In a message dated 98-05-04 12:52:08 EDT, you write:
 
>
>I would very much like to know on what basis the Carribean Lion's Paw
>has been split into the two species Nodipecten fragosus (Conrad) and
>Nodipecten nodosus (Linne'), and whether this expensive operation (the
>price of the former "species" increased about fourfold for a while,
>until people clued in a bit) is unanimously accepted within the
>scientific community.  Has anyone tried to breed the two, especially
>specimens from close to where they supposedly diverge (ie, mid-Carribean
>area)?
 
Dear Ross and all,
    Please consider that NO major books have been written on the American
shells since Abbott's 1972 book or Keen's 1972 book for the west coast. It is
rather difficult to keep up to date with books that are 26 years old. The
basis for the splitting was done by Conrad many years ago. In the intervening
time, the two or rather all four species, 2 East Coast and 2 west coast have
been lumped back together and although it truly was not justified, that is the
way it was.
  In 1988, Judith Terry Smith wrote of this subject in U.S. Geologic Survey
Professional Paper 1391 Titled Cenozoic Giant Pectinids from California and
the Tertiary Caribbean Province: Lyropecten, "Macrochlamis", Vertipecten and
Nodipecten.
  I refer you to that paper.
  As someone who extensively and exclusively studies the Pectinidae, I can
tell you that I was not happy with all this either, but the fact remains that
the differences are clearly seen. I am sorry if it affects someone's pocket
book, I do not see how it could, but that is not a scientific problem.
  Most of the Pecten research is done on the commercially fished species,
since the Nodipectens do not fall into that category, they are not studied as
well as other groups. I don't know of any one who has done any of the tests to
determine if they are able to interbreed. If any one does know of anything
being done on this, I would love to know it.
  I hope this helps you to understand this a little better.
            Carole M
 
P.S. I didn't have anything to do with this so as I said in my COA program
"Don't Shoot the Messenger"