Wordless Wednesday #23 - Marlinspike Auger

Marlinspike auger (Terebra maculata)

Marlinspike auger (Terebra maculata)

40 comments:

  1. Hello All -

    This week's WW photo is a Marlinspike Auger (Terebra maculata), a large shell found in Indo-Pacific waters, and Hawaii. This species is the largest of its genus - about 130mm (5 1/2 inches) in length. It is a common shell, but not as common as it used to be, thanks to over-zealous collectors.

    I took these pictures while diving at Puako, Hawaii.

    Bobbie

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  2. Very interesting. The patterns are great, and quite a large shell, too. I'm not surprise people collect them, though it does look best left in the water.

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  3. I agree with catsynth. The shells are pretty but they should be left in the water! *sigh* On land, we are losing the trees at a very alarming rate, on sea we are losing great sea creatures...

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  4. I just adore shells....unfortunately the shells we have here in the arctic are fairly b.o.r.i.n.g. I have shell envy

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  5. Ummm....and BTW, not sure about you but I have no qualms about collecting empty shells.
    Love your photos as usual.

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  6. ahhhh....
    just
    so
    wow!!!!

    ...very beautiful photo!

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  7. 5 1/2inch is pretty long, which lives to it's name of being the largest of its genus :)
    Amazing view of the marine life during diving rite!

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  8. Beautiful shell! You take great pictures!

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  9. Again, just an awesome shot. :-)

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  10. Very nice! I've come to look forward to my weekly lesson :-)

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  11. thanks for the info and the photo, cool

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  12. What a pretty shell. I LOVE the colors on the shell. Thanks for your comment Bobbie. I took the picture while we were in Barbados I was just fascinated by the flowers they have there. I was pretty impressed with how yellow the flower turned out. There is no editing in that picture. I have a pink one for next week.
    Happy WW
    Kyla

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  13. Beautiful Bobbie! Never saw a shell like that one...guess it doesn't end up coming in close to shore. Say hi to Jerry! Happy WW! :D

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  14. Great picture, seashells are like natural artwork. I do have quite a few I have collected during our stay here in Indonesia but I only collect those that are empty.

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  15. Gorgeous shell. What wonders we have in our world to discover and enjoy! Happy diving!

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  16. this looks very interesting! tfs! and thanks for checking out my entry for this week. see yah again next time! :)

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  17. What a gorgeous shell, just beautiful tones. I love the shot on a black background.

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  18. Wow! I love your blog! Unique photos too. Hope you can we can x links..thanks

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  19. I've found planty of those on the Kohala Coast beaches - not so much Mauna Kea and Hapuna beach, which are white sand beaches. I found them more so on white coral beaches, like the one next to the tennis courts at Mauna Kea beach resort.

    That's a great spot when going shell hunting with kids. They love to find a beautiful shell when on vacation in Hawaii. The size of this shell makes it possible to survive the rough water ride when thrown on the beach.

    Aloha, Pua

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  20. Very simple and beautiful. it makes me miss where I grew up....

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  21. That's a really pretty shell. I didn't see any in Hawaii, others must have beat me to them.

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  22. I so wish I was diving and looking at beautiful shells. Great photos!

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  23. Thanks to all of you for visiting and for commenting on the shell photos.

    I suppose I should do a post about shell collecting one of these days. To those of you who said you collect shells, no, I am not opposed to collecting empty shells. I only object to taking live shells (with the snail still in it, or one that's become a home for a hermit crab).

    @ Chris -- the shot with the black background also was shot underwater. I was holding the shell out in front of me by its tip, and used a very small aperture setting. That way, the strobe lights the subject, and leaves the background black.

    @ Kyla - I had a hunch that the flower photo was from your Barbados trip. ;-}

    @ Pua - Thanks for the tip! I've never checked out that beach near the Mauna Kea tennis courts, but now I will!

    Bobbie

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  24. Bobbie - you are funny...Did you take this pic in your socks?...only? hahaha It's beautiful and if you don't remember, I am referring to my WW post of casual Fridays *giggling*

    Happy WW and thx for the visit.

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  25. These are wonderful shells! Must be neat seeing these things all the time! Happy WW my friend!

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  26. Thank you Bobbie, I have never seen one of those before. I was in Hawaii but wasn't looking for this guy.
    Its shell is pretty much like an auger.
    Happy WW! Thank you for the nice visit.
    ..

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  27. The color and patterns are wonderful in this Bobbie, great shots !

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  28. cool! I love the colors! Happy WW!

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  29. A very strange shell, beautiful !

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  30. Very clear, nice underwater pics!!

    Happy WW to you! Thanks for dropping by my blog!

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  31. It is beautiful - I wonder what kind of animal lives in it - kind of like a snail?

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  32. @ Chuck - Yes, I know what you mean, but no, I was in my wetsuit. A FULL wetsuit. :-D

    @ Mon@rch - Yes, it is neat. Keeps us going back into the ocean again and again and again.

    @ Jim - Yes, the common name for this family of shells is "Auger shells" because their shape does indeed resemble an auger.

    @ Kathy - Yes, this shell is the home of a kind of marine snail. All seashells are. The snails secrete the shell over time. If the snail dies, then other critters (most often hermit crabs) sometimes move in.

    Bobbie

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  33. Awesome WW pictures (I scrolled back a bit!)!

    I do WW too, but found you through the Kohala Coast website. My son, hubby and I are headed to the Kailua-Kona in about 10 days!! My first time in Hawaii!

    Your site is beautiful.

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  34. Wonderful, fascinating underwater photos. They're so scintillating. Do you do underwater photography? If so, where is your site? I am looking forward to seeing more of your photos. Thanks for these wonderful shots. I have already linked you with my blog. I hope you do the same with mine.

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  35. crazyness~
    did you take all those photos yourself?

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  36. @ Shama-lama - Hope you and your family enjoy yourselves on the Big Island.

    @ Mel and Mantas - Yes, most of the photos on this blog are my own work, taken over a period of many years. The few that were not taken by me are identified, all the rest came from my cameras. ;-}

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We welcome your comments and invite your questions. Dialogue is a good thing!

Bobbie & Jerry