David,
These are very uniformly circular holes (there is a picture of one in my
paper). I don't think physical dissolution or fungal growth can create such
uniform holes. Nor are they holes opened by other snails eating shells,
because they normally do not have radula or rasping marks around them.

Aydin
snailstales.blogspot.com

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:27:46 -0600, David Campbell <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>Various fungi, algae, bacteria, etc. have some capacity to make holes
>in calcium carbonate.  Either acid or various enzymes could etch the
>shell.  Might the culprit be something in that line?
>
>It would be useful to know the exact shape of the entire burrow to see
>if there's anything diagnostic.  This generally requires filling it
>with something (resin, latex, etc.) and pulling it out or dissolving
>away the shell.
>
>--
>Dr. David Campbell
>425 Scientific Collections
>University of Alabama
>"I think of my happy condition, surrounded by acres of clams"
>

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