The Unique Shells of Fujairah and the UAE East Coast

Peter Hellyer in his book, Fujairah: An Arabian Jewel, has this to say about the unique shells to be discovered on Fujairah and UAE East Coast beaches:

“The beaches themselves hold treasures too, fragments of delicate coral and a remarkable variety of seashells, some much sought after by collectors.”

“Three species of seashell were first discovered on the beach at Qurrayah, and are not known from anywhere except the East Coast.”

“At the request of Fujairah’s ruler, their Latin scientific names were derived from those of three nearby villages, Mirbah, Safad and Girath, to commemorate the traditional links between the people of Fujairah and the sea.”

Source

Peter Hellyer, Fujairah: An Arabian Jewel (Dubai: Motivate Publishing, 1990, Rev. Edit. 2005), 67.

Related

The Beaches and Shells of Fujairah and the UAE, FIF, 26 April 2011.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted on the Fujairah in Focus-Facebook Page.

Image: Sea shells which ended up on a UAE postage stamp.