NEW YORK SHELL CLUB NOTES 
Page 6 November 1979 No. 256 
GYPRABA BARCLAYI Reeve, 1857 
Robert H. Janowsky 
There is perhaps today less known about this rather small Cypraea 
than any other species that I have discussed in previous issues of 
this publication. I am unaware of any studies ever having been 
made on the animal, and there is almost no information about its 
range or its habitat. In the 122 years since Gypraea barclayi was 
described, very few specimens have come to light -- I would venture 
a guess that fewer than 12 specimens of this shell are known today 
Apart from the specimen figured here I can locate only two other 
specimens in this country -- those in the collection of the Dela- 
ware Museum of Natural History. 3 
There is no question about the validit of this ies: Cyp 
barclayi is totally unlike any other cy raea each | coal 2 ee 
with. Reeve in fact states in his description of the shell that it 
is "perfectly unlike any of this favorite genus hitherto know on y 
Burgess, too, states in his remarkable book, THE LIVING COWRIES 
"though it is a unique shell, it is so obviousl diff BES : 
others that there is no question about its s aon a nk. naa 
imen that Burgess illustrates in the above ont (Pl. 23, F Leah te. 
the type specimen, the only specimen known at the ti 5f oe H 
cation of his book (1970). The same specimen wich 2 +" fe om 
Lp eerie epi sy pom of Couceuet iva docu) tam A 
Taylor an alls in their book, COWRIES 5 
in 1975. This shell (the type speci : xt CODY 
16mm maximum width, 14mm even aes BB ERT tks 
here is slightly smaller, nada eek ped Sa eae, 
width, 11.7mm maximum height. Both specime one ii) kee Se 
Prk Bt the specimen here illustrated deen i stte PRA 
r in color than , 
faded somewhat over he ee rages Mey ie Na Coe ea 
men the orange-brown spotting of the ae Eisen aie a 
intense in color than in the type Bped inert Toh oP ceio et Ba ae, 
pears at the marginal lines and is not rine de ses eagle 
base and margins are creamy tan in pC, Mla ore nee. rhe 
overall shade of orange-brown that is al me sie Coie 2 eo 
The canals and surface of the labial Peis Ay BR Oiay bat ano GRO t8- 
most closely adjacent to the siphonal c are orange. The teeth 
surface on the columella side but are ge tS cre atte? TAREE 
portion. The interstices between all rapes sonore Seager tral 
color as the base. On the labial side: i oh ke ee 
twenty strongly developed teeth which mes pul 
On the columella side there are twenty-t SE eau eee 
terminal tooth); they extend about na Piwis abe (including aoe 
which is otherwise simple, slightly Giterid. af baad {ance ta 
nounced sulcus at the anterior end. StGAs 24, Hae 18 ell. pro- 
Reeve reports that his type s 
t pecimen was 
— Peet up in a dredge from “deep ba eter poe , hal eit 
peers gente ce orp hay the middle of the toad aD setae 
Beccuten ce ry peice in this article was collected ey Heeca tart’ 
pis gga alts from off the Zululand coast, Natal Sethe = 
5 ee eae ole ie ng thousand miles from Diego Garci sats Neg ae 
date I know ? aware Museum also have a South Afri ea Ra eam 
ow of no other specimen found in Diego inet aeeo tt To 
pite a 
