(Unidentified Shells)
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Identification of specimens can be one of the most challenging aspects of shell collecting. Even though I've been collecting and studying shells for 30 years, I still have neither the resources nor the expertise required to identify all 100,000 species of mollusc! Micro shells are particularly vexing.

The following images show a selection of shells from my collection that I am having difficulty identifying. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated! Please Email me if you have any solutions or suggestions...Especially you CONCH-L people (:-)). Thankyou, and good luck.



See the following pages for specific groups I'm having trouble with:

(Unidentified Shells 07)
(Unidentified Shells 08)

Unidentified Shell #07

Olango Channel, Cebu, Philppines. 8mm. Catalog #764.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "Lienardia cf rubida Hinds, 1844. This is a juvenile specimen seen in lumun lumun from Philippines." (Jean Claude Martin)

Unidentified Shell #08

Washed from corals and Spondylus, 25-30 fathoms, Punta Engano, Cebu Island, Philippines. 5mm (average).

Possible identity and ideas:
- Are there several species here?

(Unidentified Shells 05)
(Unidentified Shells 06)

Unidentified Shell #05

Olango Channel, Cebu, Philippines. 16mm. Catalog #778.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "Coralliophila bulbiformis Conrad, 1837" (Jean Claude Martin)

Unidentified Shell #06

Olango Channel, Cebu, Philippines. 16mm. Catalog #929.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "A Muricidae in the genus Ergalatax." (Jean Claude Martin)

(Unidentified Shells 03)
(Unidentified Shells 04)

Unidentified Shell #03

Washed from corals and Spondylus, 25-30 fathoms, Punta Engano, Cebu Island, Philippines. 5mm.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "Atys (Aliculastrum) cf ooformis (Habe 1964)" (Andrew Grebneff)

Unidentified Shell #04

Washed from corals and Spondylus, 25-30 fathoms, Punta Engano, Cebu Island, Philippines. 5mm average.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "Diacavolinia longirostris (Blainville 1821)" (Andrew Grebneff)

(Unidentified Shells 01)
(Unidentified Shells 02)

Unidentified Shell #01

Washed from corals and Spondylus, 25-30 fathoms, Punta Engano, Cebu Island, Philippines. 5mm width.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "Latiaxis pilsbry Hirase 1908 - abnormal, with stunted canal. It could be L. mawae, which even at subcentimeter size has spiral cords, or L. princeps. These are the only two Latiaxis with flat spires... in fact they COULD be termed the only species of Latiaxis. It appears to be smooth-surfaced, so I suspect the L. pilsbryi. The short canal is interesting... of course it normally forms a 'curtainwall' enclosing a deep funicular umbilicus." (Andrew Grebneff)

Unidentified Shell #02

Washed from corals and Spondylus, 25-30 fathoms, Punta Engano, Cebu Island, Philippines.

Possible identity and ideas:
- "Favartia dorothyae Emerson & d'Attilio 1979" (Andrew Grebneff)



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© Copyright 2004 Peter Egerton