VOL. XXXVI NO.7 JULY. 1988 NEW SERIES343 FAVORITE OPERCULUM By BUNNIE COOK* One of the first live shells I found in Hawaii many years ago was Nassarius gaudiosus (Hinds, 1844), known then as Nassarius reeveanus (Dunker). I found it during an HMS field trip in a shallow-watertide pool. Although I was fascinatedby the lovely shell and the active animal, it was the operculum that caught my eye - a blood-red arrow dominated the shiny appendageto the foot. I guessthis is why I learned to save opercula right from the start. I was thrilled to find this shell again in April 1987 on the Hawaiian island of Maui. The operculumis still my favorite - a red arrow! Nassarius gaudiosus (Hinds, 1844) from Maui Island, Hawaii. Photos: Burch [E. Alison Kay states in Hawaiian Marine Shells that' 'these nassaridsare common in sandy tide pools and shorewardon fringing reefs." It is interesting, therefore, that long-time HMS collectors Bunnie Cook only collected six, Wes Thorsson eight, and Ray McKinsey six specimens, while Keith Zeilenger, Lyman Higa, Andy Butler and Andy Adams have not collected any. Olive Schoenbergreports, however, that twenty years ago they were common at the boat landing at the Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki. In this connection I wish to thank Dr. Allen Allison, Chairman of the ZoologyDepartment, Bernice P. BishopMuseum in Honoluluwho gave me permission to examine the Museum's shell collection. It has 30 sets of Nas- sarius gaudiosus from throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago all of which were collected in the 1920's and 1930's. These included one set of forty specimens Operculum of Nassarius gaudiosus showing the red arrow. from Paumalu, Oahu, collected in 1936. However, only one set with 15 specimensfrom Hilo, Hawaii, had opercula. Please send information to HSN on other shells with colorful corneous *1120 Makaiwa, Honolulu, HI 96816. opercula. TBl Page 2 HAWAIIAN SHELL NEWS July, 1988 ~ ~~ S Ieett 1teett4 ISSN 0017.8624 Editors Emeritus E. R. CROSS. STUART LILLICO HMS SHELL AUCTION JEAN BROMLEY Editor OR. TOM BURCH The receipt of several dozen rare and semirare The Society lost one of its senior memberswith Associate Editors OLIVE SCHOENBERG, BEATRICE BURCH "collectibles" for November's HMS 1988 Shell the death early in May of Jean Moses Bromley in Science Advisor OR. E. ALISON KAY Auction in Honolulu has been reported by the Ha- Honolulu. She was 89. Science Consultant W. O. CERNOHORSKY Editorial Staff LYMAN HIGA, STAN JASWINSKI, waiian Malacological Society's Show and Auction Jean joined the HMS a few weeks after it was RAY McKINSEY, WALTER SAGE Committee. organized in 1942 and was accordedthe status of a Editorial Assistants GEORGE CAMPBELL, BUNNIE COOK, BILL & TRUOI ERNST, JIM ROHRBACH, The Shell Auction is the principal source of pioneer member. Jeanwas well known as the person WES THORSSON, DOROTHY WENDT money for the Society's Scholarship Fund, which who each Yule organizedthe annual party with her Corresponding Editors MARGE BRADNER, DONALD DAN, FR. AL LOPEZ S.J., HENK K. MIENIS, PETER van PEL, each year makesgrants totaling $2,500 to more thAn famous Scuba Santa Claus as the centerpiecefor AURORA RICHARDS, THORA WHITEHEAD $3,500 to assist both graduate and undergraduate gifts and her shell Christmastree. IndexEditor RAYMcKINSEY studentsof malacology. She had an excellent collection of largely self- BackIssues Manager BUNNIECOOK A near twin of a Conus hamanni donated by collected Hawaiian shells, a large part of which she HAWAIIAN MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY HMS member Mike Fainzilber in Israel to the auc- gave to Brigham Young University-Hawaii. In addi- (Founded in 1941) Pp O. Box 22130 Honolulu.Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 tion sold recently for $1,000. (Our "upset price" is tion, several years ago she donatedall her HSNs to President DAN McNALLY considerably less than that, but spirited bidding is the HMS for our back-issuecollection. Vice President JIM RDHRBACHROHRBACH anticipated.) In her younger days Jean was a championship Treasurer GEORGE COOK Other prize shells listed by the committee include tennis player. Although she kept in touch by phone Recording Sec'y BUNNIE COOK three gem Conus dusaveli ranging in size from 59 with old-time shellers and friends, she was last seen Corresponding Sec'y TRUDITRUOI ERNST OUlceOffice Manager KAREN CABRAL to 61mm, a gem 30mm Cypraea capensis from at a HMS meeting in 1980. She is survived by her Directors South Africa, and a 103mmPleurotomaria africana son, George. BOB DAYLE OLIVE SCHOENBERG BARBARA KUEMPER DOTTIE WENDT from off northwesternAustralia. STUART LILLICOLlLLlCO RAY McKINSEY These and half a hundred more specimensmake CHRISTAKAHASHI Honorary Directors up the auction list that will be available to potential DR. ALLENALLISON BRUCECARLSON E. R. CROSS DONALDDAN bidders well before the sale. The auction is sched- The Society currently meets the first Wednesday of each uled for the afternoon of Saturday, 12 November Brave New World month in Honolulu. 1988 at the Neal Blaisdell Center in midtown Hono- VISITORS WELCOME! Of Oyster Culture lulu. Hawaiian Shell News is issued free to members of the Society. Postage rates have been computed and added to [Turn to page 10 of this issue for the complete R.A. Griffeths, P.I. Dixon and R.H. Crozier in a membership dues. Individual copies of any issue may be obtained, free of charge, by qualified individuals for bona fide list as of June first.] recent issue of Australian Fisheries reportedon the research projects In addition the "pricey" shells, many more with use of "genetic improvement" technique to reduce Members outside the United States are asked to pay with a bank cheque (not a draft) payable to HMS on a U.S. bank retail values ranging from $10 downward to less the "grow-out period" for Sydney rock oysters in (Be sure your name and address appear on the cheque.) than $1 will be spread out for table sales. Table competition with the Pacific oyster. One technique HMS DUES FOR 19B7 Includes delivery of HSN salesopen two hours before the auction, and will be is to induce "triploidy" which results in an indivi- -U.S. Zip Code Addresses (Handled as bulk mall, suspendedfor it. Table sales may be resumedafter dual having three sets of genetic material instead of not forwardable to new address) $17.50 -Canada and Mexico (First Class mail) 22.00 the auction closes. the usual two - one from each parent. The increase -All Other Countries (First Class mail) 24.00 The Shell Show and Auction program includes a can be obtained by doubling the maternal contribu- OPTIONAL DELIVERY OF HSN BY AIR MAIL (Dues Included) Dealers' Bourse, in which dealer-membersof the tion after fertilization of the egg but before the first -U.S. Zip Code Addresses 22.00 Society are invited to participate. The Bourse will cell division. Methods include use of pressure, -Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean Isiands, Central America, Colombia & Venezuela 28.00 be in session Friday afternoon, 11 November and thermal shock, and chemical induction. Although it -Europe (except USSR, Latvia, Uthuania, & Sundayfrom 10 AM to 4 PM. is possible to get' 100 percent triploidy by chemical Estonia), Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Ubya, Egypt, Malta, and South America (except HMS president Dan McNally, who doubles as induction, it is apparently more practical to use Colombia & Venezuela) 30.50 -Africa (except North Africa), Australia, New head of the auction-arrangementsgroup, expressed pressure or thermal shock techniques which yield Zealand, Asia, USSR, Estonia, Latvia, the committee's gratitude to members around the only 60 percent. Uthuania, Israel, Middle East, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean Islands lacking U.S. Zip world who have respondedto the Society's appeal The main benefits are increase in growth rates Codes 33.50 for auctionableshells. and higher meat yields, improved survival, and in- -ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP (For family creased glycogen content of the muscle with a members; HMS card but no HSN) 1.00 "We seem to be achieving a good balance be- Articles of interest to shell collectors are solicited. Con- tween the scarce, higher-price specimensand the correspondingimprovement in flavor. tents are not copyrighted. Republication, with credit to HSN, is invited. popular items that many people want to fill out a The opinions expressed in signed articles in HawaIIan particular family," was his comment. "We have Shell News are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent policies of the Hawaiian Malacological Society. some very generousmembers." Advertisements are accepted at the rate of US $20.00 per column-inch per issue, payable in advance Discounts are A preliminary list of donors follows. The commit- oUered for six and twelve insertions. tee continuesto catalog incoming material. Typesetting, composition and printing of Hawaiian Shell News is done by Fisher Printing Co., Honolulu J. Rapaport, Mike Fainzilber and Shmuel Lavy, ~ ~ ~-- of Israel; Peter Ryall, Ghana; Dudley & Kay Pope, STROMBUS GIGAS St.Maarten; D. Bunyamin, Indonesia; E.R. Cross, Treasure Coast SheD News of Stuart, Florida NOTE NEW ADDRESS Port Angeles, WA; Helen DuShane, CA; Bruce reported [April 1988] that it is against the law to HAW AllAN MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY Crystal, CO; Ruth Wischman, FL; Don Hemmes, collect live Strombus gigas (queen or pink conch). P. O. Box 22130 HI; Don Bosch, NJ; Mrs. E. Gow, Canada; Mrs. The News also asked collectors not to take more ; Honolulu,Hawaii 96822 Peggy Williams, Anita Blondin, and Ben & Josie than two live shells of any species.That certainly is :~ ~-- Wiener, FL. a commendableconservation ~oal. July, 1988 HAW AllAN SHELL NEWS Page OBSERVATIONS Four Get Scholarship By STUART LILLICO Grants From HMS Cassis Cornuta munities, measuredand mapped the seagrassbeds, Four graduate students in malacology, working at established 12 pennanent transects, and compiled three widely separated universities, have been In South Africa specieslists of fishes, marine invertebrates,corals, awarded grants totaling $3,377 in the Hawaiian The finding of a live specimenof Cassis cornuta seagrasses,and algae.