Yes that is a great subject Linda. We have that subject as a category for
our Shell Festival and the exhibits can be VERY interesting. Since we live
along the beach and many of our club members walk the beach every
day....they find dolls, false teeth, sea beans, hypodermic needles....you
name it!!!!
Jim & Bobbi Cordy
Merritt Island, FL
Specializing in Caribbean self collected species
-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of lindawbush
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2003 5:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Atlantic Pearl Oyster
Hi, Everyone!
This reference to Velella gave me an idea for a club
program, viz. "Interesting things you might find
beachcombing that are NOT molluscan." Any suggestions?
And then I will research them on the Web.
Thanks,
Linda, Program Chairman
Greater St. Louis Shell Club
-------------------------------------
On Sat, 10 May 2003 17:04:42 -0400
Paul Monfils <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Hi Stan,
>
>A bivalve will open when cooked only if it is alive. If
>it dies on the beach, the adductor muscle often relaxes,
>allowing the shell to open. However, sometimes bivalves
>die on the beach and bake in the sun without opening. At
>that point, cooking them won't open them. If they are a
> form that seals tightly on all edges, like Venus clams,
>it can be very difficult to get them open without
>chipping the shell. However, for forms which don't seal
>completely, like Pectens and pearl oysters, soaking them
>in water to which a bit of liquid dish detergent has been
>added will often re-soften the dried soft parts and allow
>the shell to open. Also, this treatment may make the
>adductor muscle actually detach from one or the other
>valve of the shell. Lower the shell into the solution and
>turn it until you see a stream of bubbles coming out of
>the shell. Hold it in that position until the bubbles
>stop. The idea is to get as much air out of the shell as
>possible, and thereby as much solution as possible into
>the shell. The shell should sink in the solution. You
>may have to soak it a couple of days.
>
>If you couldn't find online information on Velella, it
>may be because you were misspelling the name. Here are a
>couple of sites:
>
>http://jellieszone.com/velella.htm
>
>http://morro-bay.com/docents/curt-beebe/velella/
>
>Regards,
>Paul M.
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