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Figured above is the holotype of Gisortia
gisortiana pterophora Schilder, 1927,
from the Middle Eocene of northern France;
length 260 mm. (over 10 inches).
The largest living cowry is Macrocypraea cervus LINNAEUS from Florida, which according to PRESBREY (1913) grows up to 7
inches (i.e. 178 mm.); however, the largest specimen measured by the writer in forty years investigations is "only" 157 mm.
long (British Museum). The second rank is occupied by Cypraea tigris LINNAEUS, the Philippines race of which, named
schilderiana CATE, attains in deep water 147 mm. (KAY 1961). The third rank must be attributed to Chelycypraea testudinaria
LINNAEUS: the largest specimen of its western race ingens SCHILDER & SCHILDER, preserved in coll. DAUTZENBERG, is not 142 mm.
long (as indicated by SCHILDER 1929), but only 140 mm. (SCHILDER & SCHILDER 1952). It may be observed, that these three giant
species among living Cypraeidae belong to the subfamily Cypraeinae, while the largest Nariinae and Cypraeovulinae are
distinctly smaller.
Some fossil cowries, however, attained even larger dimensions, in fact more than double the length of the largest living
species named above! There is a subfamily Gisortiinae which tends to gigantism, as well as to a reduction in the
denticulation of the lips. They descended from the subfamily Cypraeorbinae which flourished from Cretaceous times to Eocene,
and of which very few species have survived as relics to recent times. The Gisortiinae evidently originated in India in the
Paleocene (about 65 million years ago), flourished during the Lower and Middle Eocene near the Eocene equator from West
America to Europe and India and as far as Taiwan. Then suddenly they became extinct, with the few exceptions, which survived
up to the upper Eocene (about 40 million years ago). No species has been detected in Oligocene beds. During these 25 million
years a general increase in size can be observed, in a hyperbolic way, i.e. the enlargement became gradually faster and
faster -- till the size exceeded the natural limits of existence, and the Gisortiinae became extinct. But let us hope that
one day a living relic of this subfamily may be found in deep water, which has yielded, in these last decennaries, so many
surprising discoveries.
When I was not busy buying shells or out with Reg, I usually went out with the local fishermen or with the luggers on their
pearl diving ventures. Some of these trips leave me with very happy memories. Others were dismal failures and sometimes quite
miserable trips. One trip from Thursday Island off the South coast of New Guinea was a whole week of hardships. We were four
on a 27 foot boat, with only two bunks available, and I camped on deck, with only a blanket as a shelter against rain and
spray. Everything seemed to happen on that nasty trip. The boat leaked like a "Tahitian bait basket" and had to be pumped
every hour or so. Then, we hit a reef and nearly lost the boat. Two days of strenuous work got it afloat. Another evening,
the anchor broke loose and the boat went drifting among treacherous reefs in the middle of the night. Then the dingy broke
loose and was lost. Then…
Well, I was only a guest in that party, but I could not help telling the "captain" what I thought about his seamanship. He
didn't mind, though, and proved it by hitting another reef on the way back. When we crawled into harbor late one night I
swore under my breath that I would never set my foot on a boat again. Of course, two days later, I was off again on some wild
goose chase… How on earth can I get rid of that shell bug… !
Well, these thrilling adventures only lasted three very short months. When time came to go home, I planned my trip back
through the Barrier Reef on small boats, which is a real sight indeed. I did not get a chance to do much shelling, but I did
quite a lot of trading on the way down to Brisbane and Sydney and acquired some beautiful and rare shells, including Cypraea
hirasei, saulae nugata, melwardi, Voluta grossi , grayi, jamrachi aulica, & norrisi oblita, three unnamed species, dozens of
new Murex, Conus and Strombus for my collection, plus scores of miscellaneous species. When I landed in New Caledonia, I had
over twenty cartons of shells to my credit, and this fascinating trip was well worth while, if only for the fine people I met
on the way. I feel sure that nothing in this world can fetch more and better friends than our fascinating hobby.
The illustrated C. caurica elongata Perry, 1811, has the typical blackish-brown dorsum and blond base of melanistic
specimens; the shell is grossly rostrate, teeth having shifted into the aperture, which is rather dilated anteriorly. Photos
- Cernohorsky - mag. x1.5
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