Andy, There are enough parasitic snails to keep this malacologic (as some have gone completely internal in holothurians, losing their shells.)What is it about parasites that makes people cringe? Perhaps the idea that the Creator made life in his own image and therefore benificent ("... and it was good.")? Real life is not the Garden of Eden, but it is good! Allen Aigen [log in to unmask] -- Andy Rindsberg <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Pretty good evidence of evolution in action. Cones are in the process of "losing" their percs as changes in aperture morphology make percs unnecessary. The same way you are in the process of "losing" your appendix and wisdom teeth. And slugs "losing" their internalized vestigial shells. > Which begs the question, Why would Intelligent Design create half a perc? > G. Thomas Watters, PhD [snip] +++++++++ Tom, The one that really gets me is why anyone would want to create hundreds of species of wasps that sting and paralyze caterpillars, drag them into holes in the ground, and then lay an egg in each one so the wasp larva can eat the caterpillar from the inside while it is still alive. Andy Andrew K. Rindsberg Geological Survey of Alabama