The interest of the second author in the variability of Melongena melongena (L.) was aroused by the discovery of a population of dwarf specimens living in shallow tidal pools connected with the mangrove lagoon of Lac, Bonaire, in 1976 (see Figs 1-4). Further collecting resulted in bringing together a rather large number of recent and subrecent shells from various Caribbean localities which served as a base for the present study (see Appendix).