Dear Ross,

These shells don't really exist.  The names were just included in
various places simply to keep collectors interested.  If you already
had them all, you'd lose interest, and have to start collecting fossil
bear skulls or something like that.

Cheers,


Don

----------
> From: Ross Mayhew <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: DREAM SHELLS!!!
> Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 3:52 AM
>
> I have several "dream shells", but the top three have to be:
>
> 1) "Lishkeia" ottoi (Philippi, 1844): Abbott, 1974 lists this as
> "common" - right, and so are pots of gold at the end of rainbows.  There
> is not a single live specimen in any collection in Eastern Canada - a
> "subfossil" is the best i've seen.  David Delucia once got one for $5,
> but he seemed reluctant to part with it...
>
> 2) Volutomitra groenlandica (Muller, 1842): ok - Abbott has this one as
> "uncommon" - to off Massachusetts!
>
> 3) Seguenzia monocingulata monocingulata Seguenzia, 1876 - Gulf of Maine
> to Mexico - DEEP!!
>
> Surprisingly, i also lack Lacuna pallidula (da Costa, 1778) - it is
> supposed to be rather frequent, to Conneticut, in shallow water, on
> Fucus - but i just can't find the beastie!!
>
> O yes - i wouldn't mind an Omalogyra planorbis (Dall,1927), - this
> little guy is only 1mm or so all grown up - or an Omalogyra atomis
> (Phillipi, 1841), which is only half that size in its old age, ad occurs
> to Rhode Island, in "lower rock pools".
>
> These are for my study & reference collection, so i don't suppose anyone
> will mind if i scream that
>
> I WILL TRADE ***VERY*** GENEROUSLY FOR ANY OF THESE CRYPTIC CRITTERS!!!
>
> -Ross.