Marine Species 



23 



Modern distribution: West coast, Campeche only, 



Isla Arenas to Isla Carmen. 

 Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: i unworked, Formative. 



TIKAL: 22 unworked, not dated (M, p. 66). 



Family: GLYCYMERIDAE (bittersweets) 



Glycymeris decussata (Linne) 



Modern distribution: East coast (Cozumel and Can- 

 cun Islands), west coast (Isla Carmen), and the 

 offshore atolls. Not collected on north coast. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 19 unworked, For- 

 mative. 



Glycymeris undata (Linne) 



Illustration: Plate 13, A. 



Modern distribution: East coast only. Xcaret to Isla 

 Mujeres. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



MAYAPAN: i unworked, probably Decadent 

 period (P, pi. 46,^ illustrates a specimen of "G. 

 pennacea" r= decussata). It lacks the posteriorly 

 pointing umbo of that species, and more closely 

 resembles undata. 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 40 unworked. For- 

 mative. 



Comment: Whichever of the two species it is, the 

 Mayapan specimen is one of the few archaeological 

 shells from Yucatan apparently imported from a 

 considerable distance. 



Family: MYTILIDAE (mussels) 



Modiolus demissus granosissimus Sowerby 



Illustration: Plate iJ^,a,aa. 



Modern distribution: Collected at scattered sites, 

 always near mangrove swamps, on east, north, 

 and west coasts. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 2 unworked valves. For- 

 mative. 



Comment: The form granosissimus can now be 

 found in abundance in the mangroves in the swamps 

 behind Progreso (near Dzibilchaltun) and Dzilam 

 Bravo, and probably elsewhere. It is eaten locally 

 and also sent to Merida as a delicacy. 



It is strange that Modiolus americanus, by far the 

 commonest present mussel on the north coast, is not 

 found in archaeological context. 



Brachidontes exustus (Linne) 



Illustration: Plate T.i\,b,bb. 



Modern distribution: Collected at scattered sites in 



Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and Campeche. 

 Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 3 unworked specimens in 



cache offering. Late Early period. 



TIKAL: Unworked valves, "probably exustus" 



(M-MS). 



Musculus lateralis (Say) 



Illustration: Warmke and Abbott, 1961, pi. 3i,c. 



Modern distribution: Not collected from periphery 



of peninsula. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



TIKAL: 6 unworked (M, p. 67, archaeological 



context not stated). 



Family: ISOGNOMONIDAE (tree oysters) 



Isognomon alatus (Gmelin) 



Illustration: Plate i^,c,cc. 



Modern distribution: All three coasts of the penin- 

 sula, Turnefle Islands, B.H., to Isla Carmen, 

 Camp. 



Archaeological occurrence: 

 DZIBILCHALTUN: 37 unworked fragments 

 from Formative strata, 35 unworked and 33 

 worked from Late Early period and Pure Flores- 

 cent deposits. 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 4 unworked. For- 

 mative. 



Isognomon radiatus (Anton) 



Illustration: Plate ii„d,dd. 



Modern distribution: All three coasts from Belize, 

 B.H., to Isla Jaina, Camp. Also ofifshore atolls. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: i unworked and 2 worked. 

 Formative; i unworked, unknown date. 

 ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 2 unworked. For- 

 mative. 



Comment: It is difficult, or impossible, to separate 

 the above two species unless the hinge is present, 

 which it is not on most of the small fragments used 



