Dear Conch-Lers,

The Doubt Man (the shadow of Conch-L's official Question Man) rides again,
ha!!

With almost 100% of the shells collected in Samoa already cleaned, now there
are still some difficult shells to be identified. Even with the help of Don
Barclay and Tom Eichhorst, many shells are still a big question mark for me.

I built a photo album in the Photopoint site, with the shells that need to
be identified. Since my scanner is not that good and there was edition on
the pictures, please don't expect to find any master piece in photography.
They are there just to be identified.

My photo album page address is listed below and I ask all you for your kind
help:

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=983324

All shells were collected in American or Western Samoa. Here come some other
data about them:

a) Maculotriton serriale: the shell in the left is very similar to the one
listed in page 121 of "Seashells of Eastern Arabia". But the one in  the
right doesn't look to be the same specie. I couldn't find anything similar
in my books.

b) Cerithium columna: Don Barclay says it can be this specie, but he was not
sure since he was on vacations and far from his books. Do you confirm his
ID?

c) Mitra fraga: this is the closest ID I could find in #19a of page 203 of
"Seashells of the Philippines". On the other hand, it doesn't look like the
M. fraga shown in #2 of page 295 of Wilson's "Australian Marine Shells".
Mine is pure dark red, what is similar in B&W to M. amaura of #4 of plate 51
of Cernohorsky's Vol.II book. Nothing similar can be found in the
Compendium, Eisenberg's "Seashells of the World" or "Seashells of Eastern
Arabia". Any suggestions?

d) Murex sp.: it is lighter brown than a Chicoreus brunneus, with rose in
the tips of the spines and in the protoconch. Marcus Coltro suggested that
it can be a juvenile specimen (two juveniles? which specie?). He also
suggested that it could be a Chicoreus penchinati (Crosse, 1861).

e) Nassarius sp.: as globose as N. globosus and very similar to that specie,
but orange instead of black, and with a surface very smooth.

f) Neritina sp.: they covered the rocks near the surf by the zillions at
Afono Bay, Am. Samoa. I couldn't find anything similar in any book.

g) Pisania sp.: a mistery shell. Looks like something similar to Wilson's
vol II #22B pp.251  Pisania fasciculata. But the shell in Wilson's picture
seems to have a quite smooth outer lip and mine has a series of denticles
that are clearly shown in the attached picture. Tom suggests it could be P.
ignea.

h) Pyrene testudinaria: since this specie has a variable pattern, it is the
most close I came to an ID.

i) Rissoina spirata: very similar to the picture shown in pp.58 of
Compendium. Marcus Coltro suggests it is a Cerithium, and you, what is your
opinion?

j) Trochus radiatus: Trochus radiatus seems to be an Indian Ocean shell
according to Kaicher cards, but the Compendium lists it as Indo-Pacific. In
the shells I have, the radial stripes are not as clear as they are shown in
pp.44 of Compendium. I couldn't find any other similar shell. Don says that
it "may be T. radiatus, or it may be T. maculatus. It depends on which book
you look at, as this shell is depicted in different books as either of these
species. The only good reference I have here are a set of Kaicher cards I
just bought, and the photo is a best match with T. ochroleucus. The written
description sounds most like T. radiatus, though, but most photos show the
whorls to be somewhat "stepped," instead of a rather smooth curve on the
outline. Your choice, I guess." As you can see, I do not have any choice up
to now... and you?

k) Turbinidae sp.: in the beginning I thought it could be a Modulus sp., but
its mouth is 100% round with a dark purple color all over its opening. The
closest I found was Cernohorsky's Vol.II plate 10 #7 Liotina peronii

l) Turridae sp. 1: another mistery shell. It has a very subtle entrance in
the beginning of the outer lip like some Turridae and two denticles close to
the siphonal canal, one in the columella and the other in the lip. Both Don
and Tom suggested it could be also a Columbellidae, but they are not sure
about it. And you?

m) Turridae sp. 2: nothing similar found in any book. It is black (or VERY
dark brown, with a white tip)

n) Mistery shells: counting clockwise from the upper row, shells #1, 2 and 4
are, for me, clearly Cronia margariticola. The #3 has the shape and very
fine spinose spiral cords like C. margariticula, but the outer lip has no
teeth (unless you consider the faint nodule as a tooth), and brown-orange
mouth. Don Barclay says that "Kaicher says the columella may be brown in
this species. The shell shape, sculpture, and markings are very good matches
for M. margariticola, and I'm fairly sure that is the correct ID for this
shell. The surface should be very rough to the touch". Don is right, the
shell is rough to the touch. Shells #5 and 6 are for me the same species but
different from shells #1, 2 and 4. Shell #7 seems to be a juvenile Thais.
Any bets?

o) Bivalve sp.: if I'm a grade C shell collector identifying gastropods, I
don't even deserve a F regarding bivalves. Jan, this shell was collected
thinking on you, please help me!!!. BTW, I'm still felling guilty since I
sent you my last parcel of shells. I wish the shells I collected in Samoa
for you will make you happy. Any suggestions?

Any help from you guys are welcome. Many thanks in advance.

All the best,

Eduardo Moreira
Brasilia, Brazil