Fultoni sp

[alwynmarais]

Hi All

This shell was picked up at a beach in Richards Bay, South Africa. There are extensive fossil beds in the area, especially in the harbour area. My question is this - is it a fossil or a beached <i>C. fultoni</i>. The shell possesses the distinctive dorsal tubercules of C. zietsmani, but not the resessed, almost edentate columellar peristome. One other point of concern may be the spotting on the side of the shell which i dont know if it will be visible in a fosil. The shell also comes from northern Natal and not from the area off Port Elizabeth as given for C. zietsmani. I am not aware of C. fultoni washing up on the beach as it lives too deep.

Picture at <a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/561349" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/561349">http://www.badongo.com/pic/561349</a><!-- m --></a>

Any help would be appreciated.

Alwyn Marais