1S8 



EAST COAST MAEIKE SHELLS 



Fig. 50 



Nucleus of Voluta 



virescens 



however, Is in the nucleus of two turns, 

 the first white and swollen. In the adult 

 form there are 4.5 whorls plus those of the 

 nucleus, about six in all, against 7.5 in 

 V. musica; further there are sometimes fif- 

 teen plaits on the columella against twelve 

 at the outside in V. musica. The early 

 whorls and nucleus of both species are 

 shown in Figs. 49, and 50. 



Two beach speci- 

 mens in the National Museum 

 were collected in the year 

 1847 on the coast of Texas 

 near Mesquital. A third 

 example, also in Washing- 

 ton, came from Cartagena, 

 Columbia and measures 32x52 

 mm. This species is also 

 known as V. polygonalis, 

 Lamarck. 

 PI. 51, Fig. 10 

 Texas and West Indies 



GENUS MACULOPEPLDM Dall 1906 



MACULOPEPLUM JUNONIA Chemnitz. Juno's 

 Volute. Shell ovate-fusiform, smooth, very 

 finely decussated; round and square chest- 

 nut spots arranged in double transverse 

 rows; apex acute; outer lip somewhat thick- 

 ened within; four folds on columella. 

 Length 2-4 inches. 



Dall has called attention to cer- 

 tain details which follow: "The beginning 

 of the nucleus is livid purple, second 

 whorl pale waxen white with dark purple- 

 brown spots, two additional series of these 

 upon the last half whorl; epidermis very 

 thin, smooth, very pale brown. With respect 

 to the sculpture, the embryonic shell is 

 finely granulose, the next half turn pol- 

 ished and finely striate, then narrow ribs 

 (about twenty-four) appear which develop on 

 the third whorl and begin to disappear at 

 end of that whorl. 



The direct progenitor of the recent 

 genus Maculopeplum is found in the Eocene 

 (Vicksburg and Red Bluff deposits) and de- 

 scribed under the name of Caricella demissa 

 Conrad. " 



At Sanibel, Florida, specimens of 

 M. junonia are thrown upon the ocean beach 

 by winter storms. It is not infrequently 

 brought in by the Greek sponge-divers of 

 west Florida. Depth range 10-30 fathoms. 



PI. 50, Fig, 1 



PI. 1, Fig. 4 



PI. 64, Fig. 5 



Off Cape Lookout, North Carolina to 



Florida Keys and Gulf of Mexico 



Family Mitridae 



Shell thick, fusiform in shape; 

 spire acute, usually well developed; aper- 

 ture small, notched in front; columella 

 plaited; operculum horny, almost transpar- 

 ent, very small or absent; epidermis, when 

 present, very thin. 



Animal provided with long proboscis; 

 some species with a purple fluid with nause- 

 ous odor and emitted when animal is dis- 

 turbed; eyes on ends of tentacles or at 

 their base. 



The Mitras range from low water to 

 considerable depths, living chiefly in warm- 

 er seas. They lurk in holes of rocks, on 

 seaweed in crevices, under stones and dead 

 corals; others burrow in sand or mud. 



Some of the larger species, living 

 in the Pacific, have been associated with 

 the church and bear ecclestlastical names 

 such as the Cardinal's, Pope's and Episco- 

 palian Mitres. 



GENUS MITRA Lamarck 1799 (MITRE SHELLS) 



MITRA BARBADENSIS Gmelin. Shell yellowish 

 brown, shining, whorls six, suture dis- 

 tinct; surface covered with numerous raised 

 horizontal lines with less distinct ones be- 

 tween; vertical sculpture readily discerni- 

 ble under a pocket lens; lip and columella 

 whitish, the latter with three prominent 

 plaits above and three minor ones below, 

 from which the wall descends almost straight 

 to canal. Length 1 inch or more. 



It lives upon the coral reefs of 

 the Tortugas. 



PI, 50, Fig. 2 



Lower Florida; West Indies 



MITRA NODULOSA Gmelin. Knobbed Mitre, 

 Whorls about ten, scarcely rounded but 

 slightly shouldered above; suture distinct, 

 impressed; longitudinal ribs cut by furrows 

 into nodules; basal notch deep; four plaits 

 on columella; color light or dark brown; 

 teeth whitish. Length 35 mm. 



PI. 51, Fig. 14 



Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to 



West Indies 



MITRA FLORIDANA Dall. Florida Mitre. Shell 



