Thanks, Andrew. If these are turrids, such as Kermia, all four of my finds must be eroded and either juvenile or missing the varix. I had thought the lirate sculpture within the outer lip was inconsistent with Kermia or other similar turrids, but Kay describes several with this feature.

Other features that don't seem to jibe with Kermia are the narrowness of the aperture and the blunt apex. Most of the Kermia or other candidate turrids have acute protoconchs, although there are a couple of illustrations with blunter spires (may be eroded specimens?). A couple of my shells seem to have their protoconchs sufficiently intact.

I realize a lot of collectors see some erosion on an uncertain shell and say, "Forget about it." But for me, there will be some shells that are tantalizing with their ambiguities and I want to solve the mystery. I'd love to --one day-- see a fresh intact specimen to match up against one of these.

Gulp, am I the only one who persists in pondering less-than-perfect material?

David Kirsh


>I'd say look at Kermia or Philbertia, more likely the former.
>--
>Andrew Grebneff


"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties."--Erich Fromm, 1900-1980

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