The C. Chen Collection: “Kogkhulion”

“Kogkhulion” (Greek: “Conch”) is a photographic reference to world molluscs using specimens from the C. Chen Collection; continually updated. Mouse-hover over an image will display the scientific name, clicking/tapping reveals the full image with a detailed species account. For a searchable version, click here.

Trigonostoma milleri Burch, 1949 <br /> CANCELLARIIDAE<br /> Panama, 22.5mm, GEM-<br /> Perhaps the most spectacular of the genus, "Miller's Nutmeg" is loosely coiled with whorls detached from each other. Distributed across the Pacific side of Central America and northern South America including the Galápagos Islands, it is rather rare and found around the depth of -50~100m. Rather variable in looseness of the coiling, strength of shoulder spines, and colouration (orange to gray).
Busycon coarctatum (Sowerby I, 1825) <br /> BUCCINIDAE<br /> Bay of Campeche, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, 136.1mm, F++<br /> With stunning flame patterns, the "Turnip Whelk" is a handsome whelk species endemic to the Yucatan Penninsula and Bay of Campeche in Mexico. It is a classic rarity selected by S. Peter Dance as one of his fifty "Rare Shells" (1969), and for 125 years since its description money could not buy it. Today it is still a rarely offered species and very uncommon in collections, especially so outside North America.
Punctacteon eloiseae (Abbott, 1973) <br /> ACTEONIDAE<br /> Low tide, Al Masirah Island, Oman, 27.5mm, GEM, Ex-coll: Dr Donald T. Bosch<br /> "The Eloise" is famous for producing one of the loveliest molluscan shells known, and the superb specimen depicted here shows this species in all its glory. Endemic to the Al Masirah Island in Oman, it was discovered by Dr Donald Bosch and named after his wife, Eloise Bosch. It lives in very shallow water and is most likely a sand/mud burrower feeding on polychaete worms; the largest specimen recorded is 38mm in shell length.
Chicoreus palmarosae (Lamarck, 1822) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Sri Lanka, 100mm, F++<br /> The "Rose-Branch Murex" is a muricid very famous for the beauty of its rose-coloured leafy spines that gives it the common name. A very widely distributed species ranging from the Mascarene Basin in Indian Ocean to southern Japan in the Pacific Ocean, this species shows extreme variation in form in different localities. For example. the best known flowery-branched form (as shown here) is found from Sri Lanka to Somalia, whereas the Philippines form has much reduced spines.
Rostellariella martinii (Marrat, 1877) <br /> ROSTELLARIIDAE<br /> Tayabas Bay, Philippines, 158mm, F++<br /> The "Martini's Tibia" is an elegant, thin-shelled tibia. One of S. Peter Dance's fifty "Rare Shells" (1969), this species was considered very rare until late 20th century. It inhabits rather deep water of about 100~200m and has a distribution from Taiwan to Borneo.
Haliotis scalaris (Leach, 1814) <br /> HALIOTIDAE<br /> -10m, Rottnest Island, Western Australia, 64.5mm, F+++<br /> The "Staircase Abalone" is arguably the most exquisite of all extant abalone species. With three rows of dorsal spiral ridges and a series of fan-like lamellae, it is also the most extensively sculptured and ornamented abalone species. Known from shallow waters of Southwestern and Western Australia, it is an uncommon species which can grow to 10cm in shell length.
Concholepas concholepas (Bruguière, 1789) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -10~20m, Chacao, Chile, 117mm, F++<br /> The "Barnacle Rock Shell" superficially resembles abalones or limpets, but its corneous operculum reveals its true identity as a muricid. Although it lives attached to rocks like true abalones or limpets, it is a carnivorouos species like other muricids and feeds mainly on bivalves and barnacles. The foot of this species is edible and is a major product of the Chilean fishery. Inhabiting waters up to -40m deep, this species ranges from Chile to Peru.
Cardium costatum Linnaeus, 1758 <br /> CARDIIDAE<br /> -50~80m, Mauritania, 81.5mm, F++<br /> The "Great Ribbed Cockle" is a striking bivalve highly sought-after by collectors. Endemic to West Africa, its strongly elevated rib sculpture makes this species easily recognisable. The shell is thin and light, as the ribs are hollow inside. Shell length may reach 110mm.
Cymatium femorale (Linnaeus, 1758) <br /> RANELLIDAE<br /> Espírito Santo, Brazil, 154.2mm, F+/F++<br /> The "Angular Triton" is a famous ranellid instantly recognisable by its unique raised shoulder. It is extremely variable in size, the shown specimen being a giant but the species is said to grow beyond 20cm. Its range of distribution is from Florida, USA to Brazil.
Morum dennisoni (Reeve, 1842) <br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -60m, off Punta de Gallinas, Guarija Peninsula, Colombia, 43.1mm, GEM-<br /> Truly magnificent orange-red parietal shield ornamented with white pustulation makes "Dennion's Morum" one of the most beautiful Moruminae species. A great Carribean rarity first described from John Dennison's cabinet, it was virtually unobtainable until late 20th century. Somewhat variable in size, colouration, extent of shield pustulation, and strength of shoulder spines. Usually found on muddy sand approximately -50~200m deep.
Cyrtulus serotinus Hinds, 1843 <br /> FASCIOLARIIDAE<br /> Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, 78.3mm, F++<br /> The "Marquesan Spindle" is a particularly strange and twisted-looking fasciolariid from the Polynesia. Usually the spire is bent to one side, enhancing the twistedness of the shell even more. It is uncommonly found in shallow water, and is the only known species in genus Cyrtulus.
Epitonium scalare (Linnaeus, 1758) <br /> EPITONIIDAE<br /> Olango Island, Cebu, Philippines, 57mm, F++<br /> The "Precious Wentletrap" is one of the most famous species throughout the history of shell collection, and surely one of the most exquisite. First appeared in Europe in the 17th century, it was so rare until the 19th century that it was worth more than gold of the same weight; and the legend often speaks of clever fakes made of rice paste coming from China. Today it is a common species widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region, with most specimens originating from the Philippines.
Macrocypraea cervus (Linnaeus, 1771) <br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> -18m on rock ledges, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 104mm, F++<br /> The "Atlantic Deer Cowry" is the largest of the extant cowries, and are said to reach 190mm in shell length. The average size however is about 100mm and specimens above 130mm are very rare. Common in rather shallow waters from North Carolina, USA to northern Cuba.
Phalium fimbria (Gmelin, 1791) <br /> CASSIDAE<br /> -18~25m, Baixo do Pinda, Nampula, Mozambique, 102.2mm, F++<br /> The "Fimbriate Bonnet" is a famous rarity in subfamily Phaliinae, which contains majority of the rare species in Cassidae. Ranges from East Africa to Indonesia, it inhabits shallow water and is often washed ashore after storms. A large specimen is depicted here, although huge specimens as large as 128mm has been recorded.
Cymbiola cymbiola (Gmelin, 1791) <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Arafura Sea, Indonesia, 65.5mm, F++<br /> The "Crown Volute" is an uncommon volute found from Indonesia to Australia. It occurs in two forms, the cream form shown here and a rarer dark brown form. Shell shape and length of spines are somewhat variable, and the shell can be banded or unbanded. A rather famous volute sough-after by collectors.
Fimbria soverbii (Reeve, 1842) <br /> LUCINIDAE<br /> North West Australia, 71.3mm, F++<br /> The "Elegant Basket Lucina" was one of the most prized rare bivalves in the nineteenth century due to its beautiful frills. It was selected as one of the fifty "Rare Shells" by S. Peter Dance (1969), although this species was no longer rare then. One of the only two species in its genus today, it is today uncommon and lives between -5~20m in the South West Pacific.
Scaphella dubia (Broderip, 1827) f. kieneri Clench, 1946<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> -100m, off Louisiana, USA, 130mm, F+<br /> The "Kiener's Volute" is a particularly elegant form of the "Dubious Volute", ranging from west Florida to Mexico and inhabits rather deep water. A classic rarity, this form was made famous by S. Peter Dance who recognised it as one of the fifty "Rare Shells" (1969), when it was still thought to be a valid full species. It is still uncommon today, and most specimens appear to originate from Florida or Louisiana, USA.
Harpa costata (Linnaeus, 1758) <br /> HARPIDAE<br /> -20m, Mahébourg, Mauritius, 62.3mm, F++<br /> The "Imperial Harp" is a classic rarity and the most sought-after of the harps. An extremely famous species chose by S. Peter Dance in his fifty "Rare Shells" (1969), it is the only harpid to have ribs in such frequency. The width and frequency of ribs vary greatly however, and the specimen depicted here has ribs very close together to one another and is my favourite form. This species is endemic to the Mascarene Basin.
Pterynotus loebbeckei (Kobelt, 1879) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Balut Island, Mindanao, Philippines, 56.3mm, F/F+<br /> Depicted here is a not-so-perfect specimen of the "Loebbecke's Murex". A classic rarity chosen as one of the fifty "Rare Shells" by S. Peter Dance (1969), this species is still rare today. The wings are variable in size and the wide-winged form is arguably the most spectacular of all muricids if perfect. Most specimens are orange but yellow, pink, and white specimens have also been found.
Tribulus planospira (Lamarck, 1822) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -1~2m, Bahia Isabel, Fernandina Island, Galápagos Islands, 46.6mm, F++<br /> The "Eye-of-Judas" ranges from Mexico to Peru and is one of the most spectacular rock shells with its unforgettable aperture. It is a much sought-after collector's item, and specimens offered mostly originate from the Galápagos Islands or continental Ecuador. Although it seems to be most common on the Galápagos Islands, tight collecting restrictions there probably plays a role in its apparent rarity on the market.
Angaria sphaerula (Kiener, 1838) <br /> ANGARIIDAE<br /> Zamboanga, Philippines, 84mm, F++<br /> The "Kiener's Delphinula" is one of the fifty "Rare Shells" chosen by S. Peter Dance (1969) and was for a long time considered very rare. Today it is known to be rather common in shallow water of tropical west Indo-Pacific region. Perhaps the most beautiful species of the family, it is also one of the most variable. The most desirable form has webbed spines like large petals of a flower, this form is still rare if the frills are intact and of a large size for the form (~50mm). A very large specimen is shown here, although not the webbed form.
Callipara casaana Childs, R. Aiken & Bail, 2020<br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Ras Hafun, Somalia, 206mm <br /> <br /> The "Festive Volute" is a classic rarity in Volutidae. It was virtually unobtainable even into the late 1900s, a young and dead collected specimen was sold for an extreme price of 2175USD back in late 1960s. One of S. Peter Dance's fifty choice "Rare Shells" (1969), this species is still rare but much easier to obtain today. Most specimens collected are worn, faded, or damaged in some way; and large, specimen grade examples still fetch high prices.
Cryptospira elegans (Gmelin, 1791) <br /> MARGINELLIDAE<br /> Phuket Island, Thailand, 40.4mm, F++<br /> The "Elegant Marginella" is a large species for this family, member of which are usually two centimeters or less in shell length. Marginellids are close relatives of volutes, and are also carnivorous molluscs.
Siphonaria gigas Sowerby I, 1825 <br /> SIPHONARIIDAE<br /> Intertidal, Palo Seco, Panama, 44.4mm, F+<br /> The "Giant False Limpet" is a large limpet distributed from Mexico to Peru. It has a limpet-form shell, but it is a pulmonate and air-breathing species not closely related to true limpets (Patellogastropoda). Siphonariids can be distinguished from true limpets by a well defined lateral groove (used to take in air) and a clearly interrupted muscle scar due to presence of the pneumostome.
Siratus beauii (Fischer & Bernardi, 1857) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> -180m, Dry Tortugas, Florida, USA, 82.9mm, F++<br /> The "Beau's Murex" was first discovered by Commandant Beau in early 1800s and is named after him. For more than a century since its discovery it was a rare murex and one of the most desirable of all muricids, and it was also one of the fifty select species in S. Peter Dance's "Rare Shells" (1969). This species comes in two forms, the more common form shown here and a very scarce deep water form with extensive frills, the latter is still very difficult to obtain even today.
Nautilus belauensis Saunders, 1981 <br /> NAUTILIDAE<br /> -200m, Babeldaob Island, Palau, 196mm, F++<br /> The "Palau Nautilus" is a nautilid endemic to waters around Palau. It is a large species, second in size only to giant specimens of Nautilus pompilius L., 1758 which is highly variable in size. Although very similar to N. pompilius, it is differentiated based on fine raised ridges along growth lines of the shell and difference in the radula.
Tudivasum armigerum (Adams, 1856) <br /> TURBINELLIDAE<br /> -15~20m, Cape Moreton, Queensland, Australia, 44.9mm, F++<br /> The "Armoured Tudicula" is a particularly spiny member of the subfamily Vasinae which looks remarkably like a muricid of genus Bolinus, especially Bolinus cornutus (L., 1758). This species can be easily told apart from a true muricid, however, by its lack of varices and a large round, smooth protoconch (as opposed to a smaller and more elongate one typical of true muricids).
Pteria gregata (Reeve, 1857) <br /> PTERIIDAE<br /> -10~20m, Pandanan Island, Philippines, 63.3mm, F+<br /> The winged pearl oysters are sessile bivalves with very peculiar shape, this species being one of the most extreme. Widely distributed in the West Pacific, Pteria gregata lives attached to gorgonians and other substrates using its strong byssus threads. All pteriids have thick nacre (mother-of-pearl) inner layers, and species of the genus Pinctada is the main source of salt water pearls.
Vasum armatum (Broderip, 1833) <br /> TURBINELLIDAE<br /> -10~15m, Fakarava Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia, 49.2mm, F++<br /> The "Armed Vase" is a rather rare endemic of East Polynesia. It is very seldomly found in good condition, the large specimen shown is exceptional in being almost perfect apart from a small chip in one of the shoulder spines. The subfamily Vasinae contains many famous rarities, for example Altivasum flindersi (Verco, 1914) and Tudivasum zanzibarica (Abbott, 1958).
Phasianella australis (Gmelin, 1791) <br /> PHASINELLIDAE<br /> Streaky Bay, South Australia, 91.5mm, F++<br /> The "Painted Lady / Australian Pheasant" is the largest phasinellid and it is endemic to Australia (including Tasmania). The shells of this species vary greatly in shell form, colour, and pattern; extremes such as golden colouration and solid spiral bands are known. The operculum of the large specimen shown here is too small for the shell, probably taken from another smaller individual.
Meiocardia cumingi (Adams, 1864) <br /> GLOSSIDAE<br /> Kantang, Trang Province, Thailand, 38.3mm, F+++<br /> The "Cuming's Heart Clam" belongs to the genus Meiocardia, which comprises about half a dozen very similar species all with recurved umbones like ram's horn and resemble a heart when viewed from the side. The large specimen depicted is uncommon in retaining periostracum, the ostracum is milky white to pure white.
Malleus albus Lamarck, 1819 <br /> MALLEIDAE<br /> Bohol, Philippines, 198mm, F++<br /> The "White Hammer Oyster" must be one of the most curiously shaped bivalve of all. Used to be one of the early rarities in European cabinets back in early 1700s when the Pacific Ocean remained little explored, it is now known to be a common species widely distributed from Japan to Indo-West Pacific where it lives in shallow water attached to substrate with byssus threads.
Thersistrombus thersites (Swainson, 1823) <br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> New Caledonia, 153.1mm, F++<br /> The "Thersite Conch" is a rather rare strombid from Central and West Pacific. This species has extremely thick shell for its size, and the large specimen depicted here weighs 500g. Most specimens have very corroded spire and dorsum, and specimens preserved in good quality are scarce.
Astraea heliotropium (Martyn, 1784) <br /> TURBINIDAE<br /> -35m, Foveaux Strait, New Zealand, 61.7mm, F+++<br /> The "Sunburst Star Turban / Imperial Sun" was first discovered during Captain James Cook's second voyage, in year 1773. It is a very attractive endemic of New Zealand and was once a choice collector's item, fetching extreme prices at auctions during the first hundred year or so after its discovery. Although it is fairly common nowadays, specimens retaining all lamellae are still uncommon.
Vexillum filiareginae Cate, 1961<br /> COSTELLARIIDAE<br /> Bantayan Island, Philippines, 72mm, F+
Semicassis thachi Kreipl, Alf & Eggeling, 2006 <br /> CASSIDAE<br /> Nha Trang, Vietnam, 36mm, F++<br /> This is a rather rare cassid species recently described from Vietnam. It lives in rather deep water, around the depth of 200m. A differerent form is found in Philippines with much wider spiral ribs.
Ophioglossolambis violacea (Swainson, 1821) <br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> Saint Brandon, Mauritius, 118.2mm, F++<br /> The "Violet Spider Conch" is one of the great classic rarities of the conchology world, and perhaps one of the most beautiful. It is the rarest strombid of the Indian Ocean, and was one of the fifty species chosen by S. Peter Dance in 'Rare Shells' (1969). Vast majority of specimens have been collected from Mauritius (especially Saint Brandon), and it appears to be endemic to the Mascarene Basin.
Fissurella maxima Sowerby I, 1834 <br /> FISSURELLIDAE<br /> -10.5m, Coquimbo, Chile, 92mm, F+<br /> The "Giant Keyhole Limpet" is a large member of Fissurellidae, a primitive family of gastropods. Its soft parts extends well beyond the shell and the mantle almost completely covers it, and thus although the shell resembles a true limpet they are easily told apart when alive. The central hole is used for respiration and excretion.
Umbilia armeniaca Verco, 1912 <br /> CYPRAEIDAE<br /> Great Australian Bight, Australia, 100.1mm, F+++<br /> The "Apricot-Coloured Cowry" is a large cowry endemic to the Great Australian Bight and is a symbolic species of the Southern Australia. Although this species used to be very rare as it lives in rather deep water (~200m), it is only uncommon nowadays with modern fishing techniques. Adult shell length averages about 85mm, and large specimens over 100mm are still highly sought-after by collectors.
Dolabella auricularia (Lightfoot, 1786) <br /> APLYSIIDAE<br /> Masbate, Philippines, 26.8mm, F++<br /> Shown here is the shell of the "Wedge Sea Hare". It is a rather large herbivorous opisthobranch, and the soft parts of the animal can reach 40cm. Like all sea hares, the shell is enclosed in the mantle and not visible from outside.
Homalocantha oxyacantha (Broderip, 1833) <br /> MURICIDAE<br /> Gulf of Montijo, Panama, 45.7, F++<br /> The "Sharp-Spined Murex" inhabits shallow waters of Tropical West America, and has about seven spine bearing varices per whorl. The spines are sharp and not splayed out as in the Pacific species of this genus, such as H. anatomica.
Aplustrum amplustre (Linnaeus, 1758) <br /> APLUSTRIDAE<br /> Cebu, Philippines, 13.4mm, F++<br /> The "Royal Paper Shell" is a shell-bearing opisthobranch common throughout the Indo-West Pacific. It inhabits shallow waters less than 15m depth, in fine sand.
Harpulina arausiaca (Lightfoot, 1786) <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Palk Strait, Sri Lanka, 69mm, F++<br /> The "Gold-Banded Volute" is a famous volute best known from Sri Lanka. It has several distinct forms, of which the shown is most common. The form with clear, thick horizontal bands and no vertical bands is much sought-after by collectors; although another similar form with regularly ordered thick and thin horizontal bands is perhaps rarer.
Conus pulcher Lightfoot, 1786 <br /> CONIDAE<br /> Banjul, The Gambia, 190.2mm, F++<br /> The "Prometheus Cone" is the largest extant cone shell, and very old specimens may reach 260mm in shell length although majority of the specimens are 100mm or less. Large specimens appear quite different from small ones and were once known by the name of C. prometheus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792, now a synonym of C. pulcher.
Sinustrombus sinuatus (Lightfoot, 1786)<br /> STROMBIDAE<br /> Bohol, Philippines, 103mm, F++<br /> The "Lacinate Conch" is a common species widely distributed across the Southwest Pacific. It is most closely related to the rare S. taurus, and at least one hybrid specimen is knwon from Guam. The shown specimen has a more flared lip than usual.
Zidona dufresnei (Donovan, 1823) <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 253mm, F++<br /> The "Angular Volute" is one of the largest volutids of South America and can exceed 31cm in shell length. It has a characteristic callous covering on its spire which often continues futher than the actual protoconch.
Spondylus imperialis Chenu, 1844 <br /> SPONDYLIDAE<br /> Bohol, Philippines, 104mm, F++<br /> The "Imperial Thorny Oyster" has especially long spines even for a spondylid. The spines are much longer in proportion to the shell when young than when mature. The main function of spondylid spines is to attract sessile marine organisms to settle on them and camouflage the bivalve, which is also sessile.
Melo umbilicatus Broderip in Sowerby I, 1826 <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Indonesia, 325mm, F+/F++<br /> The "Heavy Bailer" is a species of "Bailer Shells" in genus Melo, so named because they were once used by locals to empty water from canoes. This specimen is almost uniformly bright yellow and does not show clearly the two broad colour bands seen in most specimens. It is uncertain whether this is natural or due to baking.
Bolma girgyllus (Reeve, 1861)<br /> TURBINIDAE<br /> Balut Island, Philippines, 65mm, F++<br /> The "Girgyllus Star" is a spectacular representative of genus Bolma, which contains many exiquitely ornamented turbinids. The yellow spines resemble lightning patterns, and hence its Japanese name "Lightning Turban" and Chinese name "Lightning-God Star".
Cymbiola nivosa oblita (Smith, 1909) <br /> VOLUTIDAE<br /> Lagrange Bay, Australia, 70.2mm, F++<br /> The "Erased Volute" is a subspecies of the "Snowy Volute" Cymbiola nivosa (Lamarck, 1804) endemic to Western Australia. C. n. oblita differs from C. n. nivosa by having more prominent shoulder spines.

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