In a message dated 98-01-05 14:27:04 EST, you write:
 
<<
 I have a large, beautifully colored Lion's Paw (_Lyropecten nodosus_)
 that has some coral growth on the nodes.  Does anyone know what it would
 do to the shell if I tried to grind it off with a Dremel tool?  Would the
 shell be damaged underneath?  It is in perfect condition except for that.
  >>
Dear Sylvia,
  The nodes on your Lion's Paw, (Nodipecten fragosus, Conrad, 1849, if from
the upper Caribbean or Florida area, Nodipecten nodosus Linne, 1758 if from
the southern Caribbean or Colombia) are hollow and sometimes very thin. I
would not use a Dremel on it. Soak it in bleach and water for a couple of
hours and pick it off with a dental pick. This usually works well. For some
reason  coral does not adhere to this species as tightly as on other shells
and this method has always worked for me.
  Good luck,
       Carole M