220 American Seashells 



% to i^ inches in length, soHd, grayish white, rather misshapen, with 

 rounded or squared shoulders, and with or without weak, rounded axial 

 ridges. Spiral sculpture of crowded, variously sized spiral cords which are 

 made up of numerous microscopic scales. Aperture enamel-white, rounded 

 above and constricted into a short siphonal canal below. Umbilicus small, 

 shallow and funnel-shaped. A common species found living in the bases of 

 seafans. C. deburghiae Reeve is a deep-water form or species with long, tri- 

 angular ribs projecting straight out from the periphery of the whorl. It is 

 uncommon. 



Subgenus Latiaxis Swainson 1840 

 Coralliophila costata Blainville California Latiaxis 



Point Conception, Cahfornia, to Panama. 



I to I % inches in length, variable in shape and the development of frills 

 and spines. Deep-water forms (called hindsi Carpenter) bear triangular, flat- 

 tened, up-turned spines on the periphery of the whorl. Spiral cords are 

 strongly scaled. Color light-gray with an enamel-white aperture. Moder- 

 ately common offshore. A choice collector's item. 



Superfamily BUCCINACEA 

 Family COLUMBELLIDAE 



(Pyrenidae) 

 Genus Colmnbella Lamarck 1799 



Columbella 7nercatoria Linne Common Dove-shell 



Plate 25bb 



Southeast Florida and the West Indies. 



% to % inch in length, solid, squat, highly colored with white and 

 brown, interrupted spiral bars over yellow, pink or orange background. 

 Sometimes only maculated with one color (orange, brown or yellow). Outer 

 lip thick, bearing about a dozen white teeth. A common shallow-water spe- 

 cies frequently cast up on beaches. Not found on the west coast of Florida. 



Colwnbella rusticoides Heilprin Rusty Dove-shell 



Key West north along the west coast of Florida. 



Similar to C. mercatoria, but much more slender, smooth on the center 

 of the body whorl, and with mauve-brown marks between the apertural 

 teeth. Also more faintly colored and lacking spiral bars or lines of brown. 

 Common down to 20 feet. 



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