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Heishe
Heishe In Samoa I spent an average of 15 to 20 hours a week in the water with mask and snorkel doing both day and night diving. My wife, not being a good swimmer, confined her activities to "reef walking" at low tide averaging perhaps 10 hours a week. In Samoa the tidal fluctuation averages about 5 feet with alternating highs and lows twice daily. The reefs are such that at low tide the rocks are completely exposed with the only remaining water confined to depression in the reef.
Three zones (see Fig. 2) generally characterize the fringing reefs that extend along the more populated side of the island. There is a zone of coral boulders and slabs that are deposited just inside the exposed reef face by the waves that break onto the reef frontal. When reef walking it is this zone that usually produces a good number of sea shells. This is especially so along the entire outer portion of the reef paralleling the village of Nuu'uli. In towards shore is a middle zone of coral rubble, consisting of rocks that are carried farther by waves because they are smaller. This area is virtually a shell desert. The rocks and rubble are just too compact and do not offer any hiding places for shells. From the rubble to the shoreline is an area approximately 3 feet in depth at low tide. This zone is usually about 30 yards wide, but in areas it may extend for a 100 yards or so, and is of a sandy bottom with scattered coral heads. This zone, while producing sea shells, has a greater abundance of cones, miters, augers, and other sand-dwelling species. It is noted here that at high tide a fairly strong "along-shore" current exists, and shelling in this area I found safer to confine to low tides. These three zones are typical of the southern, eastern, and western shores. The northern side of the island is sparsely populated and only one village has a suitable road. Other villages are only accessible by sea or by strenuous hike. I can imagine the shells that exist on this unvisited side of the island waiting for the hardy adventurer.
Heishe A greater variety of shells are found among the small reefs that fringe many of the islands. One such spot is a favorite of mine, and of fellow collectors, yet is probably the most unspectacular looking of all the attractive atolls with palm-fringed coves of white sand. It is a small hump of sand less than 100 yards square bounded on one side by slabs of broken half-dead coral that merges into a small colorful reef. The "Sand Bar" as we call it, is exposed only at fairly low tides, though quite accessible at others times if one takes into account the powerful currents that flow around it on ebb tides. Other coral outcrops among the islands appear at first sight to be good hunting grounds, yet often yield virtually nothing and one returns empty-handed and disappointed. Not so the sand bar which can invariably be relied upon to yield something of value to a collector. The sand side harbors several species of cones, Terebras, miters and olives. Conus marmoreus, C. tessellatus, C. consors; Oliva irisans, O. mustelina and O. erythrostoma including handsome black versions, have all been found here. [Corrected per NSN 107.] On the reef side sea shell finds include Cypraea caurica (large cylindrical varieties up to 2 inches long), C. cylindrica, C. quadrimaculata, C. hirundo neglecta, C. errones, C. erosa erosa, C. bimaculatus and C. asellus.
On one occasion, following a week of stormy weather, we visited the "bar" for an afternoon's shelling only to find that rough seas had caused havoc to parts of the reef. However, among a lot of broken debris we managed to 'salvage' between us three C. cylindrica, two C. caurica and four C. quadrimaculata all alive. Further poking amongst the debris yielded two dead C. stolida, one almost completely calcified, the other in fair condition though beginning to deteriorate across the dorsum. In view of the fact that a live specimen had been found here about a month before (the third recorded in Singapore), it seemed reasonable to assume that the elusive C. stolida was perhaps not so elusive after all.
I was just advised of a Cypraea guttata collected in Taiwan Channel in 158 fms. It is a real gem from the pictures being 58mm X 35mm X 31mm. I guess the owner plans to sell it for well over $1,000.00; anyone interested can write to me.
This find adds to the "Taiwan Treasure House" as well as being a range extension for C. guttata. It appears this shell can be found in deep water from Tosa Bay, Japan in a large curve through Taiwan, Philippines, Admiralty Islands, New Guinea (my specimen is from there), N.E. New Britain and down to the Solomon Islands; also the latest known one from the Caroline Islands. About 30 are now known to have been collected. The purple color on C. gutatta doesn't last, as you know, except on film a shame.
I am including photographs of Cypraea arabica Linné, 1758, which is the most distorted Cypraea I have ever seen and it would be interesting to hear an opinion as to how and why such distortions occur.
This specimen is 47mm long 27mm wide and 25mm high (see Fig. 1 below [left]). The anterior outlet (Fig. 2) is 8mm wide while the posterior outlet (Fig. 3) is narrowed down to not more than 2mm in the extreme. From the inside of the dorsum downward to the inside edge of the columellar teeth it is only 7mm while from the same inside edge of the columellar teeth to the bottom of the inner lip base it is 15mm; it is further interesting to note that from the inside edge of the columellar teeth to the dorsal line, which is located on the right side, it is a distance of 57mm. As there is no evidence of a second mantle termination line, it would appear that the animal also had freakish long mantles due to the exceptionally small area left for living quarters. The aperture itself is only 2mm at the posterior end but widening to a little over 4mm at the anterior end. There are 23 teeth on the columellar side which are fairly strong with chestnut brown. There are 20 labial teeth which are about 10mm in length and are also a chestnut brown. The spire is well callused over with the posterior extremity protruding. There is also a protrusion on the anterior end which extends approximately 3mm out from the outer and inner lips. It is interesting to note how a specimen can be so distorted and still live.
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