146 



EAST COAST MARINE SHELLS 



PI. 55, Fig. 8 



PI. 67, Fig. 17 



Tampa, Florida to West Indies; Palm 



Beach, Florida 



Family Siphonarlldae 



Shell limpet-shaped; apex near cen- 

 ter; muscular impression horseshoe-shaped; 

 on right side a deep siphonal groove, mak- 

 ing a slight projection on the margin. 



The animals are remarkable in pos- 

 sessing both lungs and gills, being amphib- 

 ious. They live between tide marks and 

 usually individuals are numerous. South 

 Africa appears to be their metropolis so 

 far as number of species is concerned. The 

 largest one lives at Panama. 



This interesting family, in a way, 

 connects the marine mollusks with their 

 gills, and the pulmonates which are equipped 

 with lungs. 



GENUS SIPHONARIA Sowerby 1824 

 (SIPHON SHELLS) 



SIPHONARIA ALTERNATA Say. Alternated 

 Siphon. Shell conical; thirty or more obso- 

 lete ribs, hardxy elevated, unequal in size; 

 apex curved and its tip pointed nearly in a 

 parallel direction with surface of shell; 

 color brown, rayed with white; breadth 8mm. 



It is abundant on No Name Key, 

 Florida, near the ferry dock. 

 PI. 55, Fig. 10 



Bermuda; east Florida; Cuba, Yuca- 

 tan 



SIPHONARIA NADFRAGUM Stearns (S. lineolata 

 Orbigny) . Ship-Wrecked Siphon. Shell 

 white or brown with radiating blackish lines 

 which are plainly visible; groove distinct; 

 sculpture fine and close. Length 1 inch. 



A very plentiful shell upon the 

 rock Jetties in Palm Beach County, Florida. 



PI. 55, Fig. 9 



Florida east coast; Cuba 



GENUS MELAMPUS Montfort 1810 

 (BLACK FOOT) 



Aperture of shell long, narrow; in- 

 ner lip with several tooth-like projec- 

 tions; outer lip sharp and with ridges ex- 

 tending inside. 



Melampus lives mostly out of the 

 water upon land which is subject to over- 



flow. It clings to grass-like plants in 

 shaded spots, close to the ground, and also 

 crawls about in wet places. When a colony 

 is discovered there are usually countless 

 numbers of individuals. 



MELAMPUS BIDENTATUS Say (M. llneatus Say). 

 Shell horn-colored or reddish; whorls four 

 to five; spire short, body whorl 5/6 the 

 length of shell; grooves sometimes present 

 inside outer lip; single tooth upon inside 

 wall, also tooth-like fold below and extend- 

 ing inside. Length 10 mm. 



Very common upon salt marshes near 

 high-water- mark. The young shells, shining 

 and banded are prettier than the adults. 



PI. 55, Fig. 11 



PI. 67, Figs. 9, 12 



New England to the West Indies 



MELAMPUS COFFEUS Linn6. Cone-shaped, solid, 

 and heavy; surface fawn colored under epi- 

 dermis; narrow white band at shoulder, two 

 narrow light bands below upon a lead or 

 lurid brownish ground; umbilicus rlmate or 

 closed; numerous ridges inside outer lip; 

 two white folds on inside wall, the upper 

 one most prominent. Length 18 mm. 



The remarkable fact about this form 

 Is that the interior partitions and axis 

 are often entirely absorbed by the animal 

 to afford more space. The light-colored 

 bands are sometimes absent. 



At Cape Sable, Florida and on some 

 of the Florida Keys very large races of 

 this species occur. 



PI. 55, Fig. 7 



PI. 67, Fig. 3 



Southern Florida; West Indies 



MELAMPUS FLAVUS Gmelin. Shell varying from 

 brown to chestnut; usually with two but 

 sometimes three bands, the upper on the 

 strong shoulder; base sometimes white; sin- 

 gle fold upon columella; white teeth inside 

 outer lip rather irregular. Length 14 mm. 



The single columellar fold is the 

 most constant character but this shell is 

 often difficult to separate fr^m M. coffeus. 

 There are usually two columella folds in 

 the latter. 



PI. 55, Fig. 12 



PI. 67, Fig. 1 



West Florida to Florida Keys; West 



Indies 



MELAMPUS FLORIDANUS Shutt. Shell thin. 



