> Roland,
>
> I take it that by the "oldest," you mean the longest-lived.  There is
> information that may place the Ocean Quahog, Arctica islandica (Linnaeus,
> 1767),
> in seniority of the geoducks.  It consists of a series of reports by Doug
> Jones, now Director of the Florida Museum of Natural History, beginning with
> his doctoral dissertation at Princeton.  In my utter disorganization, I cannot
> put my finger on any of this work, but I think he put a short note on this
> topic in American Conchologist a few years back.  Perhaps another
> Conch-L'er can
> locate it.

This was the subject of a talk at COA convention in St Louis. It was
excellent! As I remember, Arctica islandica has been aged at over 260 years.

Peggy

                     Visit my website at http://www.shelltrips.com
                                  Peggy Williams
                                   Shell Elegant
                                    PO Box 575
                                Tallevast FL 34270
                                   (941) 355-2291
                            [log in to unmask]