If we have a "Question Man" then we must have a "Question Woman" and I
appoint myself as I have so many of them.  :)

I now have several lovely specimens of Struthiolaria papulosa which is
found in New Zealand.   Most of these specimens are the "normal" tan color
with slightly darker striping.   However two, one in particular, are a dark
blue-grey with evidence of brownish striping "somewhere under there" but
are predominantly this dark, odd color.    These two darker specimens were
taken on a white sand beach (Waihi Beach) and not one of the black sand
beaches which I understand is from high iron content in the sand...  that
was my first guess at the reasoning for the color but that isn't the case.

What causes this coloration in the Struthiolaria, anyone know?   NZ and her
waters are, to the best of my knowledge, a very ecologically "green" area
so I really question pollution, chemicals or oil as the cause but I suppose
anything's possible.   I am ready to stand corrected by anyone with more
information!  :)

http://personal.mia.bellsouth.net/mia/n/a/nansaidh/

The link will take you to pictures of the shells in question.   The images
are good sized, so please be patient for them to load.

Thank you in advance,
Nancy Smith