The protoconch, anatomy, and DNA are very different between naticids and
nerites. Also, most nerites resorb a lot of the interior of the shell
(especially in forms like the Paleogene Velates), whereas I do not know of
any naticids doing this. I don't have specimens of Bathynerita to check,
however. Bandel would be the author to check for details on the
protoconchs.
David Campbell
"Old Seashells"
Department of Geological Sciences
CB 3315 Mitchell Hall
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill NC 27599-3315
USA
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919-962-0685
FAX 919-966-4519
"He had discovered an unknown bivalve, forming a new genus"-E. A. Poe, The
Gold Bug