Umit,
It might be interesting to precisely measure large populations of
representative species and see if it makes a difference if the holotype
is 11 or 11 1/4 whorls.  I would suspect that the population of mature
specimens would be best characterized by a range of sizes (mean and
standard deviation might also be useful) which would be a better way to
describe the species than the precise number of whorls on the holotype.
Of course, if the number is constant within a population, that is
important to note.
Allen Aigen  NYC
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On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 10:22:20 +0200 umit <[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Thanks for all remarks. As indicated by Aydin Orstan and David
> Campbell one
> (me) has to standardize his method, that is ok. but say if is a new
> species
> figured only by genitalia and a photo who can understand it (whether
> a
> particular method is applied)? Actually, in almost none of the
> landsnail
> papers i read includes such an info...An example for the problems
> this can
> cause, when you inspect Vitrea species in Schütt (2001) "Die
> Türkische
> Landschnecken", when you compare figures and text you can see that
> both
> methods i wrote were applied to separate species (see V. contracta
> and V.
> heniae, lodosi....)
>
> My problem with the slender and tall shells, like an Ena, is that
> how one
> can say that there is 11 1/4 whorls if the general practise is to
> count in
> 'vertical' way...
>
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> --------------------------------------------------
> In Aydin's paper there is a discussion about the identity of
> circular hole
> drillers in landshells...in this list once was a discussion about
> oval or
> circular holes to identify the predator. Can carnivorous mollusks be
> the
> reason for very small circular holes in land snails? For superficial
> perfectness of the circles in shells, i harldy can think that heavy
> mandibles can do it. maybe there is a group of small endoparasite
> worms of
> alimentary canal(?) chemically dissolve shell or a heteropteran
> sting bug
> penetrate the shell (latter seems more irrational).
>
> And i wonder if Lampyris-type snail specialists bore shells
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> Ümit
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "aydin" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 4:29 AM
> Subject: Re: counts
>
>
> > Ümit,
> > There is no one standard whorl counting method. I prefer to count
> along
> the
> > suture, which gives 1/2 whorl more than does omitting the first
> semicircle.
> > There are other ways of doing it. I don't think anyone can
> reasonably
> argue
> > that one particular method is the "right" way of doing it. Just
> explain
> how
> > you did it if you write a paper.
> >
> > An easy way to count the whorls of clausiliids & other tall shells
> is to
> > start from the aperture & go backwards; the body whorl will be #1,
> > penultimate whorl #2 & so on. This is useful if you only need to
> refer
> > especially to the lower whorls for whatever reason (see my paper
> on drill
> > holes in Turkish land snails).
> >
> > Aydin
> >
> > On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 09:55:04 +0200, umit <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> >
> > >Dear all,
> > >
> > >I noticed a difference in counting whorls when reading Likharev
> and
> > Rammelmeier (1952) "Lands Snails of....USSR" book. Normally when
> counting
> > whorls a -the first- semicircle of embyronic turn is omitted and
> 360
> dgress
> > afterwards is accepted as 1 turn, so that 1st turn counted
> resembles
> > profile of a Nautilus. But in that book, i think, the semicircle
> is not
> > omitted and 1st turn counted ends where parallel to the median
> line of the
> > semicircle passes (total count is 1/2 turns less than the former).
> Is
> there
> > any other applications?
> > >
> > >The other question, when counting clausiliids a practical method
> is to
> > count whorls from the frontal view, i.g. mouth facing you. How do
> you
> count
> > similar slender snails like Subulinidae etc.?
> > >
> > >
> > >Best wishes
> > >
> > >Ümit
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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