Robert & Betty Lipe wrote:
>
> Jim, Rombouts book is so old, that's it out of print.  We need a really
> good pecten book.  The "experts aren't brave enough to tackle it I
> guess.
 
Bob,
 
The 'experts' are tackling it, but in bits and pieces. The family is in
such chaos as it stands now that knocking out some of the stickier
problem areas, such as Waller and Dijkstra are doing (independently), is
an essential precursor to any major work of a popular nature. Our
Russian friends are also putting out some very interesting papers that
seem to have put a whole new twist on their local species. Specimen
dealers won't be very happy with their findings, but I'm elated at their
down-to-earth approach. By the way, some of those species...the ones
collectors are paying big bucks for...are being fished by the metric ton.
Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it.
 
Guido Poppe is presently working on a new iconographic piece on pectens,
due out in...???, something like Abbott & Dance's Compendium...picture,
name, size range, locality. It should prove to be a useful tool for quick
reference once it's out.
 
Then there's these two other fools who have been laboring over a somewhat
more comprehensive study. If you saw the article in La Conchiglia
describing Semipallium marybellae, that should give you an idea of the
thoroughness and masochistic effort being put into the treatment of each
species. But don't ask about a publication date anytime soon. Like
Michelangelo told the Pope, "It'll be at an end when it's finished."
 
Best regards,
 
Kim Hutsell
San Diego
 
>
> Bob Lipe
>
> www.theshellstore.com
> The Shell Store
> 348 Corey Ave
> (727) 360-0586 Fax (727)360-3668