250 American Seashells 



Family VOLUTIDAE 

 Subfamily VOLUTINAE 

 Genus Voluta Linne 1758 



Valuta musica Linne Common Music Volute 



Plate i3g 



Caribbean area. 



2 to 2% inches in length, heavy and with a polished finish. 3 nuclear 

 whorls bulbous and yellowish. 3 postnuclear whorls plicate at the shoulder. 

 Columella with about 9 evenly spaced folds. Characterized by the pinkish 

 cream background and 2 to 3 spiral bands of fine lines which are dotted with 

 darker brown (the musical notes). A moderately common West Indian 

 species not found in the United States, but a favorite with collectors. A num- 

 ber of useless names have been applied to the numerous variations of this 

 species. This is one of the few volutes to have an operculum. 



Voluta virescens Solander Green Music Volute 



Lower Florida Keys (rare) and the Caribbean. 



2 inches in length, moderately heavy with the aperture % the total 

 length of the shell. Whorls flat-sided and with weak, axial nodules high on 

 the shoulder. Numerous spiral, incised lines and fine threads present. Colu- 

 mella with about a dozen folds of variable sizes. Exterior dull greenish brown 

 with weak, narrow, spiral bands of lighter color dotted with black-brown. 

 Aperture pale cream to gray within. A rare species in southeast Florida, but 

 not uncommon along the northern coast of South America. 



Subjamily SCAPHELLINAE 

 Genus Scaphella Swainson 1832 



Scaphella junonia Shaw The Junonia 



Plate i3f 



North Carolina to both sides of Florida to Texas. 



5 to 6 inches in length, rather solid and smooth. 4 folds on the colu- 

 mella. Characterized by the cream background and the spiral rows of small 

 reddish brown dots. Moderately common from i to 30 fathoms, but rarely 

 washed ashore. A golden form occurs off Alabama (subspecies johnstoneae 

 Clench 1953) and specimens from Yucatan have a white background with 

 smaller spots (subspecies Imtleri Clench 1953). About 50 specimens a year 

 are found on west Florida beaches, and many more are brought in by fisher- 

 men. 



