Lyncina "kurohawaii", a possible hybrid form from the Hawaiian Chain

 

In HSN 428 Dr. Burgess described a number of Cypraeid species that seem to have been introduced to the Hawaiian Chain. Amongst these was a shell identified as "Cypraea kuroharai" Habe. In the past years I have been able to acquire a number of similar shells, most of which were sold to me as hybrids between schilderorum and sulcidentata. To confirm one or the other standpoint it seemed necessary to make a statistic conchological comparison between the true kuroharai (Japan, Okinawa and Taiwan), schilderorum, sulcidentata (both Hawaii) with the supposed Hawaiian kuroharai. For this comparison, 11 kuroharai, 43 schilderorum, 38 sulcidentata and 6 supposed Hawaiian kuroharai were available. The result chiefly is, that the Hawaiian shells are conchological intermediates between schilderorum and sulcidentata in all characteristics (dimensions, teeth, fossula). Whether they are true hybrids or just a mutation is not known. There are no features present that would justify an identification as kuroharai. Collectors who are being offered such shells should be aware that such shells cannot be assigned to the Japanese/Taiwanese kuroharai, a fact which shall not diminuish the value of these interesting intermediates.

Lyncina kuroharai, Taiwan (57 mm)

 

Lyncina schilderorum x sulcidentata hybrid ?, Oahu, Hawaii (42 and 47 mm)

 

Lyncina schilderorum, Oahu, Hawaii (39 mm)

 

Lyncina sulcidentata, Oahu, Hawaii (49 mm)

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first uploaded Dec. 2002
In the meantime, a lot has been written about these interesting shells, as readers of the Beautifulcowries Magazine and my "Cowries" book (2017) will know.