150 Marine Shells of the Western Coast of Florida 



flattened; body whorl expanded above, narrowed into a moderately 

 long, straight anterior canal; sutures linear, slightly depressed; sculp- 

 ture of revolving cordlike ribs, wide interspaces with an almost 

 centrally placed narrower rib and fine laterally placed threads; en- 

 tire surface closely cancellated by fine growth lines; aperture well 

 open, length and width of body whorl; outer lip sharp; columella 

 concave at center; interior polished, golden-brown; no operculum. 

 Common on beaches after blows. From one to four fathoms. 



Egg capsules of Flciis oommuins Roding PI. 49, figs. 337a, b, c, 



Ficus communis arranges columns of egg capsules somewhat 

 in organ-pipe fashion. About 10 or 15 flat oval capsules with gently 

 fluted edges, 25 mm. in diameter, are evenly attached one above an- 

 other to some dead shells. These columns are attached one to an- 

 other, sometimes 8 or 10 in one group. The capsules resemble those 

 of Biisycon "contrarium" in shape, but are small, thin and delicate 

 in texture and easily detached from each other. One short column 

 may contain empty capsules at the distal end with embryos in 

 progressive stages of development in adjacent capsules. From the 

 numerous small ova in each capsule only 4 to 20 embryo reach ma- 

 turity. Egg capsules of Ficus are seldom found earlier than March. 



Rarely, worn specimens of Tonna galea are washed upon the 

 beaches of Sanibel Island. 



Family CYMATIIDAE 



This family comprises the triton shells, one of which was the 

 "wreathed horn" of the ancient sea god, son of Poseidon and 

 Amphitrite, the horn which he blew upon to calm the waves. 



The animals of the family are brightly colored and possess a 

 gland which secretes colored fluid of brilliant tint, in some instances 

 a green color and in others a fine blue.-'-" 



The mollusks are native to warm and temperate seas. 



Genus CTMATIUM Roding, 1798 

 Subgenus MONOPLEX Perry, 1811 

 Cymatinm costatum^T* (Born) PI. 29, fig. 210 



Alt., up to 150 mm., shoulder of body whorl almost median; 



^'^•' Fischer, P.: Manual of Conchology, vol. II, p. 20. 



•'* Gr., kymatian, dim. of kyma, wave; Lat., costatus, ribbed. 



