CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGEClearly the owner here has been mislead and these shells ARE NOT remotely like any of the shells now being marketed on eBAY or anywhere else as 'Tasmanian maireener shells'. However it has been noted that 'maireener' is being used to describe a range of small iridescent shells – not always from Tasmania if at all – used to make necklaces. The shells that do qualify for being called maireener shells are identified here – click here. Given that these shells are not Tasmanian – and even unlikely to be Australian – we are not in a position to say what they actually are but there are network members who may be able to.
It is most important to remember that maireener shells are only iridescent if they have been cleaned – had their outer coating removed either chemically or physically.
If the owner bought these shells because they were maireeners shells, or even Tasmanian maireener shell, or worse still Tasmanian maireener shells in a Tasmanian Aboriginal made necklace they have been mislead. The word 'maireener' has become "the key word" for the necklaces that are recorded on this site.
It has been noted that 'maireener' has often been misused as a key word by eBAY sellers!
Well here is the information requested: "These are a prosobranch (gilled) landsnail. The Family is Helicinidae. Exact species is difficult to pin – they look alot alike – but likely genera are Helicina, Sulfurina, or Orobophana. There are many species in the West Indies and tropical Asia, including islands in the Pacific ... one species has been identified in Texas, USA. On eBay, sometimes they are listed as 'pikake' shells, which possibly is not accurate, either. Several "Hawaiian" necklaces contain these shells. Sometimes they are coated with a pearlized-looking paint to make them appear iridescent, but they do not contain any mother of pearl and are therefore incapable of being truly iridescent. They are kind of cute and string nicely." ... the knowledge bank grows.
It is most important to remember that maireener shells are only iridescent if they have been cleaned – had their outer coating removed either chemically or physically.
If the owner bought these shells because they were maireeners shells, or even Tasmanian maireener shell, or worse still Tasmanian maireener shells in a Tasmanian Aboriginal made necklace they have been mislead. The word 'maireener' has become "the key word" for the necklaces that are recorded on this site.
It has been noted that 'maireener' has often been misused as a key word by eBAY sellers!
Well here is the information requested: "These are a prosobranch (gilled) landsnail. The Family is Helicinidae. Exact species is difficult to pin – they look alot alike – but likely genera are Helicina, Sulfurina, or Orobophana. There are many species in the West Indies and tropical Asia, including islands in the Pacific ... one species has been identified in Texas, USA. On eBay, sometimes they are listed as 'pikake' shells, which possibly is not accurate, either. Several "Hawaiian" necklaces contain these shells. Sometimes they are coated with a pearlized-looking paint to make them appear iridescent, but they do not contain any mother of pearl and are therefore incapable of being truly iridescent. They are kind of cute and string nicely." ... the knowledge bank grows.
3 comments:
I've seen snails with shells a lot like these in The Philippines. Apparently they are real pest in the rice paddies etc.
The Filipinos are very good at turning a negative into a positive. So if they are stringing these shells into necklaces that would not be at all surprising.
The species is definitely tropical and terrestrial, perhaps in the Camaenidae family. It is interesting how many necklaces are turning up on ebay purporting to be maireeners/Tasmanian.
Depending on the size of the shells are, they could be Helicinidae Orobophana pacifica, common as dishwater throughout Polynesia, or more likely, Sulfurina (Kosmetopoma) amaliae, which are larger and have a keel on the body whorl, as the ones in this image indicate, common in the Philippines.
The species is definitely tropical and terrestrial, perhaps in the Camaenidae family. It is interesting how many necklaces are turning up on ebay purporting to be maireeners/Tasmanian.
Depending on the size of the shells are, they could be Helicinidae Orobophana pacifica, common as dishwater throughout Polynesia, or more likely, Sulfurina (Kosmetopoma) amaliae, which are larger and have a keel on the body whorl, as the ones in this image indicate, common in the Philippines.
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