Guam Shell News Vol 1. No. 4
Live Cypraea childreni found on Guam
by Jim Rodgers
Over the past seven years of diving and snorkling here on Guam, I had never found nor heard of anyone finding a live Cypraea childreni Gray, 1825. Dead specimens have been reported from many Guam locations, most have been found near piles of coral rubble.
Recently a retired AF member, Harry Conley found a live Cypraea childreni in an area that he has been working for several years. Harry was snorkling in less than 15 feet of water. The habitat is similar to the one described in June 1978 Hawaiian Shell News. In that article Cypraea childreni was found alive on Kwajalein Atoll. Harry brought the shell over to me as soon as he was through snorkling. The animal was barely visible. Hoping to observe the animal he took it home to put in his aquarium. Unfortunately it died a couple of days later without bringing out its mantle. I suspect that it was close to dying when he brought it over to my house because he had transported it in a small container of salt water. In my experience I have found that shells transported in closed containers don't get enough oxygen. One of the best ways to transport living shells is to put them in a moist glove, rag, or cloth. Some shells can even live out of water for a few hours if kept in a cool place. This Cypraea childreni was in perfect condition and measured 20mm.
Harry is a very persistant snorkler and has taken some very nice shells from this area. Among his finds are numerous cowries that are common in the Philippines but uncommon here, eg; Cypraea scurra, cicercula, bistronotata, margarita, and testudinaria. He has also collected a live pair of Cypraea mariae. To the amazement of local divers Harry has also found some very rare Murex. The Murex he has found include: Murex laqueatus, (Sowerby, 1841) (live). (see Guam's Rare Murex)
Cypraea childreni
This small beautiful Murex was taken in the shallowest depth that I know of, 15 feet. Harry also has given me two small Murex that closely resemble a deep water Philippine Murex, Murexiella mactanensis, Emerson & D'Attilio, 1979 (figured below). if this record can be confirmed, it would be a new range extension.
Some miter species that he has found include the first recorded live specimen of Strigatella bellula, A. Adams, 1853 (see Guam Shell News Vol 1 No 1), which I also have in my collection, also several nice specimens of Pusia millecostatum and Nebularia rubritincta. Normally it is no big thing for a diver to work a rock pile at a depth of 15 feet or more, but it is another story when you are snorkeling. You have to take a breath of air, go down and turn a rock, let the silt settle, look a little, go back topside, catch another breath of air, go down again and look better and then turn the rock back over. This is repeated over and over and Harry will do this for 6 to 8 hours at a time, sometimes only bringing back one or two shells that he wants or knows that someone else is interested in having. He is a perfectionest in collecting and he will only take the very best shells, putting back any that even have minor flaws. A vote of thanks to this type of shell collection!
