Hi Phred, When I reattach Xenophora attachments, I use ordinary "white glue" (Elmer's Glue-All, Sobo Glue, etc.). Not the white "school glues" however - they are water soluble after drying. The PVA (polyvinyl acetate) - based glues like those mentioned above are insoluble in water, once dried. Epoxy is stronger, but that isn't really an advantage I don't think, because if you attach the item with a glue that is a lot stronger than the shell, a bump will then result in either the attachment itself breaking, or worse, a piece of the carrier shell itself breaking off, still bonded to the attachment. Most epoxies and other resins also turn yellow upon hardening, or some time thereafter. Obviously, the first step in reattaching a carrier attachment is figuring out exactly how it was originally positioned. There is usually an impression of the attachment in the body of the shell itself (though, if the attachment was not well bonded in the first place, the impression may be rather small and indistinct). Figuring out which part of the attachment was actually bonded to the shell, and exactly how it was positioned, can take a bit of trial and error, and patience. Once you get it right, it should fit very precisely into the impression. Therefore, there is virtually no gap to be filled with glue, and only a very small amount of glue is required. A wooden spring-type clothespin is good to hold glued pieces in place until they dry. Plastic clothespins are more lilkely to slip off, possibly causing damage. If a small amount of glue oozes out of the gap when clamped, remove it before it has a chance to dry, with a small, dry, soft bristle brush (a child's water color brush is ideal). Then, if you want to, you can brush some ordinary baking flour around the glued junction. This will adhere to any exposed glue, and give it a dull (rather than shiny) appearance once the glue dries, which is virtually invisible. Excess flour can be brushed or blown away after the glue dries thoroughly. The original Xenophora mekranensis ( I don't have the author handy) is a fossil form. X. mekranensis konoi Habe is a still living subspecies of the otherwise extinct X. mekranensis. Paul M. Rhode Island