Hello, Conch-Lers!

I have an exception to the comment that all the color and pattern in Niades, except for the nacre, is in the periostracum.  I think it is is rare for the prismatic layer to be colored, but I  have two examples.   I have an Eliptio crassidens crassidens (please excuse my spelling and other i.d. mistakes; it  has been a long time since I've worked with my Niades since there are no longer many to collect) which was stripped, and the prismatic layer as well as the nacre are a grayed lavender.

I also have a Lampsilis, it may be orbiculata, from Meramec State Park (actually, I originally found two or three; but this was 27 years ago) where the nacre and prismatic layer are pink.

It is too bad that these colors have faded a lot over the years,
even though they have been kept mainly out of the light!

Oh, do I wish our Niades hadn't undergone the reduction and
in some cases, complete extinction that they have.

Linda