Help Identifying Shells for film project

[angus.benger]

Hi All,

My Name is Angus, I work for a film studio in New Zealand and we have bought a bunch of shells as reference for a project we are working on. Unfortunately, on their way to us they have been seized at customs, and unless we can provide the customs officials with a list of the scientific names of the shells in question, they cannot release them to us and the shells will likely be destroyed. I was hoping I might find some help identifying them on this forum - I have included a link to an image from the seller - any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Link:
http://postimg.org/image/466i46wkf/

Kind Regards,

Angus

[wolfi]

Hi Angus,

sorry, but it's extremely difficult to identify the species with such an overview (at least for me it's nearly impossible in most cases). A valid species identification normally needs two or three good quality pictures (taken in different angles) of single specimens. The specimens should be numbered and hight and width should be given. Furthermore, some specimens are abraded / polished, unfortunately. So it's poor material, after all...... . I hope you haven't paid too much........ .
I have numbered the specimens in three rows from the left to the right side.
Just a guess:
Upper row
1 ?
2 ?
3 seems to be a Helicostyla spec. (Philippines, terrestrial)
4 Turritella spec.
5 ??
6 Trochus spec.? (abraded / polished)
7 might be Strombidae
8 ?
Middle row
9 Nautilus (abraded / polished) (Cephalopoda)
10 ?
11 Trochus spec.
12 Strombidae
13 Trochus spec.
14 Trochus spec. (abraded)
Lower row
15 Trochus spec. (abraded )
16 ??
17 Haliotis spec. (some species protected by law)
18 Laevistrombus canarium
19 seems to be a Helicostyla spec. (Philippines, terrestrial)
20 Architectonica spec.
21 Haliotis spec. (some species protected by law)
22 ??
Sorry I can't help you more, kind regards: wolf

[Orepaul87]

Hi,

My thoughts are:
1: Trocus nicolatus
2:Bivalve, possibly cardia sp.
3:agree
4: Turretella turretella
5:Oyster species
6ecten species
7:Strombus aursadianne, genus name has changed but I don't know the new, Google search will pull it up.
8ectin species Possibly the Weather Vane Scallop
9: polished Nautilus
10:Cymbola vespertila
11:Trochus Polished
12:Lambis sp need turned over to see aperture
13:Turbo species... either g3old-mouthed or more likely the silver-mouthed turbo.
14:polished turbo
15: same but different species
16:Halitosis species, polished
17:another Halitosis species
18:agree
19: agree
20:agree
21: Halitosis cracholdi (sp) commercially fished in Mexico.

Just to try to clarify somewhat, what Wolfi already said. I don't collect Halitosis so don't know if 16 or 17 are protected.

regards,
paul

[Orepaul87]

apparently a caplitized "p" makes a weird icon?

[wolfi]

Hi Paul,

thanks a lot for plausible suggestions, that's great......... . :-) Merci!

@Angus:

If you try to compare with pictures in the www:

1: Trocus nicolatus read Tectus niloticus (?)
4: Turretella turretella read Turritella, but, sorry, I don't know about any Turritella turritella.
7: Strombus aursadianne read Euprotomus aurisdianae
10: Cymbola vespertila read Cymbiola vespertilio

16: Halitosis species, polished
17: another Halitosis species
21: Halitosis cracholdi (sp) commercially fished in Mexico. Read H. cracherodii
Halitosis read Haliotis........ .

Thanks again, Paul, kind regards: wolf