NEW YORK SHELL CLUB NOTES No. 243 June-July-Aug. 1978 Page 9 
TWO UNUSUAL FORMS OF CONUS CATUS Hwass, 1792 
Robert Janowsky 
The three specimens illustrated represent two interesting forms of 
Conus catus Hwass 1792. This species has a very wide distribution 
throughout the Indo-Pacific; it is a common shell and one that is 
quite variable in appearance. 
Two rather distinct forms of Conus catus were named by Dautzenber 
tai > |. Figures 1 and 2 represent the form called Puieepapil Lose. 
This form is distinguished by its lighter color and its granular 
appearance. In figure 1 the spiral cords and pustules are more 
strongly produced. The color of this specimen is tan with red/brown 
markings. The shell in figure 2 is not as heavily corded or pustu- 
lose and its color is lighter, with tones of orange and gold predom- 
inating. These two specimens were collected in Takapoto, the 
Tuamotos Archipelago, French Polynesia. 
Figure 3 shows the 
form fusco-olivaceus 
which can be distin- 
guished by its very 
dark purple/brown to 
almost black color. 
It is almost smooth 
in contrast to the 
rubrapapillosa form. 
This specimen was 
collected in the 
Marquesas Islands, 
French Polynesia. 
While these form names 
have no real taxonomic 
status (they are not 
species), they are 

Conus catus Hwass, 1792 nonetheless convenient 
Specimens 32mm*+1 in the collection "handles" to distin- 
of B. & P. Pipher, Takamah, Neb. guish varietal types 
of this interesting 
Photograph by Robert Janowsky. , 
species. 

RECORD PRICE FOR A SEASHELL 
A 78mm live-collected specimen of Conus thomae Gmelin, 1791 recent- 
ly changed hands for a price of $5,500.00. This is probably the 
first live-collected specimen of this rare species seen in the past 
150 years. The specimen was trawled by a fishing trawler off Thai- 
land near the Burmese border. It is believed that this 1s the 
highest price ever paid for a single specimen of any shell in the 
United States. Bob Janowsky 
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER 
SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER! 
