> Crysomallon squamiferum Van Dover, Humphris,
> Fornari, Cavanaugh, Collier, Goffredi, Hashimoto, Lilley, Reysenbach, Shank,
> Von Damm, Banta, Gallant, Gotz, Green, Hall, Harmer, Hurtado, Johnson,
> McKiness, Meredith, Olson, Pan, Turnipseed, Won, Young, and Vrijenhoek, 2001
> according to Wikipedia, may have set a record for the most (27) authors of
> its scientific name.

It's probably one of those authors *in* the others... somebody please check?

Also note that this is no more an ïron"shell than a "tin"can is tin or
that bones, teeth or shells are made of "calcium". The shell layer is
an iron SULFIDE, not iron... a wholly different thing, and a trick
used for false advertising by a major toothpaste company.

The
> article linked below indicates: "The iron armor protects the snail against
> its two biggest predators: cone snails and crabs." I know there's a lot of
> pressure down there, but pressure from conesnail predation?

Indeed, abyssal cones. Perhaps these vent fields are in shallower
water? Not impossible, of course, but not the case. In any case Conus
teeth would have zero chance of puncturing a shell.

--
Regards
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van fan

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