The size, description, and locality all sound like H gracilis.  Quite a
find!  If you forward your email address I can send you a picture of H
gracilis from the Walls book.  But basically they look like a small (25-30
mm), somewhat slimmer version of H amouretta with a white spire instead of
the purple found on H amouretta and they lack the dark brown ventral
columellar blotch.

Tom E.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of john drysdale
> Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 12:22 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Harp Identification
>
>
> I am seeking help on identifying a group of harp shells (about twenty).
> They were obtained in Hawaii from a merchant marine employed in the SOuth
> Pacific.  They are probably from the outer islands of French Polynesia.
>
> The shells are about one quarter to one third the size of H. amouretta.
> They are quite fragile looking with white protoconchs and appear to have
> been live collected.
>
> Could they be H. gracilis?  I have never seen this species in life.
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> J.
>
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