Mollusks

Shell of the Week: The Southern Ribbed Mussel

Geukensia granosissima (G.B. Sowerby III, 1914) grows to about 75 mm (about 3 inches). The shell has a straight dorsal (“upper”) margin, with the beak at the anterior one quart. The posterior end is broad and the ventral (“lower”) margin is curved inward. Relatively strong radial (departing from the beak) ribs are characteristic of this species. The periostracum is thin, light- to dark-brown.#geukensiagranosissima #southernribbedmussel #sanibel #periostracum

Flamingo Tongue, Goth Lips!

A member of the family Ovulidae, the Flamingo Tongue, Cyphoma gibbosum (Linnaeus, 1758), is one of the most attractive shallow-water gastropods from the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. Flamingo Tongues live on gorgonians (sea fans, sea whips, and relatives), feeding on the polyps of those colonial organisms. This photo, taken underwater off Long Key, in the Florida Keys, highlights its colorful mantle, foot, and head, with the remarkable black "lips"!

OctoCam Goes Live!

Our OctoCam livestream enables you to view our Giant Pacific Octopus swimming, eating, and playing in its aquarium in real-time.The OctoCam is made possible by generous donations from our Presenting Sponsor, The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company. Donations enable the Museum to provide exceptional nutrition, water quality, and veterinary care - all of which is critical to the overall health and welfare of our Giant Pacific Octopus. Check out the Octocam here!

Shell of the Week: The American Horse Mussel

Modiolus americanus (Leach, 1815) grows to about 100 mm (about 4 inches!) in parts of the its distribution range. The brown periostracum is heavy and flaky. This species resembles last week’s Shell of the Week, the Southern Mussel. They differ, however, by the usually larger size, much more “obese” shell, and presence of orange and pink hues internally and externally in the shell of the American Horse Mussel. The Southern Horse Mussel has a “skinnier” shell and generally bluish-purple color insi

The Raven, the Clam, and Humankind

A raven as the initiator of human life? And out of a clam? “At first he saw nothing, but as he scanned the beach again, a white flash caught his eye, and when he landed he found at his feet, half buried in the sand, a gigantic clamshell. When he looked more closely still, he saw that the shell was full of little creatures cowering in terror of his enormous shadow.” This passage, from the book “The Raven Steals the Light,” by Bill Reid and Robert Bringhurst, narrates the origin of humankind accor

Shell of the Week: The Southern Horse Mussel

Modiolus squamosus Beauperthuy, 1967 is the less uncommon among the local mussel species. Scattered valves and even complete pairs may be found on local Southwest Florida beaches after storms, particularly during the winter. The species may grow to 65 mm (about 2.6 inches), and the external shell surface is covered with a relatively thin, light-brown periostracum, which contrasts with the distinctive purplish color of the internal surfaces. Southern Horse Mussels can be distinguished from the Am

Lined Chiton riding a Kellet's Whelk. Photo by Carly Hulse.

The Chiton and the Whelk

Museum's Senior Aquarist Carly Hulse took this great photo, at our Cold-water Touch Pool, of one of our Lined Chitons (Tonicella lineata)...

Shell of the Week: The Lateral Mussel

Musculus lateralis (Say, 1822) is another local but uncommon mussel, probably neglected because of its small size. Reaching only 9 mm (about 0.35 inch), its shell is oval, inflated. Two radial, slanted lines divide each valve in three areas: a smooth central one, and anterior and posterior areas with strong radial ribs. The internal shell surface is faintly iridescent, with a very thin nacreous layer. That allows for the external colors to show by transparency. #musculuslateralis #lateralmussel

Shell of the Week: The Hooked Mussel

Ischadium recurvum (Rafinesque, 1820) is a local but uncommon mussel that inhabits protected bay areas and the calm waters of local estuaries. Reaching 50 mm (about two inches), its shell is moderately inflated, curved, resembling a claw, or a hook. The surface sculpture consists of radial lines extending from the beak outward. The outside color is dark-grayish to dark-brown, with interspaces between radial lines of darker color. The inside surface is iridescent, nacreous, with purplish, bluish,

Museum Collection in iDigBio

One of the largest of its kind in the United States, the Museum's scientific collection provides taxonomic, geographic, and chronological data about its molluscan holdings to a broad range of users in zoology, marine biology, genetics, conservation, geology, and other fields of science. For almost a year now, our collection catalog data has been available via the Museum’s web portal. In a major step to enhance the accessibility of the catalog, making it available to a much larger audience, catal