Dooug, if you look close enough they are all nice, I have had them all at
one time or other, I like them all   John  Tennessee
 
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> From: Douglas Nolen Shelton <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: A deep dwelling pearly top shell, a gaza
> Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 10:42 PM
>
> James,
>         Among the American Gazas there is superba, superba cubana,
fisheri,
> olivaceous, and watsoni.  Gaza superba is the "easiest" to obtain.  The
U. S.
> Marine Fisheries Services in past years trawled them by the hundreds and
in at
> least one case thousands at one station.  Gaza watsoni appears to be the
> hardest of the American species to obtain.  A series of the various
species is
> a rather attractive lot, which in my opinion is due primarily to the
> iridescence of the shell.  Gaza sericata scarcely resembles the American
> species.  It is much smaller and nice,  but hardly compares to the
American
> Gazas (again, my opinion).
>
> Doug Shelton
> Alabama Malacological Research Center
> 2370-G Hillcrest Road #236
> Mobile, AL 36695  USA