>     Dear Dr. Cummings. I am sure I was told that all the old Shell
>petroleum tankers were named after sea shells.  I have come across a few
>who's name do not appear to be those of shells at all.  Am I correct?   The
>ones I have difficulty with are Thalamus, Naticina and  Daphnella. with
>best wishes, David  Charles.
>

Naticina Gray, 1847, is supposed to be synonym of Eunaticina Fischer, 1885
- these are moon snails.

Daphnella Hinds, 1844, is a genus of 'turrids,' although whatever family
they are in now changes daily.

Not familiar with Thalamus.

Shell Oil itself started as a shell company - or so the urban legend goes.
Anyone know the real story?


*****************************************
 G Thomas Watters
 Ohio Biological Survey &
 Aquatic Ecology Laboratory
 Ohio State University
 1315 Kinnear Road
 Columbus, OH 43212 USA
 v: 614-292-6170  f: 614-292-0181
******************************************

"The world is my oyster except for months with an 'R' in them" - Firesign
Theater

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he
has to buy a license" - GTW