Mollusks

Shell of the Week: The Ivory Cerith

Cerithium eburneum Bruguière, 1792 reaches 43 mm (1.7 inches). Its shell sculpture consists of knobby spiral cords and occasional varices indicative of growth stops. The number of small knobs or beads in the spiral cords is extremely variable in this species. The color is white, sometimes with irregular light-brown areas. The species is found in the Gulf of Mexico and from the east coast of Florida south to the Caribbean and to northeastern Brazil. Lori Campbell found the juvenile shell illustra

The Gorgeous McGinty’s Cyphoma

On March 14, underwater photographer Ariane Dimitris took pictures of a couple of living Cyphoma mcginty off Pompano Beach, east coast of Florida.  To me, the McGinty Cyphoma is the most attractive among the several species of the genus Cyphoma found in the western Atlantic. I love the color pattern of its mantle (flap of skin that makes and covers the shell), with its round pink-gray spots. The photo above shows the anterior part of the snail with the siphon in the center (Thanks to Ariane for

Shell of the Week: The Elusive Atlantic Geoduck

Panopea bitruncata is a large bivalve closely related to the famous Pacific Geoduck (Panopea generosa). The Atlantic species is very uncommon.Geoducks (goo·ee·duhks) are members of the bivalve family Hiatellidae. They live buried in mud, have long siphons that cannot fully retract into the shell, and a shell with valves that do not completely shut when joined together. The maximum reported length for the Atlantic Geoduck is 190 mm (7.48 inches), and the single valve in the second image (above),

A Show for the Record Books!

Congratulations to the Sanibel Captiva Shell Club and to all involved in the planning and execution of the comprehensive and super well-attended 2024 Sanibel Shell Show at the Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort. It was the best shell show I’ve took part in and one for the record books!

Behind the Scenes at the Museum Collection

The Fort Myers News-Press / Naples Daily News is publishing a series of articles to celebrate Shell Week (week of the Shell Show and Shell Festival). Last Wednesday’s article highlights work done in the collection department of the Museum. We are very happy with the opportunity, given that natural history collections usually don’t receive much airtime in the media. Thanks to News-Press staff, and in particular to Amy Williams, Mark Bickel, and Andrew West. Read the article here.

Shell of the Week: The Glory of the Atlantic Cone

Conus granulatus is an attractive cone snail that grows up to at least 64 mm (about 2.5 inches). Its shell shows spiral ridges that may or not bear granular bumps (hence the scientific name of the species). The background color is orange-red with one or more broad spiral brown bands, with variations in intensity of these colors. The species is found throughout the Caribbean Sea, including the Bahamas, and off the east coast of Florida and the Florida Keys.#conusgranulatus #gloryoftheatlanticcone

FUM Turns Fourteen!

Florida United Malacologists (FUM) is a one-day gathering that brings together researchers, collectors, citizen scientists, enthusiasts, and students interested in a broad range of mollusk-related topics. The annual event is turning 14 years of age this year! The first FUM was held at the National Shell Museum in 2010, following a suggestion by the late Alan Gettleman and Phyllis Diegel. Since then, the Museum has hosted FUM every even-numbered year. In odd-numbered years, FUM was hosted by the

Shell of the Week: The Crown Cone

Conus regius is one of the most common species of cone snails present along the east coast of Florida and the Keys. Reaching circa 75 mm (3 inches) in height, the shell has a spire adorned with small knobs that impart the look of a crown to the “top” of the shell. The color patterns are variable, with most specimens showing a combination of broad brown spiral bands and brownish flecks set on a white background. Some specimens, however, can be paler, with yellow-brown markings and sometimes almos

Florida at Risk from Potential Invasions by Mollusks

In a very comprehensive article published in 2023, Deah Lieurance (Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville) and her collaborators* have identified and discussed potential organisms capable of establishing themselves in Florida. Using a process known as horizon scanning, the authors determined the pathways for invasion and possible impacts of non-native animal and plant species on local ecosystems in the Sunshine State within the next decade. Among the 460 species evaluated, from

Join Me for a Unique Galapagos Adventure

The National Shell Museum and Aquarium is organizing a trip to the Galapagos Islands in September 2024, and I will have the honor to lead mollusk observations and present talks (among other activities during the trip) in that unique journey of exploration. The Galapagos Islands are famous for their role in the development of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, which ultimately became one of the solid foundations of our current understanding of evolution. Due to their origin and type of