>And what do you think about shell  microstructure as a technique for
>taxonomic identification?

It is rarely distinctive at the species level.  However, it can be
quite distinctive at higher taxonomic levels and can be quite valuable
in determining the relationships of problematic taxa, especially
fossils.

A caveat is that parallel evolution has taken place.

----------------------------------------
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections
University of Alabama, Box 870345
Tuscaloosa AL 35487
"James gave the huffle of a snail in
danger But no one heard him at all"  A.
A. Milne

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