176 Marine Shells of the Western Coast of Florida 



Genus OLIVELLA Swainson, 1831 

 OllvelLi pnsilla322 Marrat PI. 36, fig. 248 



Alt., to 12 mm. Shell almost a miniature Oliva, spire more pro- 

 duced, aperture shorter; mutable in color and pattern. Individuals 

 vary through ashy shades and brown, unicolored, banded with 

 white or finely reticulate with chestnut-brown. Less common color 

 variations are dark brown and pure golden-yellow. Corneous oper- 

 culum, thin, semiovate, apical nucleus. 



Common in shallow water, usually in sand. A bay species. 



Egg capsules of Ollvella pusilla Marrat PI. 55, figs. 362a, b, c 



OUvella floralia«-3 Duclos PI. 36, fig. 249 



Alt., to 15 mm. Shell fusiform, more slender with more ele- 

 vated spire than 0. pusilla. Five or six whorls; white, apex dark 

 or yellowish, body whorl often faintly marked with dull bluish 

 gray: operculum typical. 



Sandy stations in shallow water. Not often taken in inside 

 waters. 



Olivella blanesi Ford PI. 36, fig. 250 



Alt., to 8; diam., 3.1 mm. Shell white, translucent; ovate; five 

 whorls, body whorl rotund; spire rather sharp; suture channeled; 

 aperture half the altitude of shell, angulate above, widest below 

 middle, with wide basal notch. Columella "very short, vertical, 

 cyhndrical and smooth, makmg a decided angle with a parietal wall, 

 forming a deep sulcus". 



The species is described as having three spiral series of irregu- 

 larly formed crimson spots, one of small spots at the suture, the 

 other at center and base, the rest of the surface showing a fine 

 reticulation of the sand color. This color character seems to fade 

 quickly in dead shells. 



On sand flats beyond low tide mark. In beach drift. 

 Family TEKEBKIDAE 



The Terebrldae is a family of carnivorous mollusks native to 

 tropical and subtropical seas, principally in shallow water and 



^-- Lat., pusillus, very little. 

 3-^ Lat., floris, flower. 



