-----Original Message-----
> From: Scott E Jordan <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thursday, June 25, 1998 11:21 PM
> Subject: sexual dimorphism
>
> >This is a topic that I have found myself wondering about before.  I don't
> >believe that I have ever seen distinctions made indicating morphological
> >differences between the shells of a molluscan specie's male and female.  It
> >is certainly common amoungst chordates.  Anyone out there who can enlighten
> >us on instances in the molluscan fauna?
> >
> >Scott Jordan
 
 
Another example is in the Strombidae:
 
- The Lambis lambis female is quite a bit larger and has longer spines
than the male.
- The Lambis chiragra female is also much larger than the male.
- Closer to home (at least those of you in Florida), the Strombus gigas,
or common Queen Conch shows some differences that I'll bet are sexual
differences.  I have a really large specimen that has a lip similar in
shape and size to Strombus goliath (I'm guessing a female) and I used to
have a much smaller adult with a thick lip that angled up toward the apex
- almost a 90 degree bend (I always figured that was a male).  Sadly, the
second specimen was "misplaced" during one of my moves (compliments of
Uncle Sam - the move not the misplacing).
 
Sexual dimorphism in mollusks is not something I have seen discussed very
often.  Usually it is just a quick reference or two in different books.
It would really be something if a mollusk species and subspecies were
really just two different sexes of one species.  The male and female
Grand electus (parrots) were thought to be different species for years as
the male is predominately green and the female is red and purple.
 
Take your shots,
 
Tom Eichhorst