You might want to compare your specimen with the images that we
have posted on our Web Site.  We have all the Busycon illustrated
including albinos, sinistral specimens or normally dextral species,
and dextral specimens of normally sinistral species.
 
Regards,
 
Bill Frank
1865 Debutante Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32246-8645
Phone/FAX: (904) 724-5326
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Visit the Jacksonville Shell Club Home Page at:
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/wfrank/jacksonv.htm
 
-----Original Message-----
From: NORA BRYAN <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, January 28, 1999 9:44 AM
Subject: South Carolina Busycon
 
 
>I am a newbie to shell collecting.  Living thousands of kilometers from
>any ocean makes it hard to be seriously active in the science, but I
>have managed to beg, scrounge, trade, buy and even collect a few shells
>over the years.  About 10 years ago I was lucky to be on a geological
>field trip on the coast of South Carolina and I collected a number of
>beach shells.  I found a shell that look exactly like the Lightning
>Whelk, light brown, and a couple of inches long (according to the
>pictures in the various books I have used), except that mine is dextral,
>not sinistral, as the Lightning Whelk is supposed to be.  What do I
>likely have?  I had several at the time, but gave them all away but
>one.  I can't remember if they were all dextral or not.  I didn't know
>enough to think about it at the time.
>While we are on the topic, why is it that most shells are dextrally
>whorled, and how common are sinistral variations?  Are some species more
>prone to this than others?
>By the way, I have learned a lot just by keeping up with this group.
>You are all obviously passionate about your hobby, and there is a huge
>wealth of knowledge out there.  I don't feel quite so far from the ocean
>now...