Jim,

Are you going on the dive trip July 12-19? I am. Shall we meet at last?

Cymatium parthenopeum is common on wrecks in your area. At the Panama City
COA we had diving field trips and I found about a dozen on wrecks. They
snuggle up to the corners - they like angle iron - and look just like the
substrate with their long periostracal hairs. Scrape along the inside of an
angle with your hand and you'll probably find one. After you see a couple
you'll spot more.

Most pectens in dive depths are in sand - ravenelli and ziczac included.
Ravenelli and ziczac swim, settle to thebottom, and flip sand over
themselves so they're in a pocket with the cupped side down and the flat
side up, just covered with sand. All you can see are the "eyes" - if you're
lucky.

Muscosus and Nodipecten i have found on reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Several times I've found a lion's paw in the cup of a basket sponge.
Muscosus spin a byssus.

Gibbus lives in rubble (generally with purple algae covering it) in big
groups, like bay scallops. Once I was hanging on to the anchor as the boat
drifted and came across a bed of gibbus. I got enough for dinner.

Peggy

                     Visit my website at http://www.shelltrips.com
                                  Peggy Williams
                                   Shell Elegant
                                    PO Box 575
                                Tallevast FL 34270
                                   (941) 355-2291
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