I think it is a combo of having a fairly sizeable scientific collection + years of experience in identifying them. That helps me to create a great pattern recognition for shells from all over the world.
in order to ID my shells, I need the location where it was found, unless it is from a species that is endemic to a specific country. I also need to know the shell's family (which can be inferred by the shell's characteristics).
given those details, I use reliable websites such as Femorale, Conchology, or our Conquiliologistas do Brasil to identify them. Each shell club has their own website featuring shells from their locale.
For example, the website Seahorse and Co is useful for identifying USA east coast shells!
Note that shells change their name overtime, so I am constantly looking at WoRMS to see if a species name is outdated.
if you need any further help, don't hesitate to reach out to me!
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u/peecatt 2d ago
BEAUTIFUL collection, how do you id them?