214 American Seashells 



length), strongly indented suture, and rugose sculpture with a row of double, 

 strong nodules on the shoulder of the whorls. M. D. Burkenroad (1931) has 

 given a long account of the biology of this oyster pest. 



Thais rustica Lamarck Rustic Rock-shell 



Plate 25f 



Southeast Florida and the West Indies. Bermuda. 



I /4 inches in length, irregularly sculptured with 2 spiral rows of blunt 

 spines, one on the shoulder, the other at the center of the body whorl. Color 

 dirty-gray to dull mottled brown. Interior of aperture whitish but generally 

 margined with spots of dark-brown along the outer lip. Parietal wall glossy- 

 white. This species is smaller and more nodulose than floridana and always 

 has a white aperture. Erroneously called Thais imdata Lamarck which is an 

 Indo-Pacific species. 



Three confusing species are often found together in southern Florida. 

 The young of Canthariis tinctits (see p. 233) has the lower third of its white 

 columella turned away (to the left) 20 degrees from the axis of the shell, and 

 its early whorls in the spire are not shouldered. Thais haemastoina floridana 

 is characterized by its almost straight, cream to orange columella, and by the 

 numerous raised cream or white spiral ridges on the inside of the outer lip. 

 Thais rustica has a stouter, white columella which is slightly twisted and 

 purple-stained at the lower, inner corner. Its outer lip teeth occur in groups 

 of 2 or 3 and near the edge of the lip are stained by heavy blotches of purple- 

 brown. 



Subgenus Mancinella Link 1807 

 Thais deltoidea Lamarck Deltoid Rock-shell 



Plate 25b, k 



Jupiter Inlet, Florida, to the West Indies. Bermuda. 



I to 2 inches in length, heavy, and coarsely sculptured with two spiral 

 rows of large, blunt spines. Parietal wall tinted with lavender, mauve or rose. 

 Interior of aperture glossy-white. Exterior grayish white with mottlings of 

 black or dull brown. Columella with a small but distinct ridge at the base 

 which forms the margin of the siphonal canal. This is an abundant species 

 where intertidal rocks are exposed to the ocean surf. 



Subgenus Polytropa Swainson 1840 

 Thais lapillus Linne Atlantic Dogwinkle 



Plate 2 5g 



Southern Labrador to New York. Norway to Portugal. 



I to 2 inches in length, roughly sculptured or smoothish. Commonly 



