Auckland Shell Club

June Meeting
A good turn-out of members studied a wide variety of marine creatures including dried fish, seaweed, brachiopods, sea stars, sea eggs, crabs, sponges, seaweed and even bones.
We then viewed an interesting DVD "The Secret Lives of Seashells" which was produced on Sanibel Island Florida. It showed shell fish eating, moving, protecting themselves and also their anatomy.
Thank you to those who brought in marine creatures to share.
Ironically we had more exhibits than have ever been on display when molluscs are the subject!

Motuihe Trip 13/June - the hunt for Nassarius burchardi
The forecast of heavy showers and strong wind did not deter 4 keen members - Margaret Morley, Heather Smith, Bruce Hayward, and Thomas Simpson.
After leaving the wharf we were treated to some unusual views of the city bathed in light against a backdrop of ominous black sky. During the day intermittent showers produced spectacular rainbows.
I have to write about the weather as we did not find the expected live population of Nassarius burchardi despite three hours of baiting and searching the intertidal flats. However Heather and Bruce did find 3 dead specimens.
Bruce’s hypothesis is that spat arrived and survived to adulthood but did not go on to reproduce.
On Ocean Beach Thomas spotted a live Pleurobranchaea maculata crawling in a rock pool, and several specimens of Philine came up out of low tide mud after the tide turned.

P.S. it turned out that the "hermit crabbed" specimen of Nassarius burchardi from Motuihe was actually alive! They are alive at Howick coming up to bait. Walter Cernohorski says open a tin of sardines.

Nassarius burchardi (Dunker in Philippi, 1849)
This common Australian species was first found in New Zealand in intertidal cores in April 2009 during NIWA studies in the Waitemata Harbour.
Recently a few have been found hermit crabbed at Motuihe and several alive at Karaka Bay, Tamaki Estuary, St Helliers Bay and Howick. So far they have been found crawling on mid-tidal muddy sand. Some have been scavenging with the whelk Cominella glandiformis.
It has a long proboscis, tentacles and 2 posterior, tentacle-like appendages. Mature specimens have a thickened aperture with denticles on the outer lip. Size about 8mm, colour variable from pale to dark, animal very vigorous and fast moving.

Shell Auction - Albany Hall, Saturday 23rd October 2010
If you would like to sell at the auction then please register your interest with Peter Poortman (Ph: 09 817 1397) as soon as possible. The due date for lot lists is 23/July - please send to Michael Barlow, 5 Sainsbury Road, Mt. Albert, Auckland 1025, or email to m.red.barlow@gmail.com.

New Zealand Shell Show 2011
The Wellington Shell Club is pleased to announce that the next New Zealand Shell Show will be hosted in Wellington at the Lower Hutt Town Hall from 12th to 13th February 2011.
The show will cater for most classes of molluscs and levels of collector. Dealers are very welcome and sales and trading tables will be available at the venue.
Shell show program, classes, rules, and entry form, as well as some information on transport and accommodation is now available from the Wellington Club's website at: www.clublist.co.nz/sites/wellingtonshellclub.aspx.
For assistance or information please contact the Wellington Shell Club secretary Deirdre Standish at deirdre.standish@clear.net.nz, phone 64-4-9041080, or write to: 4 Sharda Grove, Paraparaumu Beach 5032, New Zealand.
We look forward to meeting with you at this exciting shell event in February 2011.

New Zealand Seashells Visual Guide
The new book "New Zealand Seashells Visual Guide" by Jenny Raven and Selwyn Bracegirdle is now available. It comprises 76 A4 colour pages of over 800 species in a clear plastic protective sleeve.
It will be available at the next Club meeting for people who pre-paid and for others to buy. The price for members of a Shell Club will be NZ$77.90 (GST included). This is a discount of $10 on the retail price. For postage within New Zealand add an additional $2.
Contact Selwyn Bracegirdle at creatus@paradise.net.nz or 04 9739410 for more information.

Next Meeting
202 Gillies Avenue, Epsom at 7:30pm on Tuesday 13th of July (doors open at 7pm)
Peter will finally get the chance to test everyone’s knowledge of NZ shells. It won’t be easy – so start brushing up now! There will be prizes :-)

Shell related news and items of interest (Eg. recent finds, media articles, etc.) are always appreciated.
A large variety of shells will be on sale - and bring anything you would like to sell.
Supper will be provided, as well as our regular shell raffle kindly donated by Doug & Judith Snook.

Is it plant or is it animal?
Elysia chlorotica, a sea slug that lives in salt marshes off the Northeastern United States, is a bit of both!
In 2007, researchers at the University of South Florida established that the slug had extracted genes from algae and slipped them into its own DNA - the first proven instance of gene transfer between multi-cellular organisms. Now it turns out that the slug uses these borrowed genes to produce its own chlorophyll, the pigment that allows plants to turn sunlight into energy.
In order to engage in photosynthesis, the slug needs to eat at least one meal of algae early in its life. Chloroplasts from the algae remain in the slug and synthesise the chlorophyll using enzymes produced by the slug. After that, the slug will eat more algae if given the opportunity, but is perfectly capable of living out the rest of its ten month lifespan on sunlight alone.

Poirieria Magazine
We welcome all contributions to our club magazine 'Poirieria'.
Anything related to shells or collecting would be greatly appreciated - Eg. shelling trips/finds, personal observations/tips, scientific research, historic anecdotes, notable washups, etc.
Please send to Jan Munroe at kevandjan@slingshot.co.nz, or 42 Black Teal Close, Albany, North Shore 0632. Contact Patricia Langford on (09) 479 6149 if you have any queries.

Club Library
We have an extensive collection of books, magazines, and scientific publications available, as well as a biological microscope.

Other Club News
. Townsville Shell Show, 3-4 July 2010, Townsville Orchid Society Hall, Joe Kirwan Park, Charles Street. Kirwan, Townsville

. Keppel Bay Shell Show, 10-11 July 2010, Gus Moore Pavilion at the Yeppoon Show Grounds

. Items of interest for the monthly newsletter are always welcome - email to peter.poortman@xtra.co.nz, or post to 26 Pendlebury Street, Green Bay, Auckland 0604.

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