Newsletter of the Shell Club of Sydney
NSW Branch, The Malacological Society of Australasia Limited ACN 067 894 848
Egg-cowries (Ovulidae) are a group of snails, which feed on soft-corals. In most cases they have evolved flaps of skin, which almost completely cover the shell. Often the skin flaps are brightly coloured, in some species as camouflage. In this species it is thought the bright colours are a warning to potential predators. Soft-corals have many poisonous chemicals in their tissues and egg-cowries take some and store them in their skin (25mm).
The above picture and text are from the new look web pages of the Australian Museum web site, Malacology section, as an example of what can be viewed.
http://www.austmus.gov.au/science/division/invert/mal/gallery/ovulid.htm
There are no articles in this
Issue.
The topics inside:
News and Classifieds
Club AGM June 2000
May minutes
June Minutes
Club shell show details
Members News, & Buy, Swap & Sell:
I have available several Marine Invertebrates from the South Atlantic Ocean and some from the Antarctic area. Sponges, Holoturoidea, Nudibranchia, Sea Urchin, Crabs, etc. I also have Seashells,
(Volutas, Trophon, Pecten, Murex, Marginella, etc.) Bivalves and Micromollusca from deep water. Land ,three, and fresh water bivalve and
gasteropoda. If you need further information and prices of these species, please contact me. It will be a pleasure to assist you. Free list and photos available. Sincerely.Helen Racz
showcasefromuruguay@info-red.com
Kev Lamprell [K.Lamprell@uq.net.au]Has advised he will not be available on email for about three weeks due to a hospital visit.
From: Agatino Reitano [mailto:tinohawk@yahoo.it
]Subject: exchange land snails. I have all the Sicilian land snails! Are you interested in exchange?
Editor. There were no articles contributed last month or this month, so this Sheller is being printed to distribute meeting minutes, including the AGM and to advise the presentation topics for upcoming meetings. There is very little new material on the Net that has not already been reviewed in previous Shellers.
Steve Dean - Last weekend I was in Cairns and I would like to thank Tasi for taking me to one of his favourite mainland reef locations for a day of collecting. I gained a variety of specimens that I did not already have. It was a toss up between cleaning them and preparing the Sheller. As well as collecting shells Tasi collected shrimp and crabs to feed to his two pet stone fish, and live murex to feed to the club’s pet Melo - Murex are its favourite food.
Minutes of the AGM of the NSW Branch of the Malacological Society of Australasia Limited ACN 067 894 848
Held in a meeting room at Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club on 24/06/2000
The meeting was opened by the President and Chairperson Patty Jansen at 2.05pm.
Apologies were received from Des Beechey, Steve and Keith Dean .
The minutes of the previous AGM held 26/06/99 were moved accepted as read by Michael Keats(published in the July 1999 "Sydney Sheller") seconded by John Dunkerley.
Michael moved that the Presidents Report be published in the next issue of the "Sydney Sheller". Seconded by Peter
Pienaar. Michael moved a vote of thanks to Patty for her work in the running and organisation of the Club.
Treasurer's Report:
Peter Pienaar reported a current end of year balance of $102.92 and handed out a report to the meeting.
The club still owes the MSA a commission on shell posters sold. The club made $245 more this year than last due to poster sales and subscriptions to/ back issues of the "Sydney Sheller" Maureen Anderson wished it known that no money was expended on Raffle prizes over the last year due to generous donations from club members.
M. Keats moved that the treasurers report be accepted, seconded J.
Dunkerley.
Peter reminded the meeting that $25 for subscription renewal is now due.
P. Jansen - President, unopposed.
M. Anderson - Vice President, unopposed.
C. & K. Barnes - Secretary unopposed.
S. Dean - "Sheller" Editor unopposed.
K. Barnes - "Sheller" Assistant Editor unopposed.
P. Pienaar - Treasurer unopposed.
M. Anderson - Raffles Officer unopposed.
Presentation Schedule 2000/2001
July 2000 Ashley Miskelly Marine Photography
August 2000 Adrian Browne Shells which live on Fossil Sharks Teeth Megalodon
September 2000 Michael Keats Epitoniidae
October 2000 Ron Moylan Annual Shell Show
November 2000 Stephanie Clark & Peter Pienaar Shell Quiz
December 2000 Christmas Field Meeting Callala Bay, Huskisson
January 2001 All Members 5min shell related topic
February 2001 Ron Moylan Diving in the Coral Sea
March 2001 Winston Ponder Hydroprovanidae (to be confirmed)
April 2001 Michael Keats Auction
The meeting was closed at 2.40pm
C. & K. Barnes Secretary.
May Minutes 27/05/2000.
Meeting opened P. Jansen at 2:05pm.
Apologies D. Beechey, P. Pienaar, R. Moylan and A. Miskelly.
Visitors Jim Cootes and Peter Middlefart were warmly welcomed.
Field Trip Reports
C. Barnes reported finding a Pyrene varians (Sowerby, 1832) and a specimen of
Vexilla vexillum (Gmelin 1791) from Kurnell, both unusually far south. He also reported collecting a 40mm specimen of
Haliotis brazieri Angas, 1859 (sub fossil ?) and displayed two species of Smaragdia from Penrhyn beach demonstrating quite a variation in colour and form which are apparently common characteristics of the family Neritidae.
M. Keats reported on a recent visit to Shelly Beach (Cronulla) where he had acquired approximately 20kg of shell grit and was working through it. Michael imagined that there would be at least 200 species though, "nothing outstanding yet".
E. Uhle exhibited a large display case of Cypraeidae collected in and around Sydney including examples of
C. cribaria, C. isabella, C. ziczac, C. miliaris and C. quadrimaculata.
M. Anderson displayed some photos and fossil Marginella sp shells from the Murbko Lens.
Book Reviews
P. Jansen with the latest edition of La Conchiglia, American Conchologist (March 2000) and Siratus magazine from the Brazilian Shell Club.
The CSIRO has produced a CD, "Freshwater and Estuarine Molluscs" the authors are Winston Ponder, Stephanie Clark and M.J. Dallwitz. The CD has 326 species of shells including all freshwater species from NSW. There is an identification key which allows you to select features and identify specimens. Cost $99.
M. Keats distributed Volume 7 No.1 of NSW Regional Ripples and Waves to the meeting. Thank you Michael, everyone appreciates your efforts.
General Business
Note: Peter Pienaar wishes to remind everyone that they need to renew annual NSW Branch and national MSA memberships.
The next Meeting will include the Annual General Meeting. Letter from John Phillips from the South Australian Branch of the MSA will be in Sydney in October and would like to attend the meeting and will bring some shells for swap or sale.
M. Keats has received a letter from Yens Hemmen. A new museum in Germany is looking for any shells from Christmas Island. Patty has the phone/fax number of the President of the Natural History Society on Christmas Island and will forward to Michael.
Presentations Dr Peter Middlefart from Denmark has spent the last two years working at the Australian Museum for Dr Winston Ponder. Peter is co-editor of the MSA national newsletter "Australasian Shell News" and is about to investigate micro bivalves.
Peter gave a slide presentation of his involvement in malacology and marine biology, beginning in Norway with a study on plankton recycling and ice age nutrients. This was followed by a move to warmer pastures in Thailand where he was involved with the Phuket Aquarium and its reference collection of seashells. Peter discussed how his study on the life cycle of a number of the Muricidae required him to build a wash through wet lab (including a sand filtration system).
A number of species had there egg capsule structure and larval or veliger stages displayed using slides taken by a scanning electron microscope. The protoconch and its micro sculpture can be used as a tool to identify species. Peter answered questions from the group including those about veliger settling time and possible distribution of species.
P. Janson offered a vote of thanks for Peters efforts which included a train trip from Wollongong.
Next Meeting 24th June, at 2.00pm, to be immediately followed by the AGM.Meeting closed at 3:09pm.
C. & K. Barnes Secretary
June Minutes24/06/2000.
Meeting opened P. Jansen at 2:41pm.
Apologies
D. Beechey, K. & S. Dean
Field Trip Reports
R. Moylan reported on a recent sailing trip from the Solomon Islands. Ron stopped at East Diamond Islet to wait for an improvement in the weather before moving on to Cairns. A world record size (103mm)
Cymbiola perplicata (Hedley, 1902) was found and is believed to increase the record by 6mm. The family clam farms have been shut down for the past 15 months as vandals destroyed the generator.
M. Keats reported on a visit to Jibbon Head near Bundeena. On the ocean side there was a half metre thick shell drift from which he obtained some Epitoniidae, Mitridae and Cypraeidae. Michael had to contend with cold weather and gale force winds but thought the trip worthwhile.
Michael has also obtained a new Scientific Research Permit from Department of Fisheries. The permit specifies that the holder must supervise others if in a group, when picking up shells in restricted zones.
A. Miskelly paid another visit to Bottle & Glass Rocks and observed a live Pinna sp bivalve greater than 300mm, some dead Brachiopods and a very large and dark (possibly deformed)
Cypraea caputserpentis Linnaeus, 1758.
C. Barnes reported finding Cymatium labiosum (Wood 1828) from Penrhyn Beach,
Pyrene varians (Sowerby, 1832) and Belloliva exquisita (Angus, 1871) from Little Bay. A trip to Yarra Bay yielded a specimen of
Trigonostoma amasia (Iredale, 1930). Finally a trip to Shelly Beach, Cronulla produced a number of Cypraeidae and Collumbellidae species, plus Olividae species
Belloliva triticea (Duclos, 1835) and Zemira australis (Sowerby, 1833). All specimens named were beach collected at the tide mark.
New Shell Acquisitions
M.Keats acquired a collection of marine gastropod and bivalve fossils from Callow beds in Belgium collected by J Gaze in 1982.
M. Anderson displayed a specimen of Cypraea stolida Linnaeus, 1758 form
"crossei" from New Caledonia which had an interesting healed break possibly from a fish bite.
Book Reviews Vita Marina
American Conchologist, June 2000
Crustacea Guide of the World (doesn't have any shells but is very interesting)
General Business
There are two Shell exhibitions: "Cornish Shell Art" in The Rocks and "The Spell of the Shell" in the Susannah Place Museum.
Meeting closed at 3.00pm.
C. & K. Barnes, Secretary
NEW SOUTH WALES BRANCH
ANNUAL SHELL SHOW
Saturday 28th October 2000
Entry Fee: $3.00 per entry, exhibitors may enter up to 3 entries per
category.
Non Entry Penalty: $5.00 per person.
CATEGORIES
Display of ‘White Coloured” Shells:
10 pieces minimum – any size – colour “white” to dominate external portion of shell.
Display of Cones:
15 Favourite pieces – size above 60mm.
Display of Cowries:
15 Favourites pieces – size above 60mm.
Display of Cowries:
Minium 15 pieces - size 30 to 50mm.
Display of Cowries:
Minimum 20 pieces – size under 28mm.
Display of Volutes:
Endemic to Australia – size above 60mm – minimum 12 pieces.
Display of Volutes:
Worldwide – minimum 12 pieces – no size restrictions.
Display of Murex:
12 Favourite pieces – any size.
Display of Mitres:
20 pieces minimum.
Display of Harps:
15 pieces minimum.
Display of Marginella:
20 pieces minimum.
JUDGING:
Judges will consider, where applicable:-
-
Quality and perfection of specimens
-
Correct identification and number in display.
-
Quality of display, aesthetic appeal.
-
Where specific sizes are nominated specimens must be mature.
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