EAST COAST MARINE SHELLS 



83 



region more or less stained with red. Di- 

 ameter 1-1.75 inches. The operciilum is 

 shown as per the second figure reference be- 

 low. PI. 29, Fig. 10 



PI. 29, Fig. 21 



Florida; West Indies 



SECTION THELIOSTYLA Morch 1852 



NERITA TESSELLATA Gmelin. Checkered Nerite. 

 Ribs ten to twelve, deep narrow groove be- 

 tween them; numerous teeth within lip, larg- 

 er ones above and below; columellar area 

 with small teeth in center, flattened and 

 with few granules. Diameter 18-24 mm. A 

 common shell. 



All the Neritas live in rocky ocean 

 stations, often partially concealing them- 

 selves in crevices. They usually are abun- 

 dant and easily collected well above low- 

 tide mark. 



PI. 29, Fig. 8 



Florida; West Indies 



NERITA FULGURANS Gmelin. Lightning Nerite. 

 Shell with many rounded ribs which are sep- 

 arated by cut lines, crossed by black, 

 white creamish yellow or gray; aperture 

 white, among the numerous teeth inside lip 

 the two above and two below are not promi- 

 nent; columellar area flattened with two 

 minute middle teeth; adjacent area flat- 

 tened. Length 1 inch. 



PI. 40, Fig. 16 



Boca Raton, Florida to West Indies 



GENDS NERITINA Lamarck 1809 

 (NERITINEF) 



These are mostly fluviatile al- 

 though some inhabit t?ie sea or brackish wa- 

 ter. A few exotic species are terrestrial, 

 clinging to foliage overhanging water. 

 Others are amphibious, attached to the 

 roots of Nipah and other palms. 



NERITINA RECLIVATA Say. Shell light brown 

 or dark green, often with zigzag black 

 lines; interior and columellar region white. 

 Diameter 15-23 mm. 



PI. 29, Fig. 6 



Florida and Gulf of Mexico 



NERITINA VIRGINEA Linne. Virgin Neritlne. 

 A species excessively variable in color 

 ornamentation. Fresh dead shells are very 

 attractive and suggest various patterns of 



textile fabrics. The longitudinal darker 

 color lines are covered partly with spots 

 of the ground color. Diameter 6-20 mm. 



PI. 29, Fig. 9 



Florida; West Indies; Brazil 



SECTION SMARAGDIA Issel 1869 



NERITINA VIRIDIS Linne. Green Nerltine. 

 The smallest species and a brilliant green 

 or yellowish, more or less interrupted with 

 white or black; area of columella greenish 

 white. Diameter 7.5 mm. 



It is frequently found in "drift" 

 upon sandbars in protected waters. 



PI. 29, Fig. 7 



South Florida; West Indies; Europe 



SECTION PUPERITA Gray 1857 



NERITINA PUPA Linne. A smooth, white, 

 opaque shell, striped or finely reticulated 

 with black lines; interior light orange 

 brown. Diameter 8-13 mm. 



PI. 29, Fig. 12 



West Florida to West Indies 



ORDER MESOGASTROPODA 

 Family Epltoniidae (Scalidae ) 



Shell usually pure white, lustrous, 

 many whorled, whorls rounded and often sepa- 

 rated, frequent transverse ribs represent- 

 ing rest periods; operculum horny. 



The animal exudes a purple fluid 

 when disturbed. 



The "staircase shells" are among 

 the most beautifully formed mollusks. 



GENDS EPITONIUM Roeding 1798, 

 Scalarla Lamarck 



Animal predaceous. Dr. Gould fed 

 them raw beef which they ate voraciously. 

 There are about two hundred known recent 

 species and about the same number fossil. 



SUBGENUS NITIDOSCALA De Boury 1909 



EPITONIUM ANGULATUM Say. Angled Staircase. 

 Shell white, six to eleven separated whorls; 

 nine to ten varices or ribs upon each whorl, 

 angular above. Length 15-20 mm. 



PI. 32, Fig. 1 



Connecticut to Texas 



