surprising was our discovery locally of three sea shells whose known geographical range, as reported by the Schilders and Dr. C. M. Burgess, is far from our island. They are Cypraea mariae Sch.-Sch., 1927; C. beckii Gaskoin, 1936; and C. contaminata Sowerby, 1832.
C. mariae is considered to have a Pacific range. The first specimen was collected in Reunión by Mr. Cornic while skin diving. Last June, July and August, my wife and I found seven specimens, and J. C. Martin found two. All were dead and empty, but seven were fresh and the others were quite recognizable. All were collected at Cap Champagne, St. Paul (eastern Reunión Island) on a sand bottom 10 to 15 meters deep, at the base of a living coral cliff, where we look for dead shells every time the sea has been rough. C. mariae has a particular look and cannot be confused with any other species.
C. beckii also seems to be reported from the Pacific Ocean only. We have not found any alive, but my wife and I have collected seven specimens on Boucan-Canot Beach, St. Gilles. Three are in good state. J. C. Martin, diving with us, in June 1971 found one on the sand bottom, 15 meters deep, below the coral cliff at Cap Champagne; it was empty, but in very good condition. Mr. Beneteau has collected two more at St. Gilles.
There is no doubt that our sea shells are real C. beckii. The anterior columellar teeth are fused in a crest, and labial teeth stained with brown. C. beckii differs from C. macandrewi from the Red Sea, with which I could compare it but which we have never found in Reunión.
I found my first recognizable C. contaminata at the base of the coral cliff at Cap Champagne a few days after cyclone "Hermine" passed in 1970. After that, we examined our stock of beachcombed sea shells and found several more mingled with worn C. owenii and C. punctata. Subsequently, we collected a few more specimens at Boucan-Canot Beach and two at Cap Champagne, 15 meters deep. Among our fellow divers, Mr. Beneteau alone has picked up 21 specimens, all on Cap Homard and Boucan-Canot Beach.
In addition, I have seen in a private collection in Mauritius a specimen found on that island.
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