MICROMOLLUSKS
 
   HI, What s Happening ?
My wife and I are charter members of the San Antonio Shell Club founded in
1955.  We have a sizable
collection of shells from all over the world BUT my passion for 35 years has
been MICROMOLLUSKS.
I use a simple 30 power sterio microscope, which I have modified to receive a
Pentax  MX  35 mm
camera for photographing micromolusks.
 
Collection: My collection consists of 55 species of mollusks that range in
size from .25 to 4 mm.  I
don t keep any specimens larger than 4mm in length.  I store the shells in
3/4" x 3/4" x 3/4" clear
plastic boxes that can be found at any  CONTAINER STORE  at reasonable prices.
I have not been
able to identify all of the species.  Some are protoconchs and some have yet
to be classified.  My MM
have been recovered from Grunge (beach wash) that I have collected, or have
been given, from the
Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean
 
Photographing:: I have photographed my entire collection so that I and others
may enjoy it without
having to use the scope.  To exhibit their size, I photograph all species on a
1 mm square grid.  Any
photographic supply house can help you in adapting a 35 mm camera to your
microscope.  I mount
my flash attachment on a stand, twenty four inches, (at a 45 degree angle)
from the subject.  Using
a  bulb open ,  manual flash ,  bulb close  procedure seems to be the best.
 
   Most of my specimens come from the Port Aransas, Texas area.  I can scan
any of my pictures
to 3 1/2  floppys for attaching to E-Mail letters.  I normally scan in
 Bitmap  format but most
people would rather receive in JPEG or whatever, let me know.
 
My daughter, Pamela, ([log in to unmask]) is also an avid collector and has an
extensive collection
from all over the world.
 
                               Hope to  see  you soon.             Bill