Shell of the Week: The Chalcedony Phos

Antillophos chalcedonius is a relatively small (reaching 17 mm, or about 0.67 inch) gastropod, that displays a shell sculpture of strong spiral (“revolving”) threads and well-spaced axial (“vertical”) ridges. The color pattern shows variations of a white background and brownish patches that are more-or-less aligned with the axial ridges.

Antillophos chalcedonius, from Abaco, Bahamas, ex-Redfern Collection. Illustration by James F. Kelly.

The species is found throughout the eastern Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Bahamas, and the Caribbean Basin southward to Colombia. Antillophos chalcedonius was described in 2009 (as Parviphos chalcedonius) by the late Tom Watters in the Museum’s scientific journal, The Nautilus, check out the article here.