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José H. Leal

Shell of the Week: The Gulfstream Top Snail

Calliostoma scalenum Quinn, 1992 reaches about 40 mm in height, and has a moderately narrow spire angle. The shell sculpture consists of finely beaded spiral cords that are intercalated with alternating narrower threads in the last shell whorls. There is a relatively large number of cords on the shell base, the umbilicus is relatively small, umbilicus wall white, bordered by a couple of larger beaded cords. The shell color is light-brown, with a pattern of whitish crescent-shaped spots on the whorl sides. This shell was donated to the National Shell Museum collection by Kevan and Linda Sunderland of Sunrise, Florida.


The Gulf Stream Top Snail, Calliostoma scalenum, from off Key West, Florida. Illustration by José H. Leal.

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