Hi Dick

>I have your message concerning Phyllocoma.  I do not know who "Patty" or
>"Bob" are so cannot send this message to them.

Both are Conch-L listees; Patty is a book dealer in Australia (your
competition!).

>On the web I located numerous photographs of Phyllocoma convoluta. Two of
>the illustrated specimens have opercula.  This in inself does not preclude
>it from being cancellariid but it is a feature unknown in adult specimens
>currently placed in the Cancellarioidea.  I would not have accepted one of
>the web photos as definitive as I once found a Scalptia mercadoi on that
>same site with an operculum (that photo has been removed) but since there
>are two different photos I assume the species does possess one.

I believe it does, but not sure! My specimen didn't come with one.

>The message
>from Patty sugests that possibly there is a photograph on the web of a
>living specimen. If so, please give me a location as I would like to see it.

Patty?

>I will be interested in responses you receive from Alan and Phil.
>
>As you suggest, if anyone can get me a preserved specimen the matter can
>probably be resolved.
>Dick
>[log in to unmask]

I missed the original message, so don't know who owns the specimen,
but he did offer to donate it:
>"I'm glad you like the pictures.
>Perhaps there is someone doing research that may answer your questions?
>If so, and if it would help, I'm willing to donate this specimen with
>animal intact."

Would this person please contact Dick?

Phil Maxwell says:
"Phyllocoma and Galfridus have been discussed by Ponder (J.
Malac.Soc. Aust. 2: 224-226.)  The radulae look pretty convincingly
muricid, and both type species have an operculum, so a location in
the Muricidae seems justified.  I know these taxa only by reputation
but  if the figures given by Winston are anything to go by their
similarity to plesiotritonines is pretty superficial."

A second look certainly wouldn't hurt... but I hope I'm not making a
lot of work for someone for nothing!
--
Regards
Andrew