I forgot to say the Jervis Bay specimens were from 18m depth Geoff >From: Geoff Macaulay <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: funny how you find the best shell in the 1st 10 minutes >Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 22:13:31 +1000 > >David, >The intertidal specimen of C parthenopeum was by my recollection heavily >worn and encrusted (seen 20 years ago and not collected). Its periostracum >was worn but recognizable. >I did however collect a few specimens from further north at Jervis Bay >(before protected) and had one smaller (?younger) specimen that had no >significant encrustations. The larger specimen had multiple small coralline >encrustations mostly on the periostracum itself and therefore relatively >easy to remove >Geoff > > >>From: David Kirsh <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: funny how you find the best shell in the 1st 10 minutes >>Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 14:12:31 -0700 >> >>Geoff, >> >>Yeah, I was wondering if others would confirm that it's unusual to make >>intertidal finds. Thanks for responding on that. When I stopped at the >>marine lab at Panacea, FL, the scientists had collected a live C. >>parthenopeum in shallow water from a bay in the panhandle of FL. That may >>or >>may not be unusual for FL but my intuition tells me that it is a less >>frequent depth for North Carolina, which experiences generally colder >>winters. >> >>My shell is 3 1/2 inches in length. Yours was worn? I guess it partly >>depends on the age and these can get quite a bit larger than mine. >> >>In that vein, I was going to ask people about one other notable thing >>about >>my shell: There is absolutely no encrustation at all. There were 2 or 3 >>very >>small filaments of green algae on the entire shell, which may have drifted >>into the periostracum and tangled. >> >>But the periostracum was evidently doing a superb job of preventing >>fouling >>organisms. Is this unique to certain species maybe up to a certain age? >>The >>properties of the periostracum would be quite valuable to understand, no? >>(Haven't checked the archives whether this particular has been discussed, >>but I don't recall it). >> >>David Kirsh >> >> >> >> > From: Geoff Macaulay <[log in to unmask]> >> > Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> >> > Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 21:29:55 +1000 >> > To: [log in to unmask] >> > Subject: Re: funny how you find the best shell in the 1st 10 minutes >> > >> > David >> > I have seen a few Cymatium parthenopeum while diving, but only ever one >> > intertidally. It was also sitting out in the open on an intertidal sand >>flat >> > at Merimbula in southern New South Wales, Australia, at night. >> > It was a pretty grotty worn old shell but quite an amazing animal >> > >> > Geoff > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx