Mon - Internet Hawaiian Shell News

More grunge finds by Sid Sneidar
Reading some of my grunge articles, one may wonder, “Why is Sid saving all those dead damaged
and faded shells?” The answer, quite simply is that shell collecting to me is and must remain a hobby. I
do not strive to have the most, the largest, the most perfect or the rarest; either singly or collectively. For
me, an imperfect or even partial shell in my collection is fine until a better specimen comes along. It is,
nonetheless, a bit of an adrenalin rush to find a rare/uncommon or gem specimen of a shell; especially one
not in my collection.
Additionally, the hobby affords me the opportunity to associate with nice people of the same avocation,
develop some digital imaging techniques using a stereo microscope, the computer and camera. It
also helps keep the old gray matter functioning and the learning process is continuous.
While doing a grunge sort collected by J. J. Jackson from the Makaha area of Oahu, Hawaii in
early August of this year, I got that adrenalin rush when I found an Epitonium I had not seen in all my 15
years of collecting the "wee ones".
It is about .7.5 mm and I almost missed it while looking through my stereomicroscope. Wes
Thorsson says he thinks it is an immature Epitoniidae Asperiscala goldsmithi DuShane, 1988 but conceeds
it might be different.. I think it is closer to Epitonium thorssoni, DuShane, 1988 when comparing
images in Hawaiian Epitoniidae by Helen DuShane.
You be the judge: Images of all three are below. Sneidar photo on left, Dushane photos from
HSN insert January, 1990 on right.
Sneidar’s specimen
Asperiscala goldsmithi
Dushane, 1988
Epitonium thorssoni
Dushane, 1988
Internet Hawaiian Shell News December 2006 Month Section page 11