Mystery shell found in dubai

[skang]

Please can you assist in helping identify this shell.

I am trying to find out what it is called, what animal it comes from, where they originate from and if it is rare or not??

<a href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m167/K9ng/100_0809.jpg" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m167/K9ng/100_0809.jpg">http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m167 ... 0_0809.jpg</a><!-- m --></a>

Any help greatly appreciated
please can you email me answers to <!-- e --><a href="mailtoorayajenkins04@aol.com">sorayajenkins04@aol.com</a><!-- e -->

[paul monfils]

This appears to be a "venus clam", that is, a member of the family Veneridae, probably a species of Callista. Did you find this on the beach, or purchase it in a shop? The reason I ask is that it appears to be highly glossy, which makes me wonder if it is a polished specimen. Anyway, there are several species in that general area, and the picture is not sufficiently clear to enable a certain ID. Could be Callista chinensis, Callista florida, Callista impar, etc. All of these are common species.