TEETH COLOR AS A SHELL CHARACTERISTIC
OF LEPORICYPRAEA MAPPA
by E. L. Heiman*)

Leporicypraea mappa (Linnaeus, 1758) is a rather variable species with a vast range of distribution from the northern Red Sea and East Africa to Polynesia. Schilder & Schilder (1938, 1971) distinguished several subspecies of L. mappa. Other authors: Burgess 1970, 1985, Marquet & Martin, 1992, 1993 consider L. mappa a monotypic species. There is no consensus on this question perhaps because good differentiating shell characters of mappa populations are still not found.

The Schilders studied 345 shells of L. mappa during their work. Quantitative shell characteristics (the formula) of several mappa subspecies given by Schilder & Schilder, 1938 are overlapping and rather close as can be seen from Table 1. Differentiating mappa populations basing on this criterion is hardly possible.

Though other shell characteristics are qualitative and indicate presence or absence of a given quality or difference in their numerical proportions (more numerous spots etc.), they should be studied in as many as possible individuals of each population.

Teeth bordering the aperture are colored differently in different populations of mappa (Table 2). Shells of all populations inhabiting the Indian Ocean have orange teeth.

The tint of this orange color can vary from light orange to bright red-orange but it is always distinctly orange. In populations inhabiting the Pacific Ocean the situation is rather complicated.

In populations from the Philippines shells of L. mappa have yellow teeth. In populations from Western Indonesia, according to Dharma, 1988, shells have orange teeth while those from Eastern Indonesia have yellow teeth. In populations from Guam, Kwajalein and New Caledonia mappa shells with yellow and orange teeth can be found. In most monographs about mollusc fauna only the dorsal view of L. mappa is presented hence cowry students should collect an additional information about teeth coloration in shells of this species.

At the moment, I have data about L. mappa only from my collection and from collections of my friends. Conclusion can be drawn only about populations from the Philippines and the Indian Ocean. These are easily differentiated by the teeth color hence this character can be used when one compares mappa populations.

Shells of L. mappa are very popular. I suppose thousands such shells can be found in collections throughout the world. Look at them, contact me and together we will add new data to Table 2 and perhaps will be able to understand better variability of L. mappa.

References

Dharma, B. 1988. Siput dan Kerang Indonesia 1 (Indonesian Shells)  112pp. PT. Sarana Graha Jakarta

Marquet, J. & Martin, P. 1992. Cypraea mappa Linne, 1758.  “La Conchiglia” 265:34-42.

Marquet, J. & Martin, P. 1993. Historical variations of Cypraea mappa Linne, 1758. “La Conchiglia” 269:38-39.

Schilder, F. A. & Schilder, M. 1938.  Prodrome of a Monograph on Living Cypraeidae. Proc.of the Malocological Society of London,  23: 119-231.