NEW YORK SHELL CLUB NOTES No. 253 June-July-Aug. 1979 Page 9 
Cc. hirasei. Tooth structure along the labial margins, too, is quite 
different in the two species: The teeth of C. sakuraii are fewer in 
number on the columella but are more strongly produced and propor- 
tionately coarser in appearance. In front of me now, as I write, 
are the two species: a 40mm specimen of C. hirasei which has 32 teeth 
on the columellar labial and 23 on the outer labial. In contrast, 
the 44.9mm specimen of C. sakuraii (the one here illustrated) has 24 
columellar teeth and 25 on the outer labial. The teeth of C. hira- 
sei cross Slightly onto the columella; those of C. sakuraii are not 
as long. 
In each the columella is smooth and slightly flared, and there is a 
sulcus at the anterior end with well developed teeth (stronger in 
the case of C. hirasei) separating the canal from the interior por- 
tion of the columella. 

The illustrated specimen was 
collected by a coral fishing 
boat operating off southwest 
Taiwan at approximate depths 
of 100 meters. It measures 
44.9mm in length, 28.7mm at 
its widest point, and 24.2mm 
at its maximum height. It 
has been reported from waters 
off southeast Japan and north- 
ern and southern Taiwan. i 
have heard reports that spec- 
imens have been collected in 
the southern Philippines but, 
to date, every one of these 
specimens that I have seen 
has been Cypraea hirasei. 
There is, though, every rea- 
son to believe that with in- 
creased collecting activity 
this species will be found, 
in time, in the Philippines. 
To date I have found no Aus- 
tralian counterpart for C. 
sakuraii. As I am sure many 
of you are aware, many spe- 
cies of Cypraea found in the 
area that C. sakuraii seems 
to inhabit are found also in 
Australia; e.g., C. hirasei 
and C. queenslandica, C. hun- 


Cypraea sakuraii Habe, 1970 erfordi and C. coucomi, at 
L. 44.9mm, W. 28.7mm, H. 24.2mm C. langfordi and C. langfordi 
moretonensis -- as well as C. 
Collection of and photograph by Buttata. 1 would not be sur- 
Robert H. Janowsky prised to see C. sakuraii from 
Australia, too -- in time. 
