Hi David With Margarita there is a much less cross-over of species Florida as you have noted. Belize however has Mayan Ruins you can go visit it you want to trek inland. Good land & Freshwater snails too! Belize has officially banned shelling since about 1987? But usually turns the eye. I don't think they care in Margarita. I'd go for the Margarita trip, and get distinctly different materials. ..just don't let the park ranger catch you with hermit-crabbed shells at dusk! Have a great trip! Signed, Cooped up in Houston, ----------------------- Folks, I'm looking for a quick (5-day) cheap off-the-beaten path getaway to include good shelling-- and it's come down to Margarita Island versus Belize. >From the write-up on Margarita in Am Conchologist versus the write-up on Belize on the Jacksonville site, it looks like Belize tends to have more typical Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico species that I'm likely to already have. There are more unusual species to the main part of Caribbean on Margarita, no? Anybody have a sense of the micro fauna comparison? David Kirsh Durham, NC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs To leave this list, click on the following web link: http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1 Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and click leave the list. ----------------------------------------------------------------------