126 



EAST COAST MARINE SHELLS 



Family Fasclolarlldae 



GENUS FASCIOLARIA Lamarck 1801 



Shell rather solid, no umbilicus; 

 spire elevated and sharply pointed; aper- 

 ture with canal in front; outer lip simple, 

 provided with raised lines internally; 

 columella area concave with a few oblique 

 plaits below. Operculum pointed at top, 

 its nucleus apical. 



FASCIOLARIA GIGANTEA Kiener. Shell very 

 large, solid, whorls ten, with strong re- 

 volving ribs and less distinct ones between 

 these, large nodules near middle of whorls 

 which become less distinct on the body 

 whorl; outer lip ridged internally; canal 

 long, open; three folds below columella; 

 epidermis reddish or brown over the salmon 

 or chamois-colored surface. Animal red and 

 very conspicuous. Length of shell 2 feet 

 or less, diameter 7-10 Inches. 



One of the largest of Gastropod 

 mollusks. It is often plentiful in quiet 

 shallow waters and upon the open coast. At 

 Sanibel, Florida, it occurs in tidal pools. 



PI. 39, Fig. 3 



North Carolina to Gulf of Mexico 



FASCIOLARIA GIGANTEA REEVEI Jonas. Shell 

 smaller than the preceding, nodules less 

 prominent or lacking, shell also thinner. 

 Length about 6 inches. 



It is not infrequent on the Gulf 

 coast. Specimens have been collected at 

 Marco, west Florida. 



Gulf of Mexico 



FASCIOLARIA TULIPA Linne. Shell with about 

 nine well-rounded whorls, suture distinct, 

 both growth lines and revolving sculpture 

 present; color pattern variable, often with 

 an ash-colored or almost white base, over- 

 laid with clouds and blotches of light 

 brown, orange or red. Length 6 Inches. 



In the typical shell the protoconch 

 (that portion which emerged from the egg) 

 and half whorl of the young shell are 

 smooth, followed by whorls with longitudi- 

 nal ridges which gradually give place to 

 beaded ones on the ultimate whorls. 



Some Bahaman examples are shoul- 

 dered upon the body whorl. There are from 

 twenty-six to thirty-three dark spiral lines 

 on the body whorl. Simpson writes "A mahog- 

 any colored form is occasionally found on 

 the Keys." 



It is sometimes confused with F. 

 distans but is always sculptured near the 

 suture, a feature lacking in F. distans. 



PI. 49, Fig. 1 



PI. 1, Fig. 6 



NoVth Carolina to the Antilles 



FASCIOLARIA TULIPA SCHEEPUAKERI Dunker. In 

 this variety the spiral grooves and ridges 

 cover the entire shell. 



North Carolina to the Antilles 



FASCIOLARIA DISTANS Lamarck. Both Tryon 

 and Rogers place this species under 

 F. tulipa but Dall Indicated its validity. 

 It is a smaller and smoother shell with 

 only indistinct spiral sulcatlons. An in- 

 ternal ridge on the body whorl, in front of 

 the suture, is peculiar. 



There are blue, gray or brown mass- 

 es of color upon the whitish base together 

 with five to six dark brown bands, some- 

 times with additional feeble bands. The 

 length varies from 2.5-3.5 inches. 

 PI. 49, Fig. 4 

 PI. 1, Fig. 5 



North Carolina to Florida and west- 

 ward to Mexico 



GENUS LATIRUS Montfort 1810 



Shell turreted, spire produced, 

 outer lip thin; columella straight, with 

 several plaits in front. 



LATIRDS BREVICADDATUS Reeve. Shell brown, 

 with encircling dark brown cords; aperture 

 light brovm. Length 1.5-S Inches. 



PI. 28, Fig. 7 



Florida Straits to Brazil 



LATIRDS INFUNDIBDLUM Gmelin. A spindle- 

 shaped shell with open canal and spiral 

 ridges which are most prominent upon the 

 nodules; small revolving ridges between the 

 larger ones; three to four plaits upon 

 columella; color brown with ridges of a 

 much darker shade. Dead specimens are 

 often orange colored. Length 2-2.5 Inches. 



PI. 52, Fig. 16 



Florida Keys and West Indies 



GENUS LEUCOZONIA Gray 184'!' 



Shell keeled or shouldered; both 

 spire and canal short. 



LEUCOZONIA CINGULIFERA Lamarck. Whorls about 



