Ni'ihau Shells

Hawaiian Columbellidae:

• Anachjis miser (Sowerby, 1844)
• Euplica livescens (Reeve, 1859)
• Euplica varians (Sowerby, 1832)
• Euplica turturina (Lamarck, 1822)
• Mitrella fusiformis (Peases, 1868)
• Mitrella bella (Reeve, 1859)
• Mitrella rorida (Reeve, 1859)
• Mitrella margarita (Reeve, 1859)
• Seminella smithi (Angas, 1877)
• Seminella virginea (Gould, 1860)

Taxon names:

MURICOIDEA / COLUMBELLIDAE COLUMBELLINAE : Euplica varians (Sowerby, GB I, 1832)
(syn: Columbella varians)
Hawaiian Names: Momi or Momi Niihau Shells

• momi ke`oke`o: white shells
  
• momi lenalena: brown shells
  

MURICOIDEA / COLUMBELLIDAE PYRENINAE : Mitrella (Graphicomassa) margarita (Reeve, LA, 1859)
According to OBIS Indo-Pacific Molluscan Database both Columbella margarita Reeve, 1859 & Mitrella margarita (Reeve, 1859)) are synonomous.
Hawaiian Name: Laiki shells

TROCHOIDEA / TROCHIDAE / Leptothyra verruca (Mighels, 1845) (may also have used: Leptothyra candida, Leptothyra rubricincta, Leptothyra verruca manti, Leptothyra verruca but I have no proof for or against this )
Hawaiian Names:

• Kahelelani’ula’ula: red shells
• Kahelelani `okala: light pink shells
• Kahelelani akala ika ika: hot pink shells
• Kahel maku'e: dark burgundy shells

Notes:

The three species of shell most commonly used in Ni'ihau lei are Euplica varians, known as momi; Mitrella margarita, called laiki, or rice shells; and Leptothyra veruca, known as kahelelani. Momi are the largest, at an average length of 10 mm. Laiki are about 9 mm with relatively thick shells. Kahelelani are the smallest at only about 5 mm.

(Islanders may also use: Leptothyra candida (Pease, 1861), Leptothyra rubricincta (Mighels, 1845), Leptothyra verruca manti (Pilsbry, 1921), Leptothyra verruca but I have no proof for or against this and all are to be found in Hawaii.)

Niihau shells "Kahealani" naturally come in shades of pink, red, brown, black, blue and yellow and in various patterns from plain to blotches and or stripes. The "Momi" comes in yellow, blue, white and brown and in various patterns

Ni'ihau jewllery links used for information:

• Creation:
  http://www.niihaushellart.com/creation.html

• Volcanoe Art Center
  http://www.volcanoartcenter.org/cgi-bin/vac?Shop.lei
  

• The real deal: Genuine Niihau shells have lasting quality: http://starbulletin.com/2004/05/17/features/story1.html

• Bill seeks to protect cachet of Ni'ihau shells http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/May/18/ln/ln31a.html

• 1999 Arts Fair with featured guests: Master Shell Lei Artists “The Kanahele Family” http://www.mauitime.com/v02iss14/art2.html

• Sunrise shells
  http://shelldave.com/ecommerce/catalog/shells.php/language/es

• Shell Colors Page
  http://www.treasuresofniihau.com/Pages/LearnPages/shellColorPage.shtml

• Treasures of Ni'ihau
  http://www.treasuresofniihau.com/Pages/PupuPages/momiLeisPage.shtml
  http://www.treasuresofniihau.com/Pages/LearnPages/leiStylesPage.shtml

Other shells that I can find references to in Ni'ihau Leis and Necklaces are:

• Nodipecten langfordi (Lyropecten langfordi ) (Bartsh & Rehder,1938 )
  Common Name: Sunrise Shells
  Hawaiian Names for bivalves: `olepe, uhi
  "Sunrise shells are in the scallop family (Langford's Scallop) and according to "legend" they were very sacred to the ancient Hawaiians. The story goes: "Servants of the kings would walk the beaches and look for these shells, but only the Royal Family would wear these magnificent shells. They received the name "sunrise" because early in the morning (at sunrise) the Sunrise shell would be the easiest shells to spot on the beach. The sun would reflect its rays of the vibrant colors of these beautiful scallop shells". It is said that only "blessed" people find these rare Hawaiian shells" http://www.pukahawaii.com/sunrises.htm
  Also see: http://shelldave.com/ecommerce/catalog/shells.php
  http://www.kauaigems.com/Sunrise_Shells/
  http://www.buyhawaiian.net/productinfo.aspx?productid=208&categoryid=54&startpage

  • The sunrise shells scans have the following collection data:
    Collected from the beach in front of the Hanalei Colony Resort, Kauai, Hawaii and the second on Lumahai Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
    Self-collected dead on beach 1983 (two months after Hurricane Ewa Nov 23, 82)
    Collection of: Avril Bourquin

• Turbo sandwicensis (Menke, 1846) (http://www.bishopmuseum.org/research/natsci/invert/hawaiiannames.html )
  Hawaiian Name: halili lenalena - Niihau lei, Acc. No. 5983, Kay 58 (small, yellow shells) They must be referring to the very immateur turbo shells as these get quite large (15-45 mm) and are a dark brown colour.
  

• Cypraea isabella (Linnaeus, 1758)
  Hawaiian Name: momi ke`oke`o - Niihau lei, Acc. No. 5983 (specimen brown) I only found 1 reference to this and I personally have never seen even a tiny Cypraea isabella used in a Ni'ihau lei. If used, it might be around the clasp area.
  
  
  
• Melampidae: Melampus castaneus (Mühlfeld, M. von, 1818,)
                           Melampus parvulus (Pfeiffer, 1846)
                           Allochra bronni (Philippi, 1846)
  Hawaiian Name: Pupu 'Ele'ele Lei
  NOTE: I've seen many of these shells used in the very inexpensive, tourist style aloha leis but I personally have note seen them in a genuine Ni'ihau lei.
  
  
  

Momi Colors


ke'oke'o white
ke'oke'o waha 'ula'ula white with red spot on tip
ke'oke'o waha 'ele'ele white with black spot on tip
kua'ula off white
kua'ula waha 'ula'ula off white with red spot on tip
kua'ula waha 'ele'ele off white with black spot on tip
lenalena yellow
lenalena 'ahiehie light yellow
lenalena maika'i medium yellow
lenalena ikaika bright yellow
'onikiniki spotted
'onikiniki 'ahiehie light spots
'onikiniki maika'i medium spots
'onikiniki ikaika dark spots
ulliuli blue gray
ulliuli 'ahiehie light blue gray
ulliuli maika'i medium blue gray
ulliuli ikaika dark blue gray (rare)
kahakaha striped
kahakaha 'ahiehie light stripes
kahakaha maika'i medium stripes
kahakaha - ikaika dark stripes (rare)

Kahelelani Colors


'ula'ula Red (burgundy)
maku'e Brown
maku'e pua Brown flower
'ele'ele Black
'oma'oma'o Green
'oma'oma'o ikaika Strong green
'oma'oma'o pua Green flower
'akala Pink
'akala wai Water pink
'akala pua Pink flower
'akala waipapipi Hot Pink
ke'oke'o White
ke'oke'o akala Pinkish white
lenalena Yellow
kamoa Brown yellow
halili Bright yellow
kamoa ili alani Orange

Laiki Colors


ke'oke'o white

kua'ula off white
lenalena yellow