Marine Species 



our modern specimens fall within this range, so we 

 are fairly safe in assuming that an OUva 50 mm. 

 long after removal of spire (K, fig. 85) or 60 mm. 

 complete (P, p. 385) is one of the larger species, 

 rather than reticularis. 



OUvella dealbata (Reeve) 



Illustration: Plate 12, e. 



Modern distribution: Very common on all three 

 coasts, from Turnefle Islands, B.H., to Isla 

 Aguada, Camp. Also Cayo Areas. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 14 with apex ground off 

 for stringing, offering in Late Early period or 

 Pure Florescent tomb. 



GRUTA DE BALANKANCHE: 153, apex 

 ground off for stringing as beads, from a wrist- 

 band or pectoral. 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: i unworked. For- 

 mative. 



OUvella nivea (Gmelin) 



Illustration: Plate 12, J. 



Modern distribution: East and north coasts, from 

 Isla Cozumel, Q.R., to Dolores, Yuc. Also col- 

 lected at Alacran Reef. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 3 unworked. For- 

 mative. 



Comment: Archaeological, or even beach-worn 

 Olivellas, particularly when broken or intentionally 

 altered, are extremely difficult to assign to one of 

 the many similar species. The species nivea, above, 

 is relatively easy to separate because of size and the 

 fact that the similar Jaspidella jaspidea lacks the 

 marked callus on the columella. The lots of smaller 

 Olivellas, all of which I have classified as dealbata, 

 may well contain specimens of O. mutica, O. roso- 

 lina, and perhaps other local species identified largely 

 by color. 



Family: MITRIDAE (miters) 



Mitra florida Gould 



Illustration: Plate 21, b, bb. 



Modern distribution: Rare, one specimen taken at 

 Isla Lobos, Chinchorro Banks. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 2 unworked, For- 

 mative. 



19 



Comment: For data on this very rare species see 

 Johnson, 1964. 



Family: CANCELLARIIDAE (nutmegs) 



Cancellaria reticulata (Linne) 



Illustration: Plate 6,/! /i. 



Modern distribution: Uncommon on north coast, 

 collected only at Telchac Puerto. Absent on east 

 coast. Commoner on west coast, from Celestun 

 to Isla Carmen. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



TIKAL: 6 unworked (M, p. 67); 2 slighdy 

 altered, in an Early Classic structure cache 

 (M-MS). 



Family: MARGINELLIDAE (marginellas) 



Prunum apicinum apicinum (Menke) 



Illustration: Abbott, 1954, pi. n.,n. 



Modern distribution: One specimen collected at 



Dolores, Yuc. 

 Archaeological occurrence: See P. apicinum vir- 



gineum (Joussaume), below. 



Prunum apicinum virgineum (Joussaume) 



Illustration: Plate 12, A. 



Modern distribution: Common on all three coasts 

 from Turneffe Islands, B.H., to Isla Carmen, 

 Camp. Alacran Reef. 



Archaeological occurrence: 



DZIBILCHALTUN: 28 unworked, 75 pierced 

 for suspension, all Formative; i pierced in Late 

 Early period deposit; i pierced from Cenote 

 Xlacah. 



MAYAPAN: 20, fifteen of which were pierced 

 for suspension, probably Decadent period (P, 

 p. 386, fig. 44,^; listed as Marginella apicina 

 Menke). However, the 7 illustrated are about 

 8 mm. in length, whereas apicinum apicinum 

 Menke in this area is at least twice that size; they 

 are probably the subspecies virgineum. 

 ISLA CANCUN MIDDEN: 3 unworked. For- 

 mative. 



SAN JOSE: i unworked in S.J. Ill cache (T, p. 

 181). 



COP AN: "About a handful from Tomb i, aver- 

 aging 7 mm. long. Each shell has a hole broken 

 through the back" (Longyear, 1952, p. no, fig. 

 i07,«).Again, this is only half the average size of 

 apicinum, and is probably the present subspecies. 



