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Tom Piscitelli posted an update 6 years, 3 months ago
6 years, 3 months ago6 years, 3 months agoHi Ms Mills I added a new post with a 2016 paper on fossil pearls. I can not find any info on Mercenaria fossil pearls although there are recent/modern quahod pearls that are very beautiful. I especially like the purple ones. FYI Tom
Hi Tom, thanks for the update! I also emailed some folks here at the Florida Museum to see what they might know about the shells, and I’ll let you know when I hear back from them. I’m excited to learn more about what you’ve found, it seems like a unique discovery!
-Sadie
Hi Here is some further information: The intact left valve with the pearl warts is not smooth at the umbo and as can be seen in the picture it has an interior that is pale violet or lilac in color. US Geological Survey Professional Paper 199 pp132 plate 20 describes Mercenaria carolinensis from the Waccamaw Formation Cape Fear River NC. Interestingly plate 20 #1 shows the interior left valve of M carolinensis with at least to my eyes appears to have small blister pearls or pearl “warts”. However NO MENTION is made of their presence. Since it is a black and white photo, whether color is present is unclear and not that i can tell no mention of color is made in the description. Plate 20 #2, the umbo does not appear to have any smooth areas. Please add this to the information on the post. If there is a way to attach this reference I do not understand how to do it. Thanks Tom
Hi Tom, I added this content to your other post containing Mercenaria reference info. Thanks for chiming in with additional research, Sadie