Hi Linda,
Look  in "Sea Shells of Tropical West America" by A. Myra Keen.   Listed
synonyms are : Venus discors, fuscolineata & ticolor
Sowerby, 1835; V. pectunculoides  Valenciennes, 1846; V. muscaria  Reeve,
1863.  Protothaca grata is a fairly common Baja California species. Hope
this helps.
Regards,
Paul Kanner
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Bush" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 2:26 PM
Subject: Protothaca grata Say


> Hello, Conch-Lers!
>
> I have been working on identifying the bivalves in the collection
> the club bought.   I have run accross a shell which is identical
> to the picture in Eisenberg (I know this is not one of the best
> books) of "Protothaca grata" Say.   There is also another shell
> that I am sure is the same - outer clor and pattern different,
> but everything else the same.
>
> The trouble is that I can't find this namee in any of my other books.   Is
it valid, or is it a synonym, and if so, of what?
>
> Thanks,
> Linda
>