|
The
sunday 22th (2001), in la Martinique island (french caribbean),
we had a really fantastic wether.
Usually this is the month of those ling and huge rains... Today
not ! A top shiny day with no cloud and
no wind !! Incredible. We went with friends (they are not collectors)
swimming on a small beach in north caribbean sea, which is not at
all frequented by tourists. As we arrived by 11h00 in the morning
and we went straight in the sea.
All of us (6) started to go to the left side of the beach. We saw
a few minutes later some Strombus specimens (all kinds).
We found also a few fresh dead Cypraea cinerea and pomum
Murex.
As
the seabed started to change, i instantly noticed that i entered
in a Conus regius typical habitat.
There were huge boulders covered with few algae and coral (but not
so much). Between the boulders,
smaller rocks and big sandy grains (in fact kind of very small little
rock fragments).
I dived to have a look under a huge rock by 1 meter and a half.
I found my first specimen. I looked to the
second rock aside the first one : second specimen, but this time
it was a "citrinus" one.
Then, we started to hunt in this spot for about one hour. We
found 14 speciemens of all size and color... (have a look at the
2 pictures below).
|
|
After
about two hours of searching, we decided to go back. Only one friend
went further. As we were having a good rest on the beach our friend
Cyril went back to settlement. He had in his box a few shells. I
asked him what did he found. He says a few things and one he did
not not what type of shell it was. So I did have a look to his transparent
box. I first saw a medium to small size Strombus pugilis.
But when I got closer I could not beleive what i saw : a monster
Conus regius specimen !! A pure incredible huge orange Conus
regius. It is very, very heavy. It is 100 % orange (just like
usual Conus daucus), the beginning of the internal part of
the lip is also orange (see the last picture). The size is around
60 mm !! He decided to gave it to me because he does not collect
shells. This was very nice from him. The conus was found on the
top of a huge boulder. Not hidden at all...
I
let you now enjoy the pictures.
|
