Linda,

I love the little unicorn/drupe shells with the "attack tooth".   LOL

I have some cute local California specimens with this feature:

Acanthina spirata Blainville 1852
Acanthina punctulata Sowerby I 1825

and some Peruvian Opeatostoma pseudodon Burrow 1815.

On gastropods.com, the Acanthina are listed under Muricidae Ergalataxinae

http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/Family_MURICIDAE_ERGALATAXINAE.html

but the Opeatostoma are under Fasciolariidae.

http://www.gastropods.com/Taxon_pages/Family_FASCIOLARIIDAE.html

Hmmm.

Nancy  :)




-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of lindawbush
Sent: 09 October, 2003 12:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Opeatostoma feature in another species?


Hi, Everyone!

We are all aware of the single tooth at the anterior of
the aperture of Opeatostoma pseudodon.  BUT, I just
uncovered a shell in the club collection that had an
Acanthina angelica label in it.  And it bears the general
shape of an Acanthina, but there is a false tooth just
like that of Opeatostoma.  Are there any other species in
the genus Opeatostoma?  This is obviously NOT that
species, as it is a mottled brown, nodulose shell.

What gives?  This was a real surprise to me.

Thanks,
Linda