Quite a few of these helicostyline identifications remain in question.
Species are misrepresented in the various references available.  For
instance, I have found quite a few misidentifications in Pilsbry's
Manual of Concholoy when compared to the original descriptions (many
with illustrations) and/or type material.  Calocochlia leucauchen
(Mollendorff, 1895) vs  C. calliaudi (Deshayes ???) is but one
example.....throw in polillensis (Pfeiffer, 1851) and you have a heck of
a mess......  One of the unfortunate things is that I've not written
these things up yet.

In my feebling mind, Donovan's perception of festiva is clear and is
clearly not the yellow shell I have seen.  The festiva I'm familiar with
is a thick-shelled creature (more like Paul's red shell) of salmon-pink,
yellowish, light tan to brownish, with an elaborate pattern of
hydrophanous spiral zones (Abbott's Compendium pg. 170 has a good
brownish specimen, although the spire is a little high).  Note the
reflected and greatly thickened lip of the Abbott figure.  This shell
type is typical festiva.....much like Paul's albeit his is bright red
(not salmon-pink) and obviously altered in some manner.  See Hidalgo on
Poppe's site, pls. 29, 96, and 128, particularly pl. 96, figs. 1-2....a
dead-ringer for Paul's red shell, except his is "cleaned."

--
Mr. Kurt Auffenberg
Operations Coordinator
Florida Museum of Natural History
Exhibits and Public Programs
pH: 352.846.2000, ext. 253
Fax: 352.846.0253
www.flmnh.ufl.edu

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