Hi, if she is going to Santiago, probably wont find much, she will be
luckier if if she goes around the coast. Otherwise, she might as well go to
Santiago's local markets such as the hippies market to look around for some
shells (well at least it was so about 6-8 years ago...).  Cypraeas might
come usually from Peru or from Chile's offshore islands (Pascua), I remember
a Cypraea caputserpentis mentioned . She might get first well acquainted
with the publications of MacLean 1978 on Fisurrella species and to a lesser
extent, Keen's Sea Shells of Tropical west America.  There are local
publications and faunal lists from Peru and Chile although they will be
difficult to get unless going to a University library, which demands some
time investment.
As one might expect from high latitude fauna, mollusks from Chile are
cold-water species, characterized by a low diversity and high population
numbers, a lot of rocky shores, exposed coasts and high energy environments.
There are a few unexposed bays, such as Peninsula de Mejillones at the
Antofagasta area, north of Chile; I also recall Concepcion, south of
Santiago a few hours in train or bus.  Species are usually larger in size
than their tropical counterparts and do not usually bear striking colors or
patterns as those.  In the rocky headlands you will find a pretty diverse
population of  all kind of limpets such as  large Fisurellas, Patellas and
Scurrias; the large muricid Concholepas concholepas (this one might be a
protected species now); there is a distinct  mussel zonation on the shore:
the small Perumytilus purpuratus,  at the supralittoral range in the spray
zone; a midlittoral dense mussel belt of about 3" Semimytilus algosus, and
the large blue mussel, Choromytilus chorus at the base of the infralittoral
zone.  In between it is possible to find a several species of small to
medium size muricids, such as Thais chocolata, T. haemastoma (?),
Crassilabrum crassilabrum, Nucella spp. and a bursid Bursa ventricosa.
On high energy sandy beaches it si possible to find razor clams of the type
Tagelus spp and Solen/Ensis spp., depending on the season, lots of Semele
spp., and mactridae, donacids.  Emerged marine terraces will usually have
tons of bivalves from Pleistocene ages.
I hope this will serve as a general reference frame of what to find there.
Best regards,
Amanda Diaz
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 10:20 AM
Subject: (no subject)


> Today a friend asked me a question about shelling in Chile.  I have never
> heard anything about seashells from there.  Anyone know anything about
> shelling there?  She will be going to Santiago and on down the coast to
> Tierra del Fueggo.