Kurt,

I believe Vitta clenchi to be a valid species.  The trouble is most
specimens identified as V clenchi are actually V virginea.  This later
species can grow fairly large in freshwater environs, like the Miami River
where large specimens of V virginea having a black shell with small white
tents are mistaken for V clenchi.  The V clenchi of Russell (1940) is a gray
shell (yellow greenish with an intact periostracum) with a complex series of
broken black axial lines and small tents.  It also has bright yellow
staining on the back portions of the parietal shelf.  I have yet to see a
specimen from Florida (although included in the probable range based on
Russell).  It seems the range is southern Florida (maybe) to Guatemala to
the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Santo Domingo, the Virgin Islands
and the Lesser Antilles to Tobago.  There are specimens of V. virginea found
on the Yucatan Peninsula that are quite similar, even to the bright yellow
staining on the parietal shelf.  All reports from Brazil have turned out to
be Nereina punctulata and it is also confused with Nereina bahiensis on
Caribbean Islands.  Both of these could and maybe should be in the genus
Clypeolum (an issue still in the air).  Oh, and one look at the operculum
and you know it is no V virginea (which helps with the Yucatan V virginea
determination).

Tom Eichhorst

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Kurt Auffenberg
> Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 10:11 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Freshwater barnacle
>
>
> Tom,
>
> How do you feel about Neritina (or Vitta) clenchi?
>
> Kurtlet
>
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