Barycypraea fultoni
Barycypraea fultoni ranks among the most famous and sought-after species of the family Cypraeidae.
Discovery
Before the 1980s, fewer than 40 specimens of Barycypraea fultoni were known. This rareness was due to the fact that all shell specimens of this sea snail were exclusively discovered from the stomachs of fish such as Sparodons, and had to be removed within a few hours of having been swallowed to prevent the stomach acid of the fish from damaging the specimen.In the mid-1980s, however, Russian trawlers began to find thousands of specimens along Mozambique. The large number of specimens now available were first separated into two subspecies and later four subspecies. While the subdivision of the specimens from South African waters and Mozambican waters is also well supported by molecular data, there remains an uncertainty concerning the two taxa from shallower waters from the same general areas. Their position either as bathymetric subspecies or bathymetric forms is an open question.
Market value
In the 1980s, an American collector bought the then world record size specimen for US$22,000. Shortly after, three of these specimens were purchased by Dr. Luigi Raybaudi Massilia, with one specimen over 80mm being purchased for US$25,000. As noted by Guinness World Records, this was the highest price paid for a seashell at the time.Subspecies
- Barycypraea fultoni amorimi Raybaudi Massilia, L., 1990
- ''Barycypraea fultoni fultoni''