January 10, 2014

The Micromollusks — Hidden Gems of Our Beaches

Casual beachcombers may walk the beaches for years and not noticethem, but “micros” (as they are known in the jargon of shell collectors) represent a big parcel of the local diversity of mollusks. Ranging in dimensions from half an inch to the size of a grain of sand, micros may be as handsome as their larger counterparts. To find micros, collectors take home coarse sand scooped by the water line, then search for them using a hand lens or small microscope. Found locally on Sanibel and Captiva,

January 3, 2014

A Unique Lettered Olive

Shellers are always looking for that rare or unusual shell. But a unique, one-of-a-kind Lettered Olive? That’s exactly what Tom and Deb Longtin of Waukesah, Winconsin, found while shelling at Tarpon Bay Beach at low tide. This Lettered Olive (Oliva sayana), which the Longtins donated to the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, is technically defective (having a very long spire), most likely because of a “programming” (genetic) error. The resulting effect, however, is very pleasing to the eye. [Th