Hello, Guido,
 
I am an very amature sheller/photographer (and new to conch-l).  I read
most of the messages with Abbott & Dance's "Compendium of Seashells" by my
side since I only know common names of most shells. But, I do have a nice 
picture of a strombus alatus taken one early morning here on Sanibel
Island.  The shell is sitting on end (siphon tip up) with the snail
"looking" out the aperture.  The eye stalks are basically parallel to each
other  with the eyes looking at the camera.  (Looks like a mini "E.T.")  
His foot is curled around his shell.   
 
I do not have a scanner but if you are interested, I could have a neighbor
e-mail an image to you and you could decide if you wanted a copy of a
print.
 
The weather here on Sanibel has been wonderful the winter.  Sunny and warm.
 But, the lack of storms means a lack of shells.  So what do we do to
entertain themselves when there are only "junk" shells on the beach?  Look
for wentletraps.  I believe my husband, Ken, is the "Wentletrap King" of
the island. In four days he has probably picked up over 4,000 (with a
little help from me on one day).  We have 2660 cleaned and counted plus
more than that in water waiting to be cleaned of debris.  Yesterday, one
couple came up to us and said they had been watching him for two days and 
couldn't stand it any longer.  They had to know what he was doing on his
hands and knees for all that time - about 5 hours a day.  We are collecting
them in a vinegar cruet, putting the smallest ones in the hollow glass
stopper.  So far there are 390 in the stopper.  Just for the fun of it, I 
emptied them into a measuring spoon to see what their actual volume would 
be....about 3/4 tablespoon. That is what I call small shells. We will be
looking for "The Wentletrap Book" when it becomes available.
 
Joyce & Ken Matthys
Sanibel Island