> One problem with buying shells from China on internet auctions is that > they can be misidentified.


I find that NO dealer gets 'em all right... in fact most misidentify
many species (I have to say that the guys at Femorale are pretty darn
good at identifications). The Chinese are no worse than others, and
often put unknowns down as "sp sp", admitting tat they can't I them.

One ting that gets me, though, is dealers who refuse to alter their
naming when told of a misidentification or use of an invalid synonym
eg Chlamys dieffenbachi (is Talochlamys zelandiae), vasidae (is
Turbinellidae) or Tudicula (is Tudivasum) or place species in the
wrong family (eg Syrinx in Melongenidae).

--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van nut

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