I don't understand.  Two weeks ago Dr. Foolery confirmed the identification of seven micro bivalves
Scott and I had collected while screening during a 200 foot sink hole dive off  St. Petersberg Beach
as either juvenile Tridacna aprillaunoi Foolery, 1998 or a dwarf shallow water form (note the
correct spelling "i" at the end).  Though published in the March issue of Malacologocal Expositor
(ME), Dr. Foolery had named this new species almost a year ago when the article was first submitted
to ME.  You know how nortorious ME is about its slowness to publish articles.  But ME takes things
pretty seriously and didn't want to come across sounding silly.  So, since Dr. Foolery's discovery
was so astounding, this was one time ME sought peer review before publishing Foolery.  ME had
several specialists from the Institute of Science (IS) at Bellview verify the find.  Which I
understand did not happen until late in 1988 after they had made an earlier unsuccessful attempt to
locate the Florida Museum of Natural History (FMNH).  Some of you may not know, but the FMNH is just
off the third left exit south on I75 after turning on to I75 from I4 (about 75 miles from the
Orlando airport).  Seems that when they approached the exit and saw the sign that said "FMNH Left"
they turned around and went home.  By the way, Doug didn't mention that this was ME's first full
color edition.  However, he may not have noticed since the Tridacna aprillaunoi was the only picture
included and the shell is white and the animal black.
 
In any event, ME promises to shortly publish a brief supplement exclusively with pictures of our
seven dwarfs, which are tentative identified as Tridacna aprillaunoi c.f. dopey.  Scott wanted to
honor me and call them "grumpy," but we flipped a coin and Scott lost.  So, watch for ME's next
issue.  It'll be a sort of midget issue, but in full color.
 
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Marlo
Merritt Island, Florida
[log in to unmask]
 
 
Douglas Nolen Shelton wrote:
 
> In the most recent issue of MALACOLOGICAL EXPOSITOR,  the renowned
> malacologist, Tom Foolery has published the description of an astonishing new
> species which has been recovered from the DeSoto Canyon in the northern Gulf
> of Mexico off Pensacola, Florida.  Its discovery was a fluke as it was caught
> in the trawl of Dr. Foolery's research vessel and the captain and crew
> thought the net had been snagged on a huge rock.  When the crew could not
> free the trawl it was winched by hand to the surface (a task which took more
> than 24 hours).  To their surprise and the delight of Dr. Foolery, the rock
> turned out to be a new species of Tridacna; the only species of the genus to
> be found in the Atlantic.  This new species measured 14 feet in length and
> weighed in at one ton; making the largest living mollusk in the world.  This
> Megaclam as it has been termed was taken from a depth of 401 fathoms.  Dr.
> Foolery has named this megaclam TRIDACNA APRILIAUNO.   The holotype and only
> known specimen has been deposited in the Florida Museum of Natural History.
> According to museum personnel it has been given the accession number 04011999.
>
> Doug Shelton
> Alabama Malacological Research Center
> 2370-G Hillcrest Road #236
> Mobile, AL 36695 USA
 
 
 
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