Conchology Section
Auckland Museum Institute

Together with Mike Eagle's slides Fiona Thompson told of going to Dunedin for an international Echinoderm conference. Four of the five days of the conference were wet, windy and freezing, but it cleared up for a trip out to Portobello Marine Lab. Their display pools were crowded with specimens, lots of Chlamys gemmulata which reacted instantly to having a starfish put amongst them. The journey was not primarily a shelling expedition, shells were extra at some of the fossiling areas on the trip there and back.

The best collecting was had at Kakanui where fierce seas and hail the previous evening had brought up a few paired Donacina, and Mactra muchisoni, and Haliotis virginea virginea in bright petrol colours. At Oaru, where on a beach smothered with Portugese Man o War and much seaweed, some superb Haliotis iris, doubtless shed by the local fisherman, were cleaned ready, and masses of Cellana flava, C. stellifera and C. denticulata on the reef.

At Kaikoura we had a brief visit to Bev Elliott's terrific collection of both shells and rocks. She suggests we have a field trip to Kaikoura and she can show us the best places to go. Our finds there were all boring shells; Pholadidia spathulata, Anchomasa similis, Lithophaga truncata still in the rocks, and Notopaphia elegans. Perna caniculata, Modiolus areolatus were sparse, Mytilus edulis and Aulacomya ater maoriana were present most places.

SHELL SHOW
Your schedule and registration form (Microsoft Word format) is enclosed.
The Pakuranga Community Centre has given permission for Conchology guardians to sleep in the hall overnight for security.
Make sure you have the correct dates in your diary.

SUBSCRIPTIONS
If you have not yet paid, please send $20 to: Nick de Carteret, 117 Wood Bay Rd., Titirangi, Ph: 8177019.

POIRIERIA
The editors, Jenny and Tony Enderby need your articles for the next Poirieria. The 12 people going to Shell Shows in Australia have promised an article, but this will not make an edition! Send to J & T Enderby, P.O.Box 139 Leigh.

EXCHANGES
Peter has received email from Herb and Fonda Waldron who collect shells in Florida. They plan to visit New Zealand and wish to exchange shells. Email the Waldrons or contact Peter (09) 8175697 or Margaret (09) 5768323 for a copy of their shell exchange list.

RECORDS OF LEATHERY TUBE WORMS Chaetopterus sp.
Wilma Blom would appreciate any records of this tube worm, especially from Coromandel or South of Auckland. Ph Wilma at (09) 827 8401. 17 West Lynn Rd, New Lynn, Auckland. (See Poirieria 24, p,9.)

NUDIBRANCHS
John Walsby has noticed a decline in the numbers of intertidal nudibranchs. He would appreciate your observations either on the beach or from divers. Ph. (09) 630 8251.

MARINE INVADERS
For a copy of the colour brochure by the Ministry of Fisheries, phone 0800 INVADERS.

NEXT MEETING
Tuesday 11th April, 2000 at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Entry by the Administration door, between 7.15 and 7.45pm. No late admittance.
The Speaker will be Dr Carol Diebel, the new Marine Department Curator, speaking on some of the topics she has previously studied. Bring a tray of your favourite shells collected in the Hauraki Gulf. Carol would like to see our local species.

Thanks to Fiona who produced this newsletter at short notice, when my computer became terminally ill.

• February 2000