Eloise - Masirah Island, Oman
This is a very rare shell found only in Masirah Island where I work. I want to share this with you guys. Our good friend Colin Kirtley found this recently, lent me to capture for Flickr.
Acteon eloiseae
Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: ACTEONOIDEA
Family: Acteonidae
DISTRIBUTION
Founder Dr D. Bosch and his wife Eloise after whom the species is named. Shell 32mm in length. Masirah Island, Oman, Arabian Sea
Acteon eloiseae is known only from Masirah Island. The largest shell known is 38mm long. Nothing is known of its anatomy so a generic placement is not possible but as Abbott suggests it closely resembles species of the genus Maxacteon and in particular Maxacteon flammea. It is often misspelt A. eloisae.
Unfortunately in 1993, the breeding area of the shells had been witnessed being "hoovered" and a very large quantity of the "eloise" had been removed live. Additionally the indigenous population had cottoned on to the fact that people desired this shell, and they started indiscriminately removing live shells also to try and sell.
DFA_8691
Eloise - Masirah Island, Oman
This is a very rare shell found only in Masirah Island where I work. I want to share this with you guys. Our good friend Colin Kirtley found this recently, lent me to capture for Flickr.
Acteon eloiseae
Order: CEPHALASPIDEA
Superfamily: ACTEONOIDEA
Family: Acteonidae
DISTRIBUTION
Founder Dr D. Bosch and his wife Eloise after whom the species is named. Shell 32mm in length. Masirah Island, Oman, Arabian Sea
Acteon eloiseae is known only from Masirah Island. The largest shell known is 38mm long. Nothing is known of its anatomy so a generic placement is not possible but as Abbott suggests it closely resembles species of the genus Maxacteon and in particular Maxacteon flammea. It is often misspelt A. eloisae.
Unfortunately in 1993, the breeding area of the shells had been witnessed being "hoovered" and a very large quantity of the "eloise" had been removed live. Additionally the indigenous population had cottoned on to the fact that people desired this shell, and they started indiscriminately removing live shells also to try and sell.
DFA_8691