Auckland Shell Club

November Meeting
Come along and learn all about cleaning, preparing and presenting shells. Bring along something to contribute to this topic if you can - be it a demonstration, technique, example (before/after), a "before" that needs the group's feedback as to the best way to go about it, tips, presenting the shells after they have been cleaned.
Mike Hart will also demonstrate his ultrasonic cleaning device.

Guaranteed to be another great night on Tuesday, 10th November at Epsom Community Centre, 202 Gillies Avenue, Epsom where you are welcome to arrive from 7:00 pm on with the meeting commencing at 7:30 pm. As usual, supper shall be supplied.

Missing
Lot 249 from October's Shell Club Auction - 'Book : Indopacific Monographs, Tucker Abbot, Cerithidae, pattellidae, Cassidae'.
Please contact Jan if you took this in error.

Last month's meeting
For those who were unable to attend, you missed a great night with an excellent turn-out of 22 members. Kevin Barker updated us on his study of the distribution and range of the Kauri Snail, Paryphanta busbyi in the Waitakere Ranges with an informative powerpoint and some wonderful tales to tell - including how to place transmitting devices on snails! The overall news is good - with populations of snails throughout the Ranges. Kevin greatly understated the difficulties of his mission, the number of samplings, the distances travelled - especially that he had to go snail hunting in or after rains AND at night into slippery, muddy, steep, unknown, densely forested slopes. His territory was large and his sampling sites many. Our hat goes off to him! With encouragement from Wilma Blom we hope to see Kevin's findings published at a later date.

'Shells - Muscheln - Coquillages'
Antoine Joseph Dezallier d'Argenville (1680-1765) was so fascinated by seashells that he authored one of the world's most spectacular books dedicated to seashells. This title features engraved frontispiece based on a drawing by the King of France's principal painter, Francois Boucher (1703-1770). Text in German, French and English. Fantastic copies of paintings throughout.
Shell Club member Russell Hodgson has advised that he is able to import copies of the book at $60.00 (nett - excluding postage to New Zealand addresses).
Please advise Jan via email if you would like a copy (cut off date 10th November 2009).
We have one copy to give away as our "lucky door prize" at the November meeting - this could be yours!

Deadly Warning
Tetrodotoxin, which has been causing dog deaths, has been identified by Cawthron Institute (Nelson) in specimens of the sea slug Pleurobranchaea maculosa. High levels of this potent nerve toxin are present both internally and on the mucous surface of the slugs, therefore it is very dangerous to handle them. If tetrotoxin is transferred to food eaten, the respiratory muscles become paralysed. Dogs have died within an hour of ingesting the slugs.

Wanted: Cawthron needs to test more slugs for tetrodotoxin, especially from localities outside the Waitemata Harbour. However it is essential to protect yourself by wearing gloves; reducing handling to a minimum; and doing a thorough hand wash before eating. Do not take children or dogs. The slug is found occasionally throughout New Zealand, under low tidal rocks or among seaweed. The species is illustrated in Powell 1979, Plate 51, p. 256. as Pleurobranchaea novaezelandiae. Positive identification can be made by seeing the long, feathery gill underneath the right hand side of the body. For testing purposes the animal needs to be frozen.

Contact Margaret Morley (09) 576 8323 or email mmorley@aucklandmuseum.com for more details.

Thank you
Thank you to Ena Coucom for the generous donation to the October Auction which raised $181.00 for the Club.

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