Mel, That's what I thought - for years - especially considering Crepidula fornicata's habit of piling up with several females on the bottom and several males on top. But, when I voiced that belief on Conch-L about a year ago, I was promptly informed that fornicata refers to the shape of a fornix, or archway, so fornicata therefore means "arch-shaped". I still think the other explanation is more interesting :-) Regards, Paul M.