>Hi all,
>I often find living mollusc specimen partially covered with a thin
>ferruginous layer.
>I tried to get some papers on that matter, but I failed.
>Does someone knows the meaning of such layers and some bibliography also?
>Thank you all in advance:
>Regards
>Enzo Campani

Shells living where rust is present will often be ruststained, but
this is nonbiogenic...

The only shells I find which might have iron compounds deposited are
freshwater ones from the tropics (Fiji), where I have collected
neritids and various thiarids with a thick black (probably
nonferrous, possibly organic) smooth coating. This is easy to remove
by bleaching, as it is deposited on top of the periostracum, which
dissolves, releasing the black layer in slabs).
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
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Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut

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