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1)- Horse conch - 606 mm (23.8 in.) BMSM
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Family Fasciolariidae
Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840)
Shell large, with up to ten whorls. Sculpture of about 5-7 spiral cords and weak axial ribs that sometimes form knobs on whorl shoulders. Columella with three plications. Periostracum dark-brown to light-tan, sometimes flaky, periostracum. Shell color grayish-white to salmon-orange, usually orange in younger specimens. This is the largest gastropod in American waters, and the Florida State Shell. A variety lacking nodules known as "knobless wonder" can be found in SW Florida [and rarely an albino].
2)- Lightning whelk - 402 mm (15.8 in.) BMSM
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Family Melongenidae
Busycon sinistrum Hollister, 1958
Shell left-handed (or sinistral, coiling to left), heavy, with flattened spire. Shell shoulders with small knobs. Color tan [rarely albino], shells under 7" have axial brown streaks. Very common on mud flats, bay waters. May be conspecific with Busycon perversum (Linnaeus, 1758) from western Gulf of Mexico. Busycon contrarium (Conrad, 1840) is a fossil species from Carolinas.
3)- True tulip - 200 mm
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Family Fasciolariidae
Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Shell fusiform with about nine rounded whorls. Surface smooth, except for very fine growth lines. Outer lip thin, with fine denticles on inner edge. Operculum thick, heavy. Color extremely variable, cream, light-brown, to reddish orange with irregular blotches of darker brown, white, or cream. Brown spiral lines present. Living animal is bright-orange. On seagrass bottoms and sand flats.
4)- Giant triton - 180 mm
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Family Ranellidae
Cymatium parthenopeum (von Salis, 1793)
Shell large, with large last whorl. Strong spiral cords and axial ribs crossing to form coarse reticulated sculpture. Sculpture hidden by heavy, brush-like grayish-brown periostracum. Aperture with thick, wavy outer lip and parietal wall with strong white plicae on a mahogany-brown background. Shell color light-gray to light-brown, sometimes with spiral bands of darker hues. A widespread, opportunistic species that may appear and disappear along parts of the distribution range. Long-lasting pelagic larval stage present, as in other ranellids.
5)- Junonia - 150 mm
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Family Volutidae
Scaphella junonia (Lamarck, 1804)
Shell large, solid, smooth. of 5 or 6 whorls with distinct suture. Protoconch large. Aperture measuring about 2/3 of shell length. Outer lip moderately thin. Columella with four plications Color white to pinkish-white, with spiral rows of squarish spots of dark-mauve, reddish-brown, or dark-brown [ two left handed known].
6)- Pear whelk - 150 mm
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Family Melongenidae
Busycotypus spiratus (Lamarck, 1816)
Shell with large body whorl. Suture deeply impressed. Broad aperture gently narrowing to become siphonal canal. Specimens from southwest Florida have smooth, rounded shoulder, whereas those from Texas have strongly angled shoulder. Operculum horny. Color cream with axial reddish-brown streaks.
7)- Crown conch - 140 mm
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Family Melongenidae
Melongena corona (Gmelin, 1791)
Shell thick, with a large body whorl. Last few whorls bear single or double rows of hollow spines. Base of shell sometimes with single row of smaller, blunt spines. Color light gray or white, with bluish, brownish, or grayish bands.
8)- Apple murex - 120 mm
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Family Muricidae
Chicoreus pomum (Gmelin, 1791)
Shell heavy, thick, with rough surface. Sculpture of numerous spiral cords and axial ribs, spines absent. Varices strong but spineless. Siphonal canal curved. Color tan to brown, outer lip with three to four dark blotches. Aperture glossy, ivory, buff, salmon, or yellow, with dark-brown spot on apical end of parietal wall.
9)- Florida fighting conch - 110 mm
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Family Strombidae
Strombus alatus Gmelin, 1791
Shell solid with about seven whorls and relatively small, pointed spire. Early whorls with blunt spines or nodules on periphery. Latter whorls with or without blunt spines. Color extremely variable [rarely albino], orange, reddish-brown to dark-mahogany with markings of darker or lighter color, usually mottled or banded; albinos rare. Operculum sickle-shaped.
10)- Alphabet cone - 90 mm
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Family Conidae
Conus spurius Gmelin, 1791
Shell heavy, conical. Spire concave and elevated only at center. Sides of body whorl smooth. Aperture narrow, slit-like. Color cream to white with rows of irregular orange or light-brown spots.
11)- Shark eye - 80 mm
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Family Naticidae
Neverita duplicata (Say, 1822)
Shell globose with four to five solid whorls. Spire low, with apex not elevated, to high. Umbilicus almost always covered by purple-brown callus. Operculum horny. Color grayish to dirty-white.
12)- Banded tulip - 80 mm
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Family Fasciolariidae
Fasciolaria lilium hunteria (G. Perry, 1811)
Shell fusiform, similar to F. tulipa, usually smaller. Body whorl exhibits 5 to 6 dark brown, widely spaced, spiral lines. Background color is grayish with darker bluish gray streaks. Mottled with purplish-brown or brown.
13)- Atlantic figsnail - 80 mm
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Family Ficidae
Ficus communis Röding, 1798
Shell thin, with low spire and shape of fig or pear. Aperture tapers gently toward extremity of anterior canal. Shell sculpture of spiral riblets crossed by finer axial lines. Interior of shell polished, color tan. Color pinkish-gray to light-tan.
14)- - 70 mm
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Family Ranellidae
Cymatium cingulatum (Lamarck, 1822)
Shell sculptured with rough, small spines arranged along ribs that radiate from apex. Apex turned to one side. Interior with white platelike septum. Color white, light-gray, brownish, or rarely greenish, sometimes with rays of lighter color.
15)- Lettered olive - 65 mm
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Family Olividae
Oliva sayana Ravenel, 1834
Shell thick, cylindrical, with highly polished surface. Spire short. Sutures deeply incised. Aperture elongate and narrow, with notch at base. Color light-tan to light gray with darker brown, tentlike markings. Golden-yellow color variety ("citrina") seldom found off Sanibel.
~ ~ ~ Bi-valve
Fan (Zigzag scallop) - 100 mm
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Family Pectinidae
Euvola ziczac (Linnaeus, 1758)
Shell circular, inequivalve, lower valve strongly concave, upper valve flatter, slightly convex. Hinge with wing-like projections of equal size. Sculpture on upper (flat) valve of about 35 ribs and interspaces of about same width. Lower (deep) valve with about 20 less prominent ribs. Color tan to light-brown [rarely yellow or orange]. Inner surface of lower valve white. Upper valve mottled with reddish-brown and dark-brown markings.
SOURCE: www.shellmuseum.org/
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