Post by Paul on Jun 19, 2005 20:16:21 GMT
Hi,
I was reading though the Bequaert book and the iredalei section mentions that most iredalei are marked:
"....ground color deep straw-yellow to golden-yellow, with a very variable pattern of dark chestnut or mahogany-brown, vertical markings. In a few shells, streaks complete or nearly complete from suture to suture and, on the body-whorl, from suture to base......More often streaks incomplete or broken up into spots or blotches, usually stopping rather aprubtly at the periphery. The number and size of the markings vary to such an extent that scarcely two shells are alike..."
Now, here is the interesting bit:
"Some examples have only traces of them and a few from Siga Caves and Kibarini are unicolorous brownish-yellow. Summit of the shell is a rule intensely roseate; sometimes dirty-white even in the same lot with pink-tipped shells (possibly faded in life)."
Lastly, he is definitely talking about iredalei because he says:
"Like A.zanzibarica, A.iredalei appears to be ovoviviparous."
And to prove they are not now synonyms of each other he says:
"A. iredalei is closely related to A. zanzibarica Bourguignat. Although these two species are distinct enough when full-grown, they are often puzzling when immature, particularly as both sometimes occur in the same locality. The much narrowed and drawn-out summit of the spire of zanzibarica is then the most reliable feature."
I've noticed that most of the pictures of iradelei around are either uniform or if they have got stripes they are extremely pale or very similar to the normal shell colour. Is it possible they have mostly come from a particular area, and I've never seen one with a pink apex to the shell. Any thoughts from iredalei owners?
paul
I was reading though the Bequaert book and the iredalei section mentions that most iredalei are marked:
"....ground color deep straw-yellow to golden-yellow, with a very variable pattern of dark chestnut or mahogany-brown, vertical markings. In a few shells, streaks complete or nearly complete from suture to suture and, on the body-whorl, from suture to base......More often streaks incomplete or broken up into spots or blotches, usually stopping rather aprubtly at the periphery. The number and size of the markings vary to such an extent that scarcely two shells are alike..."
Now, here is the interesting bit:
"Some examples have only traces of them and a few from Siga Caves and Kibarini are unicolorous brownish-yellow. Summit of the shell is a rule intensely roseate; sometimes dirty-white even in the same lot with pink-tipped shells (possibly faded in life)."
Lastly, he is definitely talking about iredalei because he says:
"Like A.zanzibarica, A.iredalei appears to be ovoviviparous."
And to prove they are not now synonyms of each other he says:
"A. iredalei is closely related to A. zanzibarica Bourguignat. Although these two species are distinct enough when full-grown, they are often puzzling when immature, particularly as both sometimes occur in the same locality. The much narrowed and drawn-out summit of the spire of zanzibarica is then the most reliable feature."
I've noticed that most of the pictures of iradelei around are either uniform or if they have got stripes they are extremely pale or very similar to the normal shell colour. Is it possible they have mostly come from a particular area, and I've never seen one with a pink apex to the shell. Any thoughts from iredalei owners?
paul