Carole,
 
For some time, the University at Ensenada has been working on a 'seeding' program to
re-introduce Nodipecten subnodosus into the Bahia de Los Angeles area from Guerrero
Negro on the west side of the Baja peninsula where it is a major commercial species.
(I'm still on my first cup of coffee, so forgive me if I misspell anything.) I have no
reports of N. arthriticus from that area...it's just a bit too far north. I'm not
certain if they are aware of the difference in the two species (they probably are), but
as far as I know, their's is the only breeding study going on with any Nodipecten. Just
a tidbit I thought you might want to add to your notes.
 
Best regards,
 
Kim
 
 
Marshalldg wrote:
>
> In a message dated 98-05-04 12:52:08 EDT, you write:
>
> >
> >I would very much like to know on what basis the Carribean Lion's Paw
> >has been split into the two species Nodipecten fragosus (Conrad) and
> >Nodipecten nodosus (Linne'), and whether this expensive operation (the
> >price of the former "species" increased about fourfold for a while,
> >until people clued in a bit) is unanimously accepted within the
> >scientific community.  Has anyone tried to breed the two, especially
> >specimens from close to where they supposedly diverge (ie, mid-Carribean
> >area)?
>
> Dear Ross and all,
>     Please consider that NO major books have been written on the American
> shells since Abbott's 1972 book or Keen's 1972 book for the west coast. It is
> rather difficult to keep up to date with books that are 26 years old. The
> basis for the splitting was done by Conrad many years ago. In the intervening
> time, the two or rather all four species, 2 East Coast and 2 west coast have
> been lumped back together and although it truly was not justified, that is the
> way it was.
>   In 1988, Judith Terry Smith wrote of this subject in U.S. Geologic Survey
> Professional Paper 1391 Titled Cenozoic Giant Pectinids from California and
> the Tertiary Caribbean Province: Lyropecten, "Macrochlamis", Vertipecten and
> Nodipecten.
>   I refer you to that paper.
>   As someone who extensively and exclusively studies the Pectinidae, I can
> tell you that I was not happy with all this either, but the fact remains that
> the differences are clearly seen. I am sorry if it affects someone's pocket
> book, I do not see how it could, but that is not a scientific problem.
>   Most of the Pecten research is done on the commercially fished species,
> since the Nodipectens do not fall into that category, they are not studied as
> well as other groups. I don't know of any one who has done any of the tests to
> determine if they are able to interbreed. If any one does know of anything
> being done on this, I would love to know it.
>   I hope this helps you to understand this a little better.
>             Carole M
>
> P.S. I didn't have anything to do with this so as I said in my COA program
> "Don't Shoot the Messenger"