58 



EAST COAST MARINE SHELLS 



TELLINA ANGULOSA Gmelin. Angulated Tellln. 

 Umbones nearly central, ligament rather 

 prominent, both ends ridged, the furrows 

 near the outside margins; concentric lines 

 fine and distinct, radiating lines less 

 prominent but visible in a strong light; 

 surface white, touched with rose color, 

 interior deep rose, whitish between adduc- 

 tor muscle areas and at margin. Length 

 42 mm. 



Florida Keys to Brazil 



SUBGENUS MAERELLA Fischer 1887 



TELLINA MARTINICENSIS Orbigny. Martinique 

 Tellin. Shell small, anterior end rounded, 

 the posterior pointed; external surface 

 covered with regularly placed but rather 

 distantly spaced raised lines which appear 

 to be a form of epidermis; a single dis- 

 tinct, distant, lateral tooth on each side 

 of each valve and well removed from the 

 umbo. Length 10 mm., height 8 mm., thick- 

 ness of both valves 5 mm. 



Tampa Bay, Florida, to West Indies 



SUBGENUS ANGULUS Megerle von Mohfeld 1811 



TELLINA MAGNA Spengler. Great Tellin. A 

 large, smooth, polished shell with a pale 

 series of orange rays near the umbones; 

 anterior end the longer, rounded; posteri- 

 or end narrow and angulated; fola distinct; 

 ligament sunken; interior whitish, touched 

 with orange. 



Young shells are often deep orange 

 outside with narrow pink rays; some adults 

 uniformly orange outside. Fine large 

 examples have been collected on Santa 

 Rosa Island, northwest Florida. Single 

 valves are occasionally found in Palm 

 Beach County. Length 2.5 inches. 



PI. 2b, Fig. 1 



Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to 



V/est Indies 



TELLINA MERA Say, Pure Tellin. Shell 

 small, thin, regularly striated transverse- 

 ly; umbones forming an angle; ligament red- 

 dish; hinge with two teeth in each valve; 

 posterior tooth small and triangular; an- 

 terior teeth thicker and blunt; a single 

 large triangular lateral tooth in left 



valve; pallial sinus very large. Length 

 15 mm. 



PI. 10, Fig. 10 



South Carolina to the Bahamas 



TELLINA PROMERA Dall. Similar to T. 

 tampaensis but larger, the lateral teeth 

 feeble and without definite projections, 

 exterior duller and with a yellowish epi- 

 dermis, concentric lines farther apart. 

 Length 20 mm. 



PI. 22, Fig. 3 



Tampa Bay, Florida, to Cura9ao; 



Bermuda 



TELLINA SAYI Dall (T. polita Say). Say's 

 Tellin. Ligament edge straight and lesser 

 extremity acute, also wedge-shaped. Sur- 

 face shining, no concentric sculpture. 

 Length 18 mm. 



PI. 23, Fig. 4 



North Carolina to Gulf of Mexico 



TELLINA TAMPAENSIS Conrad. Tampa Tellin. 

 Shell white or slightly pinkish, surface 

 often iridescent when fresh, anterior end 

 rounded, the posterior end slightly pointed; 

 concentric lines very fine; radiating 

 sculpture rough and indistinct; ligament 

 prominent; central cardinal tooth distinct; 

 one anterior lateral tooth. Length 14-16 

 mm. 



It has been reported from the vi- 

 cinity of Tampa and Sanibel, Florida. 



PI. 23, Fig. 17 



Florida to Texas 



TELLINA TENERA Say. Delicate Tellin. Shell 

 small, delicate, thin, white, iridescent; 

 concentric growth lines fine; marginal fold 

 distinct; ligament short and conspicuous; 

 two cardinal teeth in each valve; lateral 

 tooth, at longer end, distinct; other lat- 

 eral tooth, nearest to ligament, very 

 feeble. Length 12-15 mm., height 8-10 mm. 



This attractive little shell some- 

 times is tinged with rose color. 



PI. 18, Fig. 10 



Fig. 34a 



Prince Edward Island to Gulf of 



Mexico 



TELLINA TENELLA Verrill. As in T. tenera 

 tnis species varies from white to pinkish 

 color. The epidermis is often thicker than 

 in that species, giving the shell a yellowish 



