Holiday Greetings All!
 
I hope that you haven't all rushed off and turned your Helicostyla florida
specimens into albinos, based on my previous posting about land shells and
bleach.  I thought that H. florida was one of the species I had successfully
cleaned with bleach in the past, but after posting this information, I had a
nagging doubt, so I tried one just to be sure.  OOPS!  H. florida is NOT a
bleach-stable species - it comes out white as snow.
 
While on the subject, Helicostyla pan is another interesting one - a very
interesting shell, both before and after bleaching - arguably more attractive
after bleaching.  Before bleaching it has multiple spiral bands ranging from
deep chocolate brown through lighter brown, tan, and white.  After bleaching,
the bands are gone.  The lower half of the body whorl is deep chocolate brown,
which extends up along the suture line.  Upper half of the body whorl is tan,
fading to white near the brown suture.  The shell has a nice gloss, which of
course is not visible when the periostracum is intact.
 
Regards,
Paul M.