The recent discovery of hominid use of mollusks in South Africa well
over 100000 years ago suggests that both Neanderthals and direct
ancestors of standard modern humans may have had the intelligence to
take interest in shells.  Last known Neanderthals were in southern
Spain, ca. 30000 years ago, where they could have been sampling
Mediterranean shells.  Neanderthals show some advanced tool-making,
etc. but don't show much innovation in other ways.  As a smaller
population, they might not have left much genetic trace even if they
were assimilated into the larger Homo sapiens sapiens population.
Similar risk of genetic dilution exists for rare populations of
mollusks, so we should try to avoid introducing species outside their
native range; it's even desirable to avoid mixing populations, if
possible (for example, restocking a rare species in one river is best
done from that river rather than from a population four rivers over).

Revenons `a nos mollusques, for those familiar with Pathelin.


--
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections
University of Alabama
"I think of my happy condition, surrounded by acres of clams"

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