>Hi, CONCH-L!
>
>My computer is fighting me - in sorting through some
>miniatures in drift from Sanibel, we found some small
>oval, transparent bivalves of about 4 mm.  The unusual
>thing is that the outside is iridescent.  Does this
>suggest any i.d. to anyone?  I have seen many shells that
>were iridescent INSIDE, due to nacre, but have never
>encountered this before.  I'm sorry that I don't have the
>facilities for photographing these.  They are very
>beautiful!
>.
>Cheers,
>Linda (who had to miss Tacoma)

Sounds like a yoldiid eg Yoldiella. These have a thin pale-olive
varnishlike iridescent periostracum. It remains faintly iridescent
when dry.  Some nuculanids may as well, though those I have seen do
not.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
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Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
I want your sinistral gastropods!