Dick and others,

I would like to clarify a point. The Krueger paper in THE CURATOR that I
cited was a review article on UV and shells. I did not want to imply that
it was a either a research paper or an example of an early use of UV light
in malacology or paleomalacology. I do not wish to detract from the
accomplishments of the early pioneers in this field and appreciate Dick's
comments on these efforts.

Also, it is unfortunate that this journal is not one of the open access
journals of the American Museum of Natural History. They have made their
scientific publications available on line, however, THE CURATOR was not
there when I checked just before posting my original letter. One would
have to go to a library to copy it or request it via interlibrary loan.

> Charlie referred to a 1974 paper concerning UV light.  I am not sure when
> UV was first used on mollusks but was certainly a pioneer.  In a 1964
> paper (Bull. Amer. Paleont. 217) we figured the color patterns on some
> fossil Conus  using UV and later in 1968 (B.A.P. 242) we used UV to
> illustrate the color patterns on fossil Siphocypraea.
>
> Olsson also used UV in some of his other papers.  In the late 1960s and
> 1970 there were, as I recall, numerous articles about the use of UV.  I
> know that it was determined that those fossils that had been exposed to
> sunlight fluoresced better than those that had not, but that shells that
> had not been exposed to light could be soaked in clorox to enhance their
> fluorescence.
>
> dick petit


Regards,
Charlie
.................................................
Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Assistant Professor - Family Medicine

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