>Hello, Everyone!
>
>I ran into an unusual situation with a shell I got at
>auction the other night.  It is an Elephant Snout type
>volute, not positive of the species yet.  But it had what
>looked like a periostracum on it, partially gone.  When I
>put it in weak bleach, it started coming off; but I
>discovered that it seemed to be a very thin colored glaze
>that looks like mica when it flakes off.  I think this is
>not a true periostracum, but don't know what to call this
>layer.
>
>Do other volutes in this genus, Cymbium,I think, also have
>this glaze?  I know very little about this group of
>volutes.
>
>Thanks,
>Linda

The correct term, rarely seen in publications, is inductura. this
basically means an extension of the internal (apertural) layer over
the outer surface of the shell.
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
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Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut