Monday   November 22, 1999   07:52 PM

Dear Rafael,

I've just read the answer by Paul Drez and all
his information are, as usually, correct.

I would like only to add some my idea. I don't
know if all the species ( less scripta and sayana)
which occour in Western Atlantic are really only
a single species as Tursch wrote.

But Oliva circinata, circinata tostesi (smaller species),
graphica and goaijra are surely color form of the
same species because of each species lives in different
places, they are not sympatric.
I believe that also Oliva bifasciata is very close to
circinata. I own some goaijra showing intergrading features
between bifasciata and circinata.

In the article on Oliva fulgurator , APEX vol.13 (1-2), 1998
Tursch et al., he wrote that Oliva truncata is a junior synonym
of Oliva polpasta. But now in the last issue of APEX vol. 14
(2), 1999 he recognizes truncata as a valid species due to
the discovery they are living together in the same biotope
at the South-Western tip of Cebaco Is. (W.Panama).

In that article there is also a discussion on " Problems with
traditional taxonomic characters " and " Precaution in
interpratation (of results)". He confirms what I thought
on using ONLY the morphological analisys of the shell
to separate living species.
I don't want to be polemic but it seems that one can use the
morphometric gap to show what he thinks to be correct.

Ciao, Maurizio.

P.S. I've just received last price list on Olives from J.P.Lefort
from French Polynesia. His shells are always wonderful but
they are always very expensive. If you would like a copy
just let me know.

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