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Viability is an abstract concept in the absence of a method and prototype. I've abandoned methods for lack of viability, but over time market conditions and demands change, thus revisiting a method is a thing. New technologies may be co-opted, hence straining viabilities. That said, what...

Which I gather is an operation of Saltspring Island Mussels?

Where are you located? Saltspring Island?

Yes, I've advised a few blue zone collectors to keep an eye out. I've ruled out the larger specimens as filled gas nodules. I've subsequently found several of these in other field specimens. However, the smaller one's are structured much differently and present with minor aragonite on the...

Predators and bumps against rocks can create points of entry too. Fragments of their own shells impaled in just the right place could perforate mantles enough to give rise to pearls too I suppose, but free pearls may be lost (or at least not visible) in fossils. One's attached to the shell are...

Indeed. While we speculated back in the day, it was refreshing to subsequently discover shell anomalies supportive of those suggestions. The Royal Tyrell Museum was dumbfounded by this discovery. Pearls never occurred to them. They've invited our group to inspect their collection for the...

I have no doubt DNA is largely implicated in shell development, however I have doubts it's a singular factor in pearl formation. Pearl sacs and surface structure of pearls are greatly dependant upon the proximity of the nucleus. A normal shell has four stages of growth during each consecutive...

I agree on all points. Although only 40% (approx) is visible, the back of the piece presents with features typical in loose pearls. If possible, I would like to see other images of the rear to substantiate the assessment.

Although not a follower, I agree with the philosophy that we may be better stewards of our planet. Walking in Ed Ricketts footsteps instilled that into me. Much of his work stemmed from our ability "see" things in nature and to question or interpret their purpose. I see pearls differently than...

Apply Occam's razor if you will. The solution to a problem is usually the simplest one. Iridescence is coincidental to shell strength.

Me too. "Seeing red" is a term we've gathered from the animal kingdom as it applies to fight instead of flight.

To comport with one's surroundings is definitely a survival mechanism. Not all bivalves are wrapped in conchiolin, especially those within the benthic zone (buried in sediments). However, most epifaunal creatures are, and often become encrusted by other organisms, thus obscuring their visual...

I agree, but only to the extent of unhealthy recipients or it's situation in the environment. You can graft a green apple to a red apple tree and still yield green apples. However, when the tree becomes unhealthy does not mean it defaults to red apples on those branches. Unsightly or inedible...

I should append this with an additional comment. It's not exclusive to the point. There is undoubtedly a hormonal connection too.

Perhaps. In which case the environmental conditions vary from year to year. Even the direction of the tide varies day to day. Some molluscs spawn seasonally while others all year round. That likely stems from genetic diversity as opposed to individually selecting a mate. If colour in any...

Irrelevant? I think not. Octopus are molluscs. All cephalopods have eyes. Pectinidae (scallops) are bivalve molluscs and have eyes. Eyes in molluscs did not spontaneously appear out of nowhere. Cephalopods do not copulate per se. Although not broadly cast into the water column, the male donates...

Colour originates from conchiolin which is a bio fluid. Molluscs have growth cycles, roughly nine per year while the other two or three months are hibernation periods. At the end of each lunar cycle there is a period of quiescence. During rest periods these fluids accumulate as opposed to being...

Aragonite is pseudo-hexagonal, likewise are bee hives. Mineralizing epithelial cells and bees share adjacent spaces equally to maximize efficiency. Gaming boards and computer maps very often use hexagonal grids to maximize contiguity with adjacent cells. Six pathways as opposed to four using...

Andrea is a dedicated scientist, so I'm sure she's okay with us going off track in her thread. I remember that thread, which seemed odd for a geneticist. For me it's a common sense question. Shells are a biotic structure built to manage strength and permeability in an extreme environment...

In the absence of a scientific section, a scientific discussion may arise or be questioned in other threads nonetheless. For some who don't strictly adhere to the tenets of science, comments may be misconstrued as an affront or ill-informed. Whilst incorrect, mythical or all-or-nothing comments...