NO.7] Letters to tlu Editor • 225 Ju1V 1954 dl-jJ-phenY'i:alanine, l-leucine, dL-methionine, and much dilated in front. R ay:: gives an and I- cysteine. However, with l- tyrosine, rU­ account of the systematics, habits and habitats, alanine and dL- valine an increase in growth transformation, use, etc., 01 cowries. Horneij·I,:; over that of the control. when the amino acids and Gravely'; do not make any mention of the were present in very low amounts was obser v­ egg mass of cowries and no information is ed. Eight am:no acids I-proline, I- ar ginine, available on the reproduction of Indian cowries. dL-aspal'tic acid, I-histidine, I-gLutamic acid, Lo Bianco' was probably the first to describe I-citrulline, L-Iysine and dt-ornithine had no the egg mass and brood- protecting habit in the inftuence w hen added even upto a level of genus Cyprrea. Vayssiere.:,9 besides describing 2·5 mg. per c.c. of the medium. the e.gg masses of a feW species of cowries, From the abov.e observations, it is suggested gives a small account of a pr eserved egg mass that certain amino acids inhibit the various of Cyprcea errones of New Caledonia. The f~\V enzyme systems which are taking part in the details given by him d iffer from th e present conversion of tryptophane to nicotinic acid. A account. study of the influence of the variDus amino The cowries w ~ re found upon the under­ acids on thz lltilisation of othel' tryptophane surface of the boulders or stones perching over metabolites like formy lkynurenine, kynurenine, the egg masses \vith the fo o !; completely ex­ 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3-hydrox y anthraniHc tended and covering the egg masses. The ani­ acid and nicotinic acid i.s in progress and will mal is quite restless \vhen disturbed w hiLe be published in detail elsewher e. brooding the egg mass. In one instance it was E. R. B. SHANMUGA SUNDARAM. obser ved that when the adult specimen was P. s. Si\ RM\ completely removed from the egg mass and Univ. Biochem. Lab .. kept at about 4" away from it, it crept slowly Madr as-25, AP!iI 26, 1954. back to its original position. Breeding was obser ved from September to April. According to Vayssiere, the egg mass of the New Cale­ 1. Krehl, W. A., Teply, L. J. , Sartl1a~ 1'. S. 311 (1 donian form is oblong, 11 rnm. in length, 8 mm. m\"ehjem, C. 1\., Sduw:, 1945, 101, 489. It 2. -, Sanna, P. S. and Elvehjem, C. A., j. Bioi. in breadth and 2- 5 mm. in thickness. is C hem., 1946, 162, 403. found, however, that in the case of the Indian 3. "Briggs, C. M. , ivid., 1946, 161, -;'49. (orm the egg mass is nearly circular about 4. Wintrohe, M. M., Stein, .\1. )., Follis, R. H. and 23-26 mIT\:. across, and 8-10 mm. in height at Humphreys, S., f. Nil/d., 1945, 30, 395. o. Singai, S. A., Syden!3tricker, V. P. amI Littlejohn, the centre. It was observed that the cap­ . J. M., j. Bioi. Chem ., 1948, 176, 10;)1. sules of these egg masses are deposited in 6. H ankes, L, V., H enderson, 1.. )L, Erickson, \V. A. 5- 6 layers superimposed upon one another in and Elvehjem, C. A •. ibid., 1948,174, 873. the form of D. cone, the lowest layer being th e 7. -, -, and .El \'ehjem~ C. A., ibid., 1949, lBO, 1027. 8. R o~en, F., Huff, J. 'vV. and Perizweig, \V. A., widest in diameter. The newly laid egg mass iNd., 1946, 163, 343. is yellowish in colour. It turns gradually brown 9. Goryachenkova, K V., Doklad),. Akad. A'allk. and ultimately dull purple w ith the develop­ S.S.S.R., 1951, SO, 643. m ent of the larvce. The four egg masses exa­ 10. H nrowitl., N. II . and Beadle, G. 'W" j. BioI . Chem., 1943, 150, 525. mined contained 481 , SOl , 507 and 517 capsv1es respectivel~·. According to Vayssiere, the cap­ sule of the New Caledonian form contained ON THE BREEDING !-IABITS OF THE 20- 25 eggs. The number of eggs varies from COWRY ERRONEA ERRONES (LINNE)' 30- 70 per capsule in the present species. ' On an average the number of eggs per egg mass COWRIES arc fair ly common in the shallow will be about 24,500. All of them are poten­ areas of Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. The tial embr yos without nurse eggs. sp~cies commonly found in the area between The capsules are pouch-like and of different Mandapam Camp and Mandapam has been sizes and shapes (Figs. 1-4). Each one is pro­ identified as Erronea errones (Linne) . Satya­ vided with a base. Of the 25 capsules exa­ murti 1 records it as also occurring in Pamban, mined from d iffer ent egg masses the length and Krusadai and Shingle I slands. Schilder and bread th vary from 1· 85-3' 25 mm. and 1· 35- Sct;Jilder:": have differentiated this species into 1·85 mm. respectively. They are horny, glossy four geographical races. The species around and transparent but of pale yellow colour. The t his reg.ion seems to belong to the race bim acu­ larvre escape through the distal end of the lat.a distinguished by features of t he capsule. The eggs are yellow ish brown. aperture of the shell which is n arrow behini. Vayssiere does not give dimensions or the egg NO.7] Letters to tlu Editor • 225 Ju1V 1954 dl-jJ-phenY'i:alanine, l-leucine, dL-methionine, and much dilated in front. R ay:: gives an and I- cysteine. However, with l- tyrosine, rU­ account of the systematics, habits and habitats, alanine and dL- valine an increase in growth transformation, use, etc., 01 cowries. Horneij·I,:; over that of the control. when the amino acids and Gravely'; do not make any mention of the were present in very low amounts was obser v­ egg mass of cowries and no information is ed. Eight am:no acids I-proline, I- ar ginine, available on the reproduction of Indian cowries. dL-aspal'tic acid, I-histidine, I-gLutamic acid, Lo Bianco' was probably the first to describe I-citrulline, L-Iysine and dt-ornithine had no the egg mass and brood- protecting habit in the inftuence w hen added even upto a level of genus Cyprrea. Vayssiere.:,9 besides describing 2·5 mg. per c.c. of the medium. the e.gg masses of a feW species of cowries, From the abov.e observations, it is suggested gives a small account of a pr eserved egg mass that certain amino acids inhibit the various of Cyprcea errones of New Caledonia. The f~\V enzyme systems which are taking part in the details given by him d iffer from th e present conversion of tryptophane to nicotinic acid. A account. study of the influence of the variDus amino The cowries w ~ re found upon the under­ acids on thz lltilisation of othel' tryptophane surface of the boulders or stones perching over metabolites like formy lkynurenine, kynurenine, the egg masses \vith the fo o !; completely ex­ 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3-hydrox y anthraniHc tended and covering the egg masses. The ani­ acid and nicotinic acid i.s in progress and will mal is quite restless \vhen disturbed w hiLe be published in detail elsewher e. brooding the egg mass. In one instance it was E. R. B. SHANMUGA SUNDARAM. obser ved that when the adult specimen was P. s. Si\ RM\ completely removed from the egg mass and Univ. Biochem. Lab .. kept at about 4" away from it, it crept slowly Madr as-25, AP!iI 26, 1954. back to its original position. Breeding was obser ved from September to April. According to Vayssiere, the egg mass of the New Cale­ 1. Krehl, W. A., Teply, L. J. , Sartl1a~ 1'. S. 311 (1 donian form is oblong, 11 rnm. in length, 8 mm. m\"ehjem, C. 1\., Sduw:, 1945, 101, 489. It 2. -, Sanna, P. S. and Elvehjem, C. A., j. Bioi. in breadth and 2- 5 mm. in thickness. is C hem., 1946, 162, 403. found, however, that in the case of the Indian 3. "Briggs, C. M. , ivid., 1946, 161, -;'49. (orm the egg mass is nearly circular about 4. Wintrohe, M. M., Stein, .\1. )., Follis, R. H. and 23-26 mIT\:. across, and 8-10 mm. in height at Humphreys, S., f. Nil/d., 1945, 30, 395. o. Singai, S. A., Syden!3tricker, V. P. amI Littlejohn, the centre. It was observed that the cap­ . J. M., j. Bioi. Chem ., 1948, 176, 10;)1. sules of these egg masses are deposited in 6. H ankes, L, V., H enderson, 1.. )L, Erickson, \V. A. 5- 6 layers superimposed upon one another in and Elvehjem, C. A •. ibid., 1948,174, 873. the form of D. cone, the lowest layer being th e 7. -, -, and .El \'ehjem~ C. A., ibid., 1949, lBO, 1027. 8. R o~en, F., Huff, J. 'vV. and Perizweig, \V. A., widest in diameter. The newly laid egg mass iNd., 1946, 163, 343. is yellowish in colour. It turns gradually brown 9. Goryachenkova, K V., Doklad),. Akad. A'allk. and ultimately dull purple w ith the develop­ S.S.S.R., 1951, SO, 643. m ent of the larvce. The four egg masses exa­ 10. H nrowitl., N. II . and Beadle, G. 'W" j. BioI . Chem., 1943, 150, 525. mined contained 481 , SOl , 507 and 517 capsv1es respectivel~·. According to Vayssiere, the cap­ sule of the New Caledonian form contained ON THE BREEDING !-IABITS OF THE 20- 25 eggs. The number of eggs varies from COWRY ERRONEA ERRONES (LINNE)' 30- 70 per capsule in the present species. ' On an average the number of eggs per egg mass COWRIES arc fair ly common in the shallow will be about 24,500. All of them are poten­ areas of Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. The tial embr yos without nurse eggs. sp~cies commonly found in the area between The capsules are pouch-like and of different Mandapam Camp and Mandapam has been sizes and shapes (Figs. 1-4). Each one is pro­ identified as Erronea errones (Linne) . Satya­ vided with a base. Of the 25 capsules exa­ murti 1 records it as also occurring in Pamban, mined from d iffer ent egg masses the length and Krusadai and Shingle I slands. Schilder and bread th vary from 1· 85-3' 25 mm. and 1· 35- Sct;Jilder:": have differentiated this species into 1·85 mm. respectively. They are horny, glossy four geographical races. The species around and transparent but of pale yellow colour. The t his reg.ion seems to belong to the race bim acu­ larvre escape through the distal end of the lat.a distinguished by features of t he capsule. The eggs are yellow ish brown. aperture of the shell which is n arrow behini. Vayssiere does not give dimensions or the egg 226 Letters to the Edit01' Current [ Science of the New Caledonian species except that the or less like that of the larval shell of Simnia eggs nre ] 4 times bigger than that of Cyprren pattlla described by Lebour.w The extreme t i j) st.anhy[<:ea. The newly laid unsegmented egg of of t.he outer li p of the shell is pointed and pro­ the'" Indian form measures about 0·363-0·367 mm. vides support to t.he velum. The velum is across (Fig. 5). The n ew ly -laid egg masses bilobed a nd colourless with long cilia border­ ing- the margin. There is a distinct su~velum with short cilia whiCh lead the food currents '. towards t he mouth. The eyes are distinct but ~ ~~~. 0 (.l:.' only the right tentacle is present and tha J.eft one is not yet developed. The statocysts ·are I f?/ ~ not clear in tha swimming posture of the larvce. , I , .,', ',1 The foot is very well developed, bears cilia all over it Clnd shows diffuse, black colouration. The operculum (Fig. 9) is colourless and dis­ tinct. Whila swimming the larval shell is either. partly or fully surrounded by the mantle. The mouth, <:esophagus, stomach and intestine are dark pw'plish in colour and are distin~tl.Y seen through the shelL The heart beat is clearly_ visible. The liver is yellowish and appears pressed against the stomach. The larva has bean kept alive at the labora­ tory for about 5 .... days. No visible changes were noticed during the t ime and it is probable ~/ ~ that the larval period is of long duration. The .l~§';(\'V'i 1"' 8 -. larva at this s tag~ of development is quite com­ ~e mon in pl ~ n kton collections from Palk Bay bet­ ween September and April. FIGS. 0 -4). The egg capsules of different sizes I am indebted to Dr. N. Kesava Panikkar f01' and shapes. FIG, v, The egg. FIG. G. The newly his guidance and encouragement. hatched Veliger. P'IG. 7, The ian'ai shell. FIG.8. The sculpture of the lan's.l shell. F IG. 9. T he Central Marine Fisherjes A. V. NATARAJAN. Operculum. Res. Station, kept at the laboratory for observation either . Mandapam Camp, March 30, 1954. show abnormal development or no development at all and henCe the exact date of development from the egg to the formation of veligers could '" Published with the permissio!l o( the Chief Research not be given. Probaoly the eggs require the Officer, Central Marine Fi sherie.~ R esearch Statio.ll , Mandapam Camp. brouding care of the ad ult specimen until a 1. Satyamurti, S. T., Bull. _iJ.fadras COllt. IJIlIuum,' certain stage of development. An attempt has New Series. iVatural History S utio1l , 19.')2, 1. beeD made to keep the adult brood-caring 2. Schilder, F. A. and Schilder, M., P/'(h·. Illa/nc. ~\'(1l;. specimC!l1s at the laboratory in large glass L Olld{11l, 1939, 23. 119. troughs. The animal leaves the egg mass in a :l. Ray, H. C., joltr. B om. Nat. Hi~-!. S"c., 1951 , 49, -- day or two at the most. But in the natural 663, habit"dt the animal continues the brooding till 4. Hornell, J., Madras Fisheries Ru/ldht, 1922, ~~, veligers ara about to hatch out from the cap­ 97, sules. However, in the egg mass of fairly fl. -, ./otlr. D (JlIl. Nat. Hist. S oc., HH9, 48, 1'1;.1. J, 2 and 3. advanced stages kept at the laboratory the fur­ 6. Gravely, F. H., Blfll. IIf adn1S Clrvt. IlfllUltlll, New ther dC!velopment was normal and the veligel's Seri es. Natural llislor), 5;cctirl1/ , 1042, 5. are formed. Such an egg mass kept a t the 7. Lo Bianco, S., II-fitt. ZtJol. Stat. Nnpel, 1899, t3, laboratory on 3rd September 1952 liberated the 448, veligers after 11 days. 8. Vayssierc, A., An1l. Alus. Hi.>t. Nat. Jlf(f.Nl!i/lt The newly hatched veligers measure 0·435- /.(101., 1923,18, 1·120. 0·473 mm. across the shell (Figs. 6 and 7). The 9. -, ibM., 1927, 21, 133·84. latter is pale brownish in colour with reticu­ 10. Lebollr, ]\.f. V, j oltr. ,--I1,l,-. Ri·.>I. An.:., H.I:l 2, 17, 107, late marldngs upon it (Fig. 8). The reticula­ tion is only visible under high power nnd mOl'e