ARUBA

COLLECTOR SHELLS
Aruba fruit market Persicula muralis (Hinds, 1844)
Live picture of Persicula muralis (Hinds, 1844)
Persicula muralis (Hinds, 1844)
Persicula muralis (Hinds, 1844)
Prunum marginatum (Born, 1778)
Prunum marginatum (Born, 1778)
Persicula chrysomellina (Redfield, 1848)
Persicula chrysomellina (Redfield, 1848)
Oliva reclusa
Oliva reclusa
Pacyhbathron cypreoides (C.B. Adams, 1845)
Pacyhbathron cypreoides (C.B. Adams, 1845)
Eratoidea margarita (Kiener, 1834)
Eratoidea margarita (Kiener, 1834)

 

Betty and I took a trip to Aruba in search of a certain Marginella called Persicula muralis (Hinds, 1844) (Pictures 2,3,4).  We didn't find it on the first or second trip, but the third time as they say must have been the charm.  Unlike other Marginella that I had searched for, the muralis was certainly different.  Usually Marginellas come out at night for food.  After much extensive searching we finally found their habitat.  They were hiding where they didn't have to come out in search of food.  Their food supply lived with them. 

Before we go shelling we usually stop by the Fruit Market, which my not still exist, for our lunch supply. (Pic 1) 

 To photograph the shells I always take an aquarium with me or build one when I get to our destination.  I set it up right away and then look for something to photograph.  We have been to Aruba a few times and quite a few other collectors have gone with us.  That is how we found another species that I was told didn't exist anymore.  It is quite common in Venezuela which is not very far away..  We were snorkeling one morning and Bonnie Holiman found one alive in a very muddy area (Pic 12), and I also found two.  Without hesitation we went back to our apartment to photograph them.  Their name is Prunum marginatum (Born, 1778). (Pic 5)

Years ago when AMU (American Malacological Union) was in St. Petersburg, FL. a gentleman named Gordon Ustick, (pic. 13)  AMU in Delaware in 1973, brought some pure white marginatum from Aruba.  Later I found out the white ones came out of a very large mountain of dredged material that came from a channel which had been dug for large boats.  Almost all of the shells that came out of this material were white.  All of the color was gone from the shells, but they remained glossy.

Of course we found other shells on the trip.  We found Persicula chrysomellina (Redfield, 1848) (Pic.6)Pacyhbathron cypreoides (C.B. Adams, 1845) (Pic. 10) and Eratoidea margarita (Kiener, 1834) (Pic 11) found by the Coltros.  In fact when Jose and Marcus Coltro went with us we swam across the channel to a reef on the other side and found Voluta musica and Oliva reclusa (Pic. 7) along with other shells. We also found a Volvarina sp. (Pic. 8) and 3 Conus (Pic 9).

Always remember when collecting keep plenty of fresh water handy ( Pic. 14)

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