Ellobiidae 197 



the body, and annoyance is often manifested by the secretion of great 

 amounts of clear, colorless mucus. From this arched attitude the 

 creature can assume an erect posture based either upon the anterior 

 or the posterior extremity. 



These observations were made on two animals kept in a small 

 aquarium where one of them lived about five weeks, February 20 to 

 March 26, 1941. 



Suborder BAS03OIAT0PH0RA386 

 Family ELLOBIIDAE 



This is a family of amphibious mollusks. Most of its members 

 can remain indefinitely out of water if sufficient moisture is other- 

 wise available. Many of them are inhabitants of salt marshes and 

 localities subject to periodic inundation of tidal water. 



Genus ELL0BIU3I Roding. 179S 

 Ellobluin i)ellucens367 Menke PI. 39, fig. 285 



Alt., 15 mm. Shell cblong-oval, white with brownish epidermis; 

 about four whorls; spire conic, elevated; body whorl large, sutures 

 distinct; smooth, faint growth lines; aperture more than half length 

 of shell, evenly rounded at base; columella short with two oblique 

 folds. 



Near high tide mark. Often about mangrove stumps and bunch 

 grass. 



Genus MELA3IPUS Montfort, 1810 

 3Ielampus36s coffens (Linne) PI. 39, fig. 286 



Alt., 18 mm. Shell ovate, smooth; about five whorls enroule; 

 spire low-conic; body whorl ample, sutures distinct; color brown 

 or fawn, narrow cream-colored band at shoulder, two below, equi- 

 distant, lower about middle of body whorl; thin epidermis; aperture 

 length of body whorl, widest below; outer lip thin, crenate within, 

 recurved at base into columella and slightly thickened to form 



^8^ Gr., basis, base; ommat, eye; pherein, to bear. (Eyes at the base of the 



tentacles.) 

 3"" Gr., ellobion, lobe of the ear, earring; Lat., pellucidus, clear, bright. 

 36S Gr., melos, black; pons, foot. 



