Hello,
 
When I collected Strombus raninus in Florida in the autumn of 1997. Some specimens were much
darker than others. When looking closely at the darkest specimens under a strong lamp you could
still see a reddish hue in the "black". so in my humble opinion the animal just excreted extreme
amounts of red pigment, making the shells look black.
 
Erick
 
Andrew K. Rindsberg wrote:
 
> Patti,
>
> Even us science guys need to laugh now and then.
>
> Andrew
>
> P.S. Besides, it's not a bad idea.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:   Patti Z. Lounsbury [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:   Wednesday, January 13, 1999 6:48 PM
> To:     [log in to unmask]
> Subject:        Strombus ranius color variation
>
> Hi David,
>
> Maybe it was something it ate? I know that sounds like a flip remark,
> but since all mollusc manufacture their shell material, perhaps the S.
> ranius you collected ingested something that caused it to secrete black
> pigment into its shell building materials. Come on you science guys, I
> know you are laughing, but what do you think?
>
> (I collected a lovely C. caputserpentis several years ago that had
> included green pigment in its dorsal area)
>
> Patti in New Mexico
>
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