Mollusks

The Rose Petal Tellin

We continue the overview of local Tellins with a brief presentation of the Rose Petal Tellin, Eurytellina lineata (Turton, 1819). The 1–1.5 inch-long bivalve is, together with its “sister”, the Alternate Tellin, one of the most common local species of the family Tellinidae. Thanks to the bright pink color of one of its varietals, it is one of the species preferred by local shell crafters. The Rose Petal Tellin can also be white, sometimes with a little wisp of pink color near the apex (the bival

The Alternate Tellin

With about 12 local species, the Tellinidae is one of the most diverse families of shallow-water marine bivalves in SW Florida. Last week we discussed the Candystick Tellin, Scissula similis (J. Sowerby, 1806). This week the featured species is one of its cousins, the locally common Alternate Tellin, Eurytellina alternata (Say, 1822). This species may reach between two and three inches in length, and displays the compressed shape typical of the family. The external shell sculpture consists of fi

The Candystick Tellin

The Candystick Tellin, Scissula similis (J. Sowerby, 1806), is a member of the locally (and globally) diverse Tellin family, the Tellinidae. The species may reach a little more than an inch in length, and displays the elliptical, compressed shape typical of the family. The Candystick Tellin lives buried in sandy bottoms. Its shell has a fine sculpture of concentric lines, but what really sets the species apart from its close relatives is its delicate coloration: a whitish or yellowish-white back

The Brown Gem Clam

The Brown Gem Clam, Parastarte triquetra (Conrad, 1846), is the smallest local member of the Veneridae, a large bivalve family that includes locally familiar species such as the Sunray Venus, the Calico Clam, and the Southern Quahog. At only about 0.12 inch in size, Brown Gem Clams are usually hard to detect: Most of the specimens in the Museum collection were obtained through sifting of previously collected samples of fine sand or bay mud. Its shells have an elongate-triangular shape, and are s

The Flattened Carditid

In the last two weeks I introduced the bivalves Broad-Ribbed Carditid and Three-Tooth Carditid. Today, to complete the conversation about local members of the family Carditidae, I want to “invite to the podium” the Flattened Carditid, Pteromeris perplana (Conrad, 1841). A small bivalve, reaching only about ¼-inch, this species has a very flat shell, a feature indicated in the specific name, the Latin compound word perplana, which translates into “hyper flat”. The shell is triangular, but with a

The Three-tooth Carditid

Barely reaching quarter-inch, the Three-tooth Carditid, Pleuromeris tridentata (Say, 1826), belongs to the group of relatively abundant but seldom collected small, local bivalves. This species belongs in the same family (the carditidae) as last week's featured shell, the Broad-ribbed Carditid. The shell is inflated, triangular, and relatively thick, with a characteristic sculpture of 15 to 18 strongly beaded radial ribs. (In bivalve shell terminology, radial applies to sculptural elements arrang

The Broad-ribbed Carditid

The Broad-ribbed Carditid, Cardites floridanus (Conrad, 1838), is a common species on our shores. Its shell may reach about 1.5 inches in size, is very thick and relatively heavy for its size. With its sculpture of thick radial ribs, it vaguely resembles and might be confused with local species of Ark Clams. These latter, however, have a shell hinge consisting of many, small teeth that are similar in size; the Carditid, on the other hand, has a hinge with just a few teeth, all different from eac

The Atlantic Semele

The Atlantic Semele, Semele proficua (Pulteney, 1799), is a close relative of the Purplish Semele, Semele purpurascens, a species presented in this column two weeks ago. The Atlantic Semele is a bivalve that may reach about 1.5 inches in size. Its shell is not as colorful as the Purplish Semele: it is usually ivory-white, internally yellow with reddish-brown or mauve speckles. The brownish ligament (the organic part that joins the shell valves and that keeps them slightly open when the animal is

The Chestnut Turban

The Chestnut Turban, Turbo castanea Gmelin, 1791, is a relatively common species of gastropod mollusk from the shores of Southwest Florida. The shell may reach about 1 to 1.5 inches, and is clearly distinguishable from other local gastropods by, among other shell features, the very opening (the aperture), and its sculpture with rows of small, triangular spines. The color is typically of chestnut to light-brown markings on a white background, but there is a local variety with bright orange shell.

The Purplish Semele

The Purplish Semele, Semele purpurascens (Gmelin, 1791), is one of the most distinctive bivalves found along the coast of Southwest Florida. It may reach about 1 to 1.5 inches and is easily distinguishable from other local clams by, among other shell features, its maroon, purplish or sometimes orange color, and presence of a central area of more intense coloration inside the shell valves. The external sculpture consists of very fine commarginal ("concentric") striations, which impart a dull aspe