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CONCHOLOGIS

VOLUME XI, NO 1 e SEPTEMBER, 1974

HELMER ODE RESIGNS

After ten years as editor of the Texas Conchologist, Helmer Ode has re-
signed. He will continue to contribute regularly and will continue as a
member of the editorial board. The Texas Conchologist has become a
periodical with a world-wide circulation and enjoys a fine reputation in
its field. We are all grateful for what Helmer has done and Volumes I -
X will serve as a lasting memorial to his efforts.

The new editor will be William R. Keeler starting with the September issue.
His statement follows: :

"This year we plan to publish quarterly with issues appearing in
September, December, March and June. The number of pages will be
approximately the same as in Volume X, which was published in
nine monthly issues.

I will strive to maintain the standards of past issues and continue
the reputation of the publication. At the same time, I would like
to establish a broader range of material and publish articles from
authors we have not had before. I would accept articles relating

to fresh and salt water mollusks subject to approval of the editor
and the editorial board. I would like suggestions for articles for

publication."
é
f VAT th Li LIAM H. Gals U
eECTIONAL LIBRARY
“SECTION ~ MOL LUSKS
DIVIOIVIN Urs
DUES NOTICE

This will be the last issue of the Texas Conchologist you will receive of
Volume XI if you have not paid your dues. There will be three more issues
in this volume. See the masthead for the correct amount and send a check
today to:

Wilson Ward
P. O. Box 26341
Houston, Texas 77032

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular and subscribing members of the Society, with the
exception that only one copy is mailed to a family.

RATES AND DUES

Family membership

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at subscription rate of

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
William R. Keeler Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
729-6958 723-3628
5827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street
Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Odé W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233

3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

Collectors who are building worldwide collections have encountered the
high prices and the scarceness of good Hawaiian shells. I had been told
over and over that I wouldn't be able to find many myself on a first and
relatively short visit to the Hawaiian Islands. Frankly, I thought that
my husband and I would be too busy anyway being typical tourists on our
10-day-stay on two of the islands--Hawaii and Oahu--for me to do much col-
lecting. However, my first afternoon at Hilo found me at a little park on
the bay where I spied some Littorinas and Nerites in the crevices of the
lava rocks. I handed the camera to Hollis and forgot the scenery for a
half hour so that I could get my first shells in Hawaii.

Most of our time was spent savoring the sights, meeting some of the resi-
dents, and visiting the historical and entertainment centers. But I also
did a bit of shell collecting, not much to be sure, and certainly not by
diving. I just snatched a few hours two days on the Kona coast to col-
lect and visited a beach or so on Oahu. Surprisely enough, I have a nice
little collection of live-taken shells and a large number of interesting
minute shells from a cup of drift picked up at a park on Oahu.

There were a few shells I collected now for myself that I knew about from
my collection, having received them from traders during the years. On a
rough, lava-rock boulder area just in front of Hulihee Palace at Kailua,
Kona, on the big island, I collected the curious purple echinoderm, Pod-
ophora atrata L. Agassiz, on which I knew lived an interesting shell.
These echinoderms seem to be found in heavy surf zones. They look like
purple center heads of sunflowers, with short petals fringing, on the top.
The underneath side is like a small chrysanthemum. They preserve nicely
and stay purple. The purplish mollusk associated with them is Vexilla
vexillum (Gmelin, 1791), a member of the superfamily MURICACEA, subfamily
THAIDINAE. I was able to find five on the urchins. Along with these
animals I found Cellana exarata (Reeve, 1854). This is sometimes listed
as Patella (C ellana) sandwichensis Pease, 1860 as Dr. Allison Kay supports
the division of C. exarata into three species. Powell in Indo-Pacific
Mollusca does not.

Vexilla vexillum (Gmelin, 1791). Specimen length, 10.7 mm., collected
attached to purple echinoderm on boulder at Kailua, Kona, June 9, 1974,
by Constance Boone.

The natives picnicking in the area watched me fight each wave to pry off
the shells with a knife and thought I was seeking food. The Cellanas are
called Opihis by Hawaiians and eaten with relish.

I was also able to get a few Drupa ricina Linnaeus and some Purpura harpa
Conrad on these rocks. There were Nerites, two species of Isognomon and
some Morula uva Roding.

Of special excitement for me was collecting another oddball mollusk on

these boulders. I had the species in my collection, but I had not been

told on data slips what the animals looked like "at home". So collecting
Smaragdinella viridis Quoy and Gaimard, family BULLIDAE, was fun. The
shells, thin green bubble-like scoops, have a "'spoon'' deck inside at the
rolled apex end. They are completely enveloped in a jelly-like greenish
blob animal which attaches to the tops of the boulders in the heavy splash
zone area where the urchina lived. There seems to be a question on author
here. One specimen in my home collection gives Rang. Also, one correspond-
ent thought this might be the same as the Japanese Smaragdinella.

Smaragdinella viridis Quoy and Gaimard. Specimen length, 8.12 mm.
collected from boulder at Kailua, Kona, June 9, 1974, by constance Boone.
Shell completely enveloped in animal which attaches to splash zone rocks.

Another station on the Kona coast was a beach near the White Sands Motel.
There on smaller lava rocks at low tide I found several Cypraea caputser-
pentis Linn., 1758. Burgess does not recognize the Hawaiian form as dif-

ferent, but Schilder in 1927 separated it into Erosaria (Ocellaria) caput-

ophidii.

I spent two short periods collecting in front of my hotel, Keauhou Beach
Hotel, on Keauhou Bay at Kona. There were many lava flow rocks and boul-
ders there, and it was productive for me. I was able to collect four spe-
cies of Cypraea---caputserpentis, helvola, one mauritiana, and one fim-
briata. I also found live Morula uva, Morula granulata (Duclos), Trochus
intextus Kiener, Nerita picea Recluz, Nerita polita Linnaeus, Drupa or-
chrostoma (Blainville), Peristernia chlorostoma (Sowerby), Mitra coronata
Lamarck, 1811; two other Mitras, a Ctena, Cerithium, Bulla adamsi Menke,
1851; Siphonaria normalis Gould, Melampus castaneus (Muehlfeldt), Planaxis
labiosus A. Adams, Littorina picta Philippi, Littorina pintado Wood, Hip-
ponix pilosus (Deshayes), Latirus nodatus Gmelin, Phenacolepas granocostatus
Pease, another Phenacolepas, Acanothochiton viridis Pease, four Nudibranchs,
and some drift Odostomias, Turrids, etc. I also found three specimens of
Rhyssoplax linsleyi Burghardt, 1973, a newly-named, usually black and white,
small Chiton. This could be a range extension.

I also enjoyed seeing the bright red pencil echinoderm, H. mammillatus
(Linnaeus), a red starfish, Asterope carinifera (Lamarck), a black short-
spined urchin, Tripneustes gratilla (Linn.), which a young lad said he ate
in his home.

The above names will have to be more thoroughly checked, I'm afraid. Some
were taken from verbal identifications from members of the Hawaiian Mala-
cological Society I met, some are taken from labels on specimens already

in my cabinet, some are from current books I have and some from the aquarium
displays at Oahu. I notice that all authors do not agree. I may have a
mixture of old and new names--and viewpoints.

What I have been trying to do, however, is to emphasize that even the cas-
ual visitor shell collector may have a try at getting some of his own shells
in Hawaii. You could do much better as a diver with one of the Hawaiian
diving groups.

On Oahu I spent most of my time visiting, soaking up what knowledge I

could from some very nice people, such as Ruth and Jim Fair, E. R. Cross,
Helen and Stu Lillico, and the Henry Asanos. I also visited Andy Butler
and saw some fabulous shells live in his aquariums, visited with Lyman
Higa, a diver who reports on "Recent Finds'"' in Hawaiian Shell News, and
Joan Grace, shell shop owner, who showed me five five-inch Cypraea tigris
from Hawaiian waters. This big, much-sought Cypraea is getting very scarce.
Approximately one in a hundred taken will be five inches. The price is
getting close to $100.00. Our club members will remember two were auction-
ed at one of our meetings several years ago, gifts brought back by Dr. W.
W. Sutow. Each, one a five incher, sold for under $25.00. Barbara Hudson
has the biggie; Fannie Miron the other just a shade smaller.

Ruth Fair is very busy working on a book on Murex. She has some very nice
material for it, and I hope she does get to publish it soon. Her husband
has made many of the photos, and pictures of type material and museum
material are being made available for her use.

My cup of drift shells came from Alii Park beach. Ruth Fair had told me
this area was productive for minute shells, so I scooped up a handful of
sand from under a rock when we were there on a tour of the island. TI have
sorted it and am delighted with the Phasianellas, the many Rissoas, the

Triphoras, QOdostomias, Caecum, Turrids, and many other species not yet

put in families. There, too, I picked up a beach Strombus helli, and a
worn Cypraea semiplota. Common in the drift was a pretty, pink striped

(horizontally) TURBINIDAE, Leptothyra rubricincta Mighels.

One early morning Ruth Fair and I tried an hour or so of collecting at
Makapuu Reef but the scheduled low tide did not develop. The surf was
running very high because of high winds. We stopped then at Sandy Beach
and got live Conus sponsalis and Conus pennaceus. I also collected some
Littorinas, Drupas, Rissoinas, Chitons and Nudibranchs. Here in the cre-
vices of the lava rocks were Peasiella tantilla (Gould, 1849), family LIT-
TORINIDAE, a very different Littorina, Tegula shaped.

Photos by Frank van Morkhoven

Peasiella tantilla (Gould, 1849). Ventral sp. 5.1 mm., dorsal sp. 4.92
mm., collected in crevices, Sandy Beach, Oahu, June 15, 1974, by Constance
Boone.

Needless to say, I hope to go back and do more collecting in Hawaii. Ha-
waiians are very proud of their state, and collectors there value their
shells highly. It was great to meet them.

It is true that the divers or dredgers there have the best chance to get
the rarer shells that collectors on the mainland seek to obtain, but the
reef collecting must be fairly good for me to get as many species as I
did on such few occasions to collect. On my continued travels--to Fiji--
a companion collector was a Hawaiian college student. He had recently
found a live Strombus hawaiiensis in just a few feet of water at Waikiki’
Maybe any one of us could.

LIST OF PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE MARINE FAUNA OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF
MEXICO by H. Ode

ike Romer, C.F., 1849, Texas, mit besonderer Rucksicht auf deutsche
Auswanderung und die physische Verhaltnisse des Landes: Bonn, 1849
bei Adolph Marcus (in rare book library at Rice University).

2. Dall, W.H., 1881, Reports on the results of dredgings in the Gulf of
Mexico and in the Caribbean Sea, 1877-1879 by the "Blake", Preliminary
report on the mollusca: Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 9, No. 2, pp.
34-144,

3. Dall, W.H., 1885, List of marine mollusca, comprising the Quarternary
fossils and Recent forms from American localities between Cape Hatteras
and Cape Rocque, including the Bermudas: Bull. 24, U.S.G.S., 336 p.
(in this reference Romer's data are noted).

4. Dall, W.H., 1885-1886, Reports on the results of dredgings ... by the
U.S. Coast Survey Steamer "Blake''. Report on the mollusca, Part 1:
Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 12, pp. 171-318.

5. Dall, W.H., 1889, Report on the results of dredgings ... by ..."'Blake"'.
Report on the mollusca, Part 2: Bull, Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 18, pp.
1-492.

6. Dall, W.H., 1889, Scientific results of explorations by the U. S. Fish
Commission steamer "Albatross", Preliminary report on the collection
of mollusca and brachiopoda obtained in 1887-1888: Proc. U.S. Nat.
Mus, Voll 12), pps 219-361.

7. Dall, W.H., 1890, A preliminary catalogue of the shellbearing mollusks
and brachiopods of the southeastern coast of the United States: Bull.
Uses. Nate. Musi): Vol.y 37522211, pie

8. Dail, W.H., 1890, Contributions to the Tertiary fauna of Florida, Part 1,
Pulmonata, Opisthobranchiata and Orthodont Gastropods: Trans. Wagner
Free Inst. Sci., Vol. 3, pp. 1-200.

9. Gatschitt, A.A., 1891, The Karankawa Indians, the lost people from
Texas: Peabody Mus., Harvard University, Arch. and Ethnol. Papers,
Vol. 1 (2), pp. 21-103.

10. Baker, F.C., 1891, Notes on a collection of shells from southern Mex-
icosea Proc. Acad.; Nat. Sei., Phila.;) Vol... 43, pp. 45-55.

ll. Dall, W.H., 1892, Contributions ta the Tertiary fauna of Florida, Part 2,
Streptodont and other Gastropods, concluded: Trans. Wagner Free
insives SCi-- VOleS),. pp ZOL=4/3%

12. Pilsbry, H.A., 1892, Polyplacophora, in Tryon, 'Manual of Conchology",
Ser. 1, Vol. 14, XXXIII, 350p., 68 pl. (reference to Chiton tuber-
culatus).

13. Dall, W.H., 1892, On an undescribed Cytherea from the Gulf of Mexico:
Nautilus, Vol. 5 (12), pp. 134-135.

14 Dall, W.H., 1892, Note on Cytherea convexa (Say): Nautilus, Vol. 6
©)5 p. 52-53:

15. Singley, J.A., 1893, Texas mollusca. Contributions to the natural
history of Texas: Geol. Surv. Texas, 4th Ann. Rep., Austin, Texas
pp. 297-343.

16. Singley, J.A., 1893, Preliminary reports on the artesian wells of the
Gulf Coastal Slope: Geol. Sur. Texas, 4th Ann. Rep., Austin, Texas,
pp. 85-119.

17. Harris, G.D., 1893, Organic remains obtained from a deep well at Gal-
veston: Geol. Surv. Texas, 4th Ann. Rep., Austin, Texas, pp. 117-119.

18. Singley, J.A., 1894, List of mollusca collected in Texas in 1891;
Fishes of Texas and Rio Grande Basin, by Evermann and Kendall: Bull. U.S.
Fish Comm. for 1892, pp. 123-125.

19. Mitchell, J.D., (no date but 1894), List of Texas mollusca, Victoria,
Texas: Times Steam Print, 22 p.

20.

21

22.

23.

24,

DSc

26.

Qiks

28.

29%

30.

AMEE

325

5)5}5
34.

35%

36.

SW/c

38.

39%

40.

4l.

42.

43.

Dall, W.H., 1894, Synopsis of the Mactridae of North America: WNa-
utilus, Vol. 8, pp. 25-28.

Mitchell, J.D., no date, Texas shells, Victoria, Texas, Cooke's.

10 p.

Harris, G.D., 1895, Neocene mollusca of Texas, or fossils from the
deep well at Galveston: Bull. Am. Pal., Vol. 1 (3), pp. 85-114.
Dall, W.H., 1895, Three new species of Macoma from the Gulf of
Mexico: Nautilus, Vol. 9 (3), pp. 32-34.

Dall, W.H., 1896, On some new species of Scala: Nautilus, Vol. 9
@OoO) pp. LLO=Ni2e

Dall, W.H., 1898, A new species of Terebra from Texas: Nautilus,
Vol 2l2- (G4), pp. 44-45.

Dall, W.H., 1898, Contributions to the Tertiary fauna of Florida,
Part 4, Prionodesmacea, Teleodesmacea: Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Sci.,
Vol. 3, pp. 571-947.

Dall, W.H., 1899, Synopsis of the Recent and Tertiary Leptonacea

of North America and the West Indies: Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 21
(177), pp. 873-897.

Dall, W.H., 1900, Contributions to the Tertiary fauna of Florida,
Part 5, Solen to Diplodonta: Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Sci., Vol. 3,
pp. 949-1218.

Dall, W.H., and Simpson, C.T., 1901, The mollusca of Puerto Rico:
Bull. U. S. Fish Commission, Vol. 20, pt. 1, pp. 351-524.

Arnold, A.F., 1901, The sea beach at ebbtide. (reprinted in 1968 by
Dover Publications).

Dall, W.H., 1902, Synopsis of the family Veneridae and of the North
American Recent species: Prod. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. 26 (1312),

pp. 335-412.

Dall, W.H., 1903, Contributions to the Tertiary fauna of Florida,
Part 6, concluding the work. Teleodesmacea and Anomalodesmacea:
Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Sci., Vol. 3, pp. 1219-1654.

Kellog, J.L., 1905, Notes on marine food mollusks of Louisiana: Bull.
Gulf Biol.) Stats vols 35 ppeadl—43>

Cary, L.R., 1906, A contribution to the fauna of the Coast of
Louisiana: Bull. Gulf Res. Lab., Vol. 6, pp. 50-59.

Cary, L.R., 1906, The conditions for oyster culture in the waters of
the Parishes of Vermillion and Iberia, Louisiana: Bull. Gulf Biol.
Stat.) Vol-o4.0p. L-27-

Spaulding, M.H., 1906, A preliminary report on the distribution of
scallops and clams in the Chandeleur Islands Region, Louisiana: Bull.
Gulf Biol. Stat., Vol. 6, pp. 29-43.

Moore, H.F., 1907, Survey of oyster bottoms in Matagorda Bay, Texas:
Fish Doc., Na.610, Rep. U. S. Comm. Fisheries and Special Papers,
1905, p. 86, Washington, D. C.

Dall, W.H., 1907, A review of the American Volutidae: Smith. Misc.
Coll., Vol. 48, p. 341-373 (349).

Bartsch, P., 1908, A new shipworm from the United States: Proc.
Biol. Soc., Washington, Vol. 21, pp. 211-212.

Cary, L.R., and Spaulding, M.H., 1909, Further contributions to the
marine fauna of the Louisiana Coast: Bull. Gulf Biol. Stat. No. 12,
Zp

Dall, W.H., and Bartsch, P., 1911, New species of shells from Bermuda:
Proc.) UsS.NoMEe Vols) 4055 820) eps wie

Moore, H.F., and Danglade, E., 1915, Condition and extent of the na-
tural oysterbeds and barren bottoms of Lavaca Bay, Texas: U.S. Bur.
Fish., Doc. 809 (App. II); Rep. U.S. Comm. Fish., 1914 (1915); 45 p.,
Washington, D. C.

Report of Chief of Engineers (1915). (Destruction by borings of
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8

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Syke

52e

530

54.

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Morrison, J.P.E., 1939, Two new species of Sayella with notes on the
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69.
70.
71.

U2

Wc

74.

75.
76.
He
78.
79.
80.
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82.
83.
84.

85).

86.

87.

88.
89.
90.

oe

92%

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Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D, 1946, The genus Bankia in the Western
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Clench, W.J., 1946, The genera Bathyaurinia, Rehderia and Scaphella

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Hedgpeth, J.W., 1947, The Laguna Madre of Texas: Trans. 12th North
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Farfante, I.P., 1947, The genera Zeidora, Nesta, Emarginula, Rimula
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Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1948, The genus Truncatella in the
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Turner, R.D., 1948, The family Tonnidae in the Western Atlantic: John-
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Gunter, G., 1950, Seasonal population changes of certain invertebrates
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Dis

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WIE

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104.

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IASG

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Ladd, H.S., 1951, Brackish water and marine assemblages of the Texas
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Gunter, G., 1951, The West Indian tree oyster on the Louisiana Coast
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Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1951, The genus Epitonium in the West-
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Hertlein, G., 1951, Description of a new pelecypod of the genus An-
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Rehder, H.A., and Abbott, R.T., 1951, Some new and interesting mollusks
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Clench, W.J., and Pulley, T.E., 1951, Notes on some marine shells from
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Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1952, The genera Epitonium (Part 2),
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Rosso, S.W., 1952, Some differences in the bivalves fauna of Ocean
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Pulley, T.E., 1952, A new species of Chione from the Western Gulf of
Mexico: Tex. Journ. Sci., Vol. 4 (1), pp. 61-62.

Pulley, T.E., 1952, An illustrated checklist of the marine mollusks of
Texas; Texas Journ. Sci., Vol. 4 (2), pp. 167-199.

Campbell, T.N., 1952, The Kent Crane Site, a shell midden on the Texas
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Gunter, G., 1952, Historical changes in the Mississippi River and ad-
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Puffer, E.L., and Emerson, W.K., 1953, The molluscan community of the
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Norris, W.M., 1953, Buried oyster reefs in some Texas bays: Journ.
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Puffer, E.L., 1953, Potential megafossils of the Rockport, Texas area
and their distribution: Unpublished M.A. dissertation, Univ. Calif.,
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bal

125 is

126.

W716

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134,

135.

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SiG
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140.

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Harry, H.W., 1953, Corambella baratariae, a new species of nudibranch
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Richards, H. G., 1954, Mollusks from the Mississippi Delta: Notulae
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Hildebrand, H.H., 1954, A study of the fauna of the brown shrimp grounds
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Galtsoff, P., 1954, Chapter 1 in: Gulf of Mexico, its origin, waters
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Butler, P.A., 1954, A summary of our knowledge of the oyster in the
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Rehder, H.A., 1954, Chapter 5 in: Gulf of Mexico, its origin, waters
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Hedgpeth, J.W., 1954, Bottom communities of the Gulf of Mexico: Fishery
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Turner, R.D., 1954, The family Pholadidae in the Western Atlantic and
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Gunter, G. and Geyer, R.A., 1955, Studies and fouling organisms of the
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Menzel, R.W., 1955, Some phases of the biology of Ostrea equestris
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Reid, G.K., 1955, A summer study of the biology and ecology of East
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Parker, R.H., 1955, Changes in invertebrate fauna, apparently attri-
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Hulings, N.C., 1955, An investigation of the benthic invertebrate fauna
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Grau, G., 1955, A rectification of pecten nomenclature: Nautilus,
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Moore, D.R., 1955, Observations of predation on echinoderns by three
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Shepard, F.P., and Moore, D.C., 1955, Central Texas coast sedimentation:
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Turner, R.D., 1955, The family Pholadidae in the Western Atlantic and
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Hildebrand, H. H., and Gunter, G., 1955, A report on the deposition of
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Voss, G.L., 1956, A review of the cephalopods of the Gulf of Mexico:
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Henderson, 0., 1956, Report on fouling and boring organisms on wooden
and metal structures in Matagorda Bay, Tex: Oceanographic Services for
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Springer, S., and Bullis, H.R., 1956, Collections by the "Oregon" in
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Parker, R.H.,1956,Macro-invertebrate assemblages as indicators of sed-
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Shepard, F.P., 1956, Marginal sediments of Mississippi Delta: Bull.
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Parker, R.H., and Curray, J.R., 1956, Fauna and bathymetry of banks of
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Breuer, E.G., 1957, An ecological survey of the Baffin and Alazan Bays,
Texas: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ. Tex., Vol. 4, pp. 134-155.

Loesch, H.G., 1957, Studies on the ecology of two species of Donax on
Mustang Island, Texas: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ. Texas, Vol. 4, pp.
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Rowett, C.L., 1957, A Quartenary molluscan assemblage from Orleans
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Rutsch, R.F., 1957, Mollusk report: Unpublished M.S. Gulf Research
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Ladd, H.S., Hedgpeth, J.W., and Post, R., 1957, Environments and facies
of existing bays on the Central Texas Coast: Geol. Soc. Am., Memoir
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Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1957, The family Cymatiidae in the
Western Atlantic: Johnsonia, Vol. 3 (36), pp. 189-244.

Morita, R.V, 1958, An incidence of pink oysters in Galveston Bay: Publ.
Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ. Tex., Vol. 5, pp. 163-164.

Neumann, A.C., 1958, The configuration and sediments of Stetson Bank,
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Texas, 133 p.

Moore, D.R., 1958, Notes on Blanquilla Reef, the most northerly coral
formation in the Western Gulf of Mexico: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ.
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Hildebrand, H.H., 1958, Estudios Biologios Preliminares Sobre Laguna
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Moore, D.R., 1958, Additions to the Texas marine mollusca: Nautilus,
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Marland, F.C., 1958, An investigation of the benthic macrofauna of
Matagorda Bay: Masters Thesis, Texas A and M, College Station, Texas.
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Turner, R.D. and Rosewater, J., 1958, The family Pinnidae in the Western
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Hollister, S.C., 1958, A review of the genus Busycon and its allies.
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Kennedy, E.A., 1959, A comparison of the molluscan fauna along a tran-
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Clench, W.J., 1959, The genus Murex in the Western Atlantic: John-
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Hofstetter, R.P., 1959, The Texas oyster fishery: Tex. Game and Fish
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Rice, W.H., 1960, A preliminary checklist of the mollusca of Texas:
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Parker, R.H., 1960, Ecology and distributional patterns of marine
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Moore, D.R. and Bullis, H.R., Jr., 1960, A deep water coral reef in
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Korniker, L.S., and Armstrong, N., 1960, Alacran Reef, Campeche Bank,
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Curray, J.A., 1960, Sediments and history of Holocene transgression of
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poda, Opisthobranchia): Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Zoo., Vol. 5
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Chambers, G.V., and Sparks, A.K., 1960, An ecological survey of the
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Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1960, The genus Calliostoma in the
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de la Torre, A., 1960, Caribbean species of Truncatella: Nautilus,
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Anderson, A.A., 1960, Marine resources of the Corpus Christi Area:
Bur. Bus. Res., Univ. Texas. Monograph 21.

Kane, H.E., 1961, Occurence of Rangia cuneata and Crassostrea vir-
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McFarlan, E., Jr., 1961, Radiocarbon dating of late Quarternary de-
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Richards, H.G., 1962, Studies on the marine Pleistocene, Part I and II:
Trans. Am. Phil. Soc., New Series, Vol. 5, part 3, 141 p.

Rice, W.H., and Korniker, L.S., 1962, Mollusks of Alacran Reef, Campeche
Bank, Mexico: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci., Vol. 8, pp. 366-403.

Breuer, J.P., 1962, An ecological survey of the Lower Laguna Madre of
Texas, 1953-1959: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ. Texas, Vol. 8, pp. 153-
Ise

Simmons, E.G., and Breuer, J.P., 1962, A study of Red Fish (Scaniops
ocellata (Linnaeus)) and Black Drum (Pogonias cromis (Linnaeus)):

Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ. Texas, Vol. 8, pp. 184-211.

Turner, R.D., and Boss, K.J., The genus Lithophaga in the western
Atlantic: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (41), pp. 81-116.

Smith, L.A., 1962, Biostratigraphy of late Tertiary and Quarternary
subsurface deposits of Southern Louisiana: Ph.D. Thesis, Stanford
University, 163 p. :

Abbott, R.T., 1963, The Janthinid genus Recluzia in the Western At-
lantic: Nautilus, Vol. 76 (4), p. 51.

Robertson, R., 1963, Bathymetric and geographic distribution of Panope
bitruncata: Nautilus, Vol. 76 (3), pp. 75-82.

Wasson, J.A., 1963, Notes on the finding of an addition to the marine
mollusks of Texas: Tex. Journ. Sci., Vol. 15 (1), pp. 119-120.
Fairbanks, L.D., 1963, Biodemographic studies of the clam Rangia cuneata
(Gray): Tulane Studies of Zoology, Vol. 10 (1), pp. 3-47.

Barelle, A.F., 1963, Appendix 1, Molluscan analysis in: J. P. Morgan
and al., "Mudlumps at the mouth of South Pass, Mississippi River;
sedimentology, paleontology, structure, origin and relation to deltaic
processes'': Louisiana State Univ., Coastal Studies Series, No. 10.
Garcia Cubas, A., Jr., 1963, Systematica y distribucion de los micro-
moluscos recientes de la Laguna de Terminos, Campeche, Mexico:

Boln. Inst. Geol.., Mex., Vol. 67, Part 4, 55 p.

Moore, D.R., 1963, Distribution of the seagrass Thalassia in the
United States: Bull. Mus. Sci, Gulf and Caribbean, Vol. 13, pp. 329-
342,

Oppenheimer, C.H., 1963, Effects of hurricane Carla on the ecology of
Red Fish Bay, Tex.: Bull. Mar. Sci. Gulf and Caribbean, Vol. 13,

pp. 59-72.

Abbott, R.T., 1964, Littorina ziczac (Gmelin) and L. lineolata
(Orbigny) : Nautilus, Vol. 78, pp. 65-66.

Speers, A. and Ode, H., 1964 to 1973, Notes on Texas beach shells:
Texas Conchologist, Vol. I-IX.

Moore, D.R., 1964, The family Vitrinellidae in South Florida and the
Gulf of Mexico: Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. Miami, Fla., 235 p.

Siler, W.L., and Scott, A.J., 1964, Biotic assemblages South Texas
coast in: "Field Trip Guide Book, depositional environments, South Cen-
tral Texas Coast": Corpus Christi Geol. Soc., Corpus Christi, Texas.
Boss, K.J., 1964, New species of Tellina from the Western Atlantic:
Occasional Papers, Dept. Mollusks, Harvard Univ., Vol. 2, pp. 309-324.

15

210.

226.

2271.

231

PSD

Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1964, The subfamilies Volutinae,
Zidoninae, Odontocymbiolinae and Calliotectinae in the Western At-
lantic: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (43), pp. 129-180.

Clench, W.J., 1964, The genera Pedipes and Laemodonta in the West-

ern Atlantic: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (42), pp. 117-128.

Burch, R.D., 1965, New Terebrid species from the Indo-Pacific Ocean
and from the Gulf of Mexico with new locality records and provisional
lists of species collected in Western Australia and at Sabah, Malaysia:
Velieers Volmi/ise pp. (240-253.

Copeland, B.J., 1965, Fauna of the Aransas Pass inlet, Texas. TI,
Emigration as shown by tile trap collections: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci.,
Unikveexasy) aVOlr lO ppg 2 ls

Rice, W.H., and Korniker, L.S., 1965, Mollusks from the deeper waters
of the Northwestern Campeche Bank, Mexico: Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci.,
Unive. texas. 5) Vol 10s pps L087 27

Corgan, J.X., 1965, Molluscan fauna of Mississippi River Delta Mudlump
Province in: "Field Trip Guild Book 1965": A.A.P.G.-S.E.P. Annual
Convention, New Orleans, La., 1965.

Hofstetter, R.P., 1965, The Texas oyster fishery: Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, Bull. 40, 39 p.

Keith, D.E., and Hulings, N.C., 1965, A quantative study of selected
nearshore fauna between Sabine Pass and Boliver Point, Texas: Publ.
Inst. Mar. Sci., Vol. 10, Univ. Texas, pp. 33-40.

Moore, D.R., 1965, New species of Vitrinellidae from Gulf of Mexico
and adjacent waters: Nautilus, Vol. 78 (3), pp. 73-79.

Boss, K.J., and Merril, A.S., 1965, The family Pandoridae in the West-
ern Atlantic: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (44), pp. 181-216.

Morrison, J.P.E., 1965, New brackish water mollusks from Louisiana:
Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 78, pp. 217-224.

Boss, K.J., 1966, The subfamily Tellininae in the Western Atlantic.
The genus Tellina, Part I: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (45), pp. 217-272.
Harry, H.W., 1966, Studies on bivalve mollusks of the genus Crassinella
in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Anatomy, ecology and systematics:
Publi Inst. Mar. Sei... Univ. Tex. Voli i -pp x 65=89r

Moore, D.R., 1966, The Cyclostremellidae, a new family of Prosobranch
mollusks: Bull. Mar. Sci. Gulf and Caribbean, Vol. 16, pp. 480-484.
Turner, R., 1966, A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae:
Cambridge, Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology, 265 p.
Harry, H.W., 1967, Marine mollusca of Galveston, Texas. Tentative and
preliminary list: Marine Lab., Tex. A and M Univ., Galveston, Tex.
pr

Harry, H.W., 1967, A review of the living Tectibranch snails of the
genus Volvulella with description of a new subgenus and species from
Texas: The Veliger, Vol. 10 (2), pp. 133-147.

Dance, S.P., and Emerson, W.K., 1967, Notes on Morum dennissoni and
related species: The Veliger, Vol. 10 (2), pp. 91-98.

Marcus, E., and Marcus, E., 1967, American opisthobranch mollusks:
Stud. Trop. Ocean. Miami, 256 p., 1 pl.

Branson, B.A., 1967, Notes on and measurements of river drift snails
from, Texas: Tex. sourn. Sci., Vol. L9G). pe 292-3002

Corgan, J.X., 1967, Quarternary micromolluscan fauna of the Mudlumps
Province, Mississippi River Delta: Ph. D. Thesis, Louisiana State
Univ. 5 500 p.528 pls.

Boyer, P.S., 1967, Some observations on the ecology of Callocardia
texasiana: Nautilus, Vol. 80, pp. 79-81.

Hoese, A.D., Copeland, B.J., Moseley, F.N. and Lance, E.D., 1968, Fauna
of Aransas Pass Inlet, Part 3, Diel. and seasonal variation in trawl-
able organisms in the adjacent area: Tex. Journ. Sci., Vol. 20 (1),
p. 33-60.

16

233. Morrison, J.P.E., 1968, Notes on American Hastula: Annual Rep. for
1967, Am. Malac. Union Inc., pp. 49-50.

234. Morrison, J.P.E., 1968, Four American Hastula Species: Texas Con-
chologist, Vol. 4 (9), pp. 67-70.

235. Boss, K.J., 1968, The subfamily Tellininae in the Western Atlantic.
The genera Tellina (Part II) and Tellidora: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (46),
pp. 273-344.

236. Harry, H.W., 1968, Marine mollusca of Galveston. Tentative and pre-
liminary list, 2nd. Ed. March, 1968: Mar. Lab., Tex. A and M. Univ.,
Galveston, Texas, 12 p.

237. Vokes, E.H., 1968, Cenozoic Muricidae of the Western Atlantic region.
Part IV, Hexaplex and Murexiella: Tul. Stud. Geol. Pal., Vol. 6 (3),
p. 85-126. :

238. Vokes, E.H., 1968, The Anadarid subgenus Caloosarca in the Western
Atlantic region: Tul. Stud. Geol. Pal., Vol. 7 (1), p. 1-40.

239. Radwin, G., 1968, A taxonomic revision of the family Columbellidae
in the Western Atlantic, exclusive of the genus Astyris: Ph. D. Thesis,
G. Wash. Univ., 237 p., 18 pl.

240. Scheltema, A.H., 1968, Redescription of Anachis avara (Say) and
Anachis translirata (Ravenel) with notes on some related species:
Breviora (304), p. 1-19.

241. Harry, H.W., 1969, A review of the living Leptonacean bivalves of the
genus Aligena: The Veliger, Vol. 11, p. 164-181.

242. Boyer, P.S., 1969, Pelecypod beak wear: an indication of post mortem
transportation: Tex. Journ. Sci., Vol. 20 (4), p. 385-388.

243, Vokes, E.H., 1969, Notes on the occurrence of Panopea bitruncata
(Conrad): Tul. Stud. Geol. Pal., Vol. 7 (1), p. 41-42.

244. Boss, K.J., 1969, The subfamily Tellininae in the Western Atlantic.
The genus Strigilla: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (47), p. 345-368.

245. Harry. H.W., 1969, Anatomical notes on the Mactrid bivalve, Raeta
plicatella (Lamarck), 1918, with a review of the genus Raeta and

related genera: Veliger, Vol. 12 (1), p. 1-23.

246. Boyer, P.S., 1969, Macoma (Psammacoma) pulleyi; a new clam from
Louisiana: Veliger, Vol. 12 (1), p. 40-42.

247. Harry, H.W., 1969, Cuttlebones on the beach at Galveston: Veliger,
Vol. 12 (1), p. 84-94.

248. Hendricks, A., Parsons, W.M., et al., 1969, Bottom fauna studies in
the lower Sabine River: Tex. Journ. Sci., Vol. 21 (2), p. 175-187.

249. Gertman, R.L., 1969, Typhinae (Muricidae):; Tul. Stud. Geol. Pal.,
Vol. 7 (4), p. 143-191.

250. Corgan, J.X., 1969, Odostomia cassandra (Bartsch): Nautilus, Vol. 83,
Del Abc

251. Logan, B.W., et al., 1969, Carbonate sediments and reefs, Yucatan
Shelf, Mexico: Mem. 11, A.A.P.G., p. 5-198, (Moll. listed pp. 48, 49,
50).

252. Smith, L.A., 1969, Unpublished report: Humble Oil & Ref. Co.

253. Tunnell, J.W., Jr., 1969, The mollusks of Seven-and-a-Half Fathom

; Reef; Masters Thesis, Texas A and I Univ., Kingsville, Texas.

254. Moore, D.R., 1969, Systematic distribution and abundance of the West
Indian micromollusk Rissoina catesbyana (d'Orbigny): Transact: J.C.
A.G.S., Miami, 1969, p. 425-426.

255. Vokes, E.H., 1970, Cenozoic Muricidae of the Western Atlantic region,
Part V, Pterynotus and Poireria: Tul. Stud. Geol. Pal., Vol. 8 (1),
p.- 1-50.

256. Hoerle, S.E., 1970, Mollusca of the "Glades" unit of Southern Florida;
Part II, list of mulluscan species from Belle Glade Rock Pit, Palm
Beach County, Florida: Tul. Stud. Geol. Pal., Vol. 8 (1), p. 56-68
(see footnote p. 63).

abr!

257. Clench, W.J., and Turner, R.D., 1970, The family Volutidae in the
Western Atlantic: Johnsonia, Vol. 4 (48), p. 370.

258. Boyer, P.S., 1970, Actuopaleontology of the larger invertebrates of
the coast of Louisiana: Ph. D. Thesis, 1970, 299 pages, Rice Univ.,
Texas,

259. Marcus, E., 1970, Odisthobranchs from Northern Brazil: Bull. Mar.
SG, Wel, 20 (4A)5 jos Y22SoO5il,

260, Britten, J.C., 1970, The Lucinidae (mollusca, bivalvia) of the West-
ern Atlantic Ocean: Ph. D. Thesis, G. Wash. Univ., 565 p.

261. Harper, D.E., 1970, Ecological studies of selected level-bottom
macro invertebrates off Galveston, Texas: Ph. D. Thesis, Tex. A and
M Univ., Mar. Science, 300 p.

262. Corgan, J.X., 1970, Review of Parodostomia Laseron, 1959, Telloda
Hertlein and Strong, 1951 and Eulimastoma Bartsch, 1916 (gastropoda):
Nautilus, Vol. 85 (2), p. 51-60.

263. Taylor, D., and Berner, L.J., 1970, The Heteropoda (mollusca, gastro-
poda), Chapter 8, in "Contributions on the biology of the Gulf of
Mexico, Tex:'"' A and M Univ., Oceanographic Studies, Vol. 1, p. 231-
244,

264. Regteren Altena, C.0. van, 1971, On six species of marine mollusca
from Suriname, four of which are new: Zool. Meded., Nat. Hist. Mus., Ryks
Univ. Leiden, Deel 45 No. 5, p. 75-86.

265. Morrison, J.P.E., 1971, Western Atlantic Donax: Proc. Bio. Soc.
Wash., Vol. 83, p. 545-568.

266. Watson, R.J., 1971, Origin of shell beaches Padre Island, Texas:
Jieseds Petr. Vole 4. (4)2 op. 05 —iaa:

267. Pampe, W.R., 1971, A new Pleistocene marine fossil locality in
Chambers County, Tex.: Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc., Trans., Vol.
271, p. 395-410.

268. Winchester, P.D., 1971, Geology of Freeport rocks, offshore Texas.
Gul Goasit) Assocs eGeoll ‘Soc. strans.s, Vol. 2p. 22228

269. Andrews, J., 1971, "Sea shells of the Texas coast". Univ. of Texas
Press, Austin and London, 298 p.

270. Stanton, R.J., and Evan, I., 1971, Environmental controls of benthic
macrofaunal patterns in the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the Mississippi
Delta: Gulf Coast Assoc. Geol. Soc., Trans., Vol. 21, p. 371-378.

271. James, B.M., 1972, Systematics and biology of the deep water
Palaeotaxodonta from the Gulf of Mexico: Ph. D. Thesis, Texas A and M
Univ... «18 p.

272. Robertson, R., 1973, Cyclostremella: A planispiral Pyramidellid:
Nautilus.s Vol. 87).(3)ie. p= 88.

18

REVIEW by H. Ode

B, M. JAMES: SYSTEMATICS AND BIOLOGY OF THE DEEP WATER PALAEOTAXODONTA
FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. Ph. D. Thesis. Texas A and M University.
Dec., 1972, 182 pages.

In this thesis a study is made of the palaeotaxodont genera which

during the years 1964-1969 have been dredged at ninety-one stations
during thirteen cruises of the research vessel "Alaminos" in the

Gulf of Mexico. In all ten genera, Brevinucula (1 species), Nucula

(6 species), Neilo (3 species), Neilonella (4 species), Nuculana (11
species), Tindaria (3 species), Tindariopsis (2 species), Pristegloma

(1 species), Yoldia (1 species), Yoldiella (3 species) and Malletia (1
species) are discussed. I could not find a systematic discussion of the
distinctive characters of these genera in this thesis, but the choice of
genera appears to be based on the Treatise of Palaeontology.

A number of species appears to be new. Fortunately the author has not
attempted to create new taxa for these in his thesis, thus avoiding un-
necessary confusion.

An important finding of this thesis is that on the basis of the studied
live material the author has reached the conclusion, well illustrated in
Fig. 96, page 154, that an important faunal change occurs at a depth of
about 2,000 meters and that the Gulf of Mexico harbours in its deepest
parts a truly abyssal fauna. Most of the author's material was obtained
from depths below 2,000 meters. Only at fourteen (14) stations, material
was obtained from depths shallower than 600 meters. Perhaps, as a con-
sequence of the author's main concern, as expressed in the title of this
thesis, with the abyssal fauna, the discussion of sublittoral species,
which were dredged at the shallower stations is insufficient to evaluate
some of the puzzling forms known to live here. Taxonomic problems which
exist with respect to these species are not touched upon. For instance,
no discussion is presented on Nuculana acuta Conrad, a name applied
usually to a great variety of forms and shapes, some of which undoubtedly
represent valid but different species. The shell known to Texas beach
collectors (see figure in Texas Conchologist Vol. 6, page 49) under

that name is almost certainly not that species, but was first described
by Gould as N. unca. Dall however has perhaps somewhat hastily syno-
nymized it with N. acuta and ever since this designation has stuck with
this common Carolinean species.

It is somewhat puzzling to find mentioned among the references the
popular books of Morris and Andrews, while so many other more important
studies are omitted, for instance, all references to related neogene
species.

The author makes the observation that because of the number of sampling
stations, the deep water fauna of the Gulf of Mexico is better known
than any other ocean basin. Provided abyssal faunas are uniform over
large areas, this may be true, but the small number of stations in the
sublittoral and probably also the bathyal zone, make the same conclus-
ion for these depth zones impossible. A number of additional species
are known in these zones.

This reviewer is indebted to Dr. James for his identification of some

material in the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Nuculana platessa
Dall and Nuculana bipennis Dall are two species which prior to the com-

ils)

pletion of this thesis were never illustrated.

In summary, it can be stated that this study has contributed important
facts to the knowledge of the abyssal fauna of the Gulf of Mexico, but
that considerable further study is required for the sublittoral and
bathyal zones.

THE PROMENADE OF THE TOP SHELLS by Cynthia Biasca

Last October when my husband, I and another couple spent four days on
the island of Cozumel, Mexico, we enjoyed eating on the open porch of
our hotel's dining room. The building, separate from the rest of the
hotel, was built on a small promontory about 5 feet above the water and
large rocks cascaded steeply down from the level of the porch to the
water. Every evening lights were projected anto the water, which at-
tracted flying fish and in turn tarpon. The flashing bodies of the fish
made quite a display for the diners.

The second evening we were there, our friends were waiting for us on the
porch, leaning over the wall and looking down onto the rocks. They point-
ed out six Cittarium pica (West Indian Top Shells) that were partly or
wholly out of water on the rocks. A bit earlier, as our friends watched,
they had climbed almost to the top of the rocks, near one of the lights,
and now they were seemingly enjoying the water as it gently washed over
them. By the time we had finished dinner, they had disappeared.

Next day there was no sign of the snails but in the evening, at the same
time and place, they again took a walk up the rocks, stayed briefly, and
then returned close to the water where they remained motionless a few
minutes before gliding out of sight.

The final evening we were there, the promenade was repeated and this time,
although I really hated to break up this charming group, I climbed over
the wall and carefully retrieved just one of the shells.

How does one explain the phenomenon of the Cittariums' walk? Were they
attracted by the light being turned on? Do they just like to be out of
water a certain time every day? It seemed to be the same shells every
night - were they a permanent group? There may be good scientific ex-
planations for their behavior but I'm not sure I really care. It is
enough that every time I look at my liberated shell, I recall the mysteri-
ous and beautiful promenade of the top shells.

20

COWRIES AND OVULIDS (Book Reviews) by W. W. Sutow, M.D.

A CATALOGUE OF LIVING AND FOSSIL COWRIES. Taxonomy and Bibliography of

Triviacea and Cypraeacea (Gastropoda Prosobranchia). By Maria Schilder
SSS a ear TO ys a EEN | a PS S - .

and Franz Alfred Schilder. Brussel. Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor
Natuurwetenschappen. 1971. 246 pages.

Since 1922, Franz A. Schilder, first alone and then after 1929 with Maria
Schilder has published numerous scientific articles on the cowries. In
recent years the majority of these publications were written in English;
many have appeared in familiar American periodicals such as VELIGER and
HAWAITAN SHELL NEWS. The present publication was compiled after 50 years'
special research work in the field. ;

A direct quote from the "General Remarks" section of the monograph suc-~
cintly summarizes the sustained interest of these well-known malacologists

in the marine gastropod familes Triviidae (Eratoidae), Pediculariidae,
Cypraeidae, and Ovulidae (Amphiperatidae). "Our studies comprised both

the living and fossil taxa, and concerned chiefly the taxonomy of the
shells (including variability and evolution), the anatomy of living species
(especially the radula), and the distribution (zoogeography, stratigraphy)".

The subject monograph contains '(1) a systematic list of all sufficiently
characterized taxa of cowries... (3386. taxa); (2) an alphabetical list of
all names proposed for cowries, with exact references (3720 taxa); (3)

a bibliography of the books and papers concerning cowries (3650 titles)."
The material included goes through December 31, 1968. However, a few
later papers which seemed important have been added through December,
1969.

To the non-professional this monumental treatise (and physically large:
10 X 13 inches) is impressive in the massive amount of items comprising
each list. If nothing else, the book provides an educational insight
into methodology of handling taxonomic material. All validly or inval-
idly established taxa are listed "if they can be recognized by descrip-
tion, indication or figure". Three digits indicate the subfamily, the
tribus and the subgenus or indivisible genus. Other digits and figures
identify the habitat of the type specimen of each taxon at the species
level. The geological age is indicated and the living taxa are marked.
The zoogeographical regions for the type locality of each taxon at the
species level is indicated by letters (e.g. small letters for the West-
ern Hemisphere and capital letters for the Eastern Hemisphere). Each
name is accompanied by the author and the year of publication.

In the second section of the book, all cowrie names are listed alpha-
betically with numerical reference to the systematic listing in the first
section. Here the origin of each name is identified by author, year and
publication source. While the data given would seem to suffice for any
literature search, the references are keyed to specific listings in the
bibliography. This bibliography comprises the third section of the book
where the publications are listed by author in alphabetical order.

This monograph then serves a unique but defined purpose. No descriptions
are given. There are no diagrams, drawings or photographs of shells.

The book would be of no use in identifying seashells. But like stored
data in the computer, information retrieval should be quick and satis-
factory if the proper questions are asked.

cal

Franz Alfred Schilder died on August 11, 1970. It is unfortunate that
aside from mention of the association of the Schilders with the Univer-
sity of Halle in Germany, no biographic data concerning these scientists
are furnished.

A_ SYSTEMATIC REVISION OF THE RECENT CYPRAEID FAMILY OVULIDAE (MOLLUSCA:

GASTROPODA). By Crawford Neill Cate. The Veliger. Volume 15 Supplement.
Jan. 31, 1973. 16 pagesi.

The purpose of this illustrated review is explicitly indicated in the
title. This is the first such attempt in 40 years. In the monograph
94 new species, 7 new subspecies, 19 new genera and 7 new subgenera are
included. In all, 222 species and subspecies are described; an attempt
was made to include all named species.

Every species is photographically documented. In the great majority of
cases, two views of the type specimens are shown, magnified when nec-
essary to show the details. In most cases the holotype itself has been
photographed. In others the paratype (1), neotype (1), hypotype (2) or
lectotype (20) appear. In 14 species the type specimen was not avail-
able and a representative specimen was photographed. In 7 cases the or-
iginal illustrations are reproduced. The photographs are clear and emi-
nently satisfactory. The monograph contains 51 plates (up to 10 species
perplate) in black and white and 5 plates in color.

The data presented for each species include reference to the original
published description, the description of the holotype, the type locality,
measurements of the holotype, actual identification of the type specimen
(where located and catalogue number) and comments. Distribution of the
species, when known, is indicated.

This monograph constitutes a basic reference for anyone interested in
this family. Of particular scientific value are the photographs with
which there can be no disagreement irrespective of the taxonomic ar-
guments that may arise over the names.

In a subsequent publication THE OVULIDAE, A KEY TO THE GENERA AND OTHER
PERTINENT NOTES (The Veliger, 16-307-313, January, 1974), C. N. Cate
suggests ''a few other needed changes of taxonomic sequence". The article
also provides a dichotomous "key" to the genera Ovulidae based upon "suc-
cessive dual alternatives". There are bracketed numerical references to
the plate numbers in the first publication which best illustrate the
morphological character of a particular unit. Separate "keys" are ap-
plied to the tribes and subtribes of the family Ovulidae and to the genera
and subgenera. In addition the history of the genera of the Ovulidae is
also presented.

This publication should be considered as a necessary addendum to Cate's
original review (1973) and the two need to be utilized together for any
taxonomic purpose in shell identification.

With the appearance of publications of this type, it should be inevitable

that there will be a flurry of interest in this family characterized by
Schilder at one time as the “forgotten family".

22

MOLLUSCANA by W. W. Sutow, M.D.

In the last volume of TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST the suggestions for a core li-
brary for the serious non-professional conchologist were examined. Al-
most the entirety of the titles considered were ''books'' in the sense that
they represented definitive unit bound publications.

In constrast, what about the group of publications generally classified

in the category of "periodicals" or "journals"? Most of these periodicals
are published at variable but regular intervals. They usually contain a
number of articles of different subjects. This month a number of such
periodicals will be reviewed. No selective classification of the period-
icals is intended either as to content or quality. However, only those
written in English will be included.

(1) THE VELIGER. A quarterly published by the California Malacozoological
Society. Rudolf Stohler, editor-in-chief.

The journal published highly professional articles (rigidly scientific

and original) pertaining to any problem concerned with mollusks. An-
atomical, cytological, distributional, ecological, histological, morph-
ological, physiological, taxonomic, etc., aspects of marine, freshwater

or terrestial mollusks from any region are covered. At intervals, "Sup-
plements' are published; these are monographic in scope and size. For
example, some recent Supplements include "A Systematic Revision of the
Recent Cypraeid Family Ovulidae" by C. N. Cate and ''The Panamic-Galapagan
Epitoniidae" by H. DuShane.

THE VELIGER was first published in 1958. Currently, Volume 17 is just
starting.

(2) THE NAUTILUS. A quarterly. Editors: R. Tucker Abbott and Charles
B. Wurtz.

This is a journal "devoted to malacology and the interests of concholo-
gists. It has long been a major prestige scientific journal in malacology
in the United States. The articles that appear almost always represent
research reports written by acknowledged professionals.

The journal began publication in 1889. Volume 88 started with the Jan-
uary, 1974 issue.

(3) BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN MALACOLOGICAL UNION. The official publi-
cation of AMU published annually. Editor, Arthur H. Clarke.

Each issue contains a group photograph of the participants at the preceding
annual meeting of AMU. The abstracts (of varying lengths) of the scientific
papers presented at the meeting as well as the official minutes and re-
ports of officers appear in these papers. There is an alphabetical listing
(most recently revised October 27, 1973) of the names and addressed of the
AMU members. The area of interest of many of the members is also in-
dicated. The names and addresses of affiliated shell clubs and regional
organizations are printed in each issue. In the current issue, Margaret
Teskey reviews the history of AMU from 1931 to 1973.

Each issue appears in the spring of the year following the annual meeting.
Volume 39 (May, 1974) covers the thirty-ninth annual meeting held June —
24-28, 1973 at Greenville, Delaware.

235

(4) MALACOLOGICAL REVIEW. Quarterly. Editors: J.E. Burch and C.M.
Patterson.

The journal is published as a "scientific periodical and may contain
review articles on various aspects of malacology, experimental and des-
criptive papers on mollusks, information on current publications, mal-
acological announcements of special interests, etc."’ The table of con-
tents of important malacological journals from all over the world are
reproduced. Thus, a complete file of the MALACOLOGICAL REVIEW will pro-
vide a bibliography of the significant malacological articles appearing
in journals. There is about a 2-year lag time between the date of the
journal listed and the receipt of the MALACOLOGICAL REVIEW by the sub-
scriber.

The periodicals reviewed in such a way include the following: JOURNAL

DE CONCHYLIOLOGIE; ARCHIV FUR MOLLUSKENKUNDE; THE JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY;
THE NAUTILUS; PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON; VENUS;
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL SHELLFISHERIES ASSOCIATION; THE AMERICAN
MALACOLOGICAL UNION ANNUAL REPORTS; BASTERIA; JOURNAL OF THE MALACOLOGICAL
SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA; THE VELIGER; STERKIANA; COMMUNICACIONES DE LA
SOCIEDAD MALACOLOGICA DEL URUGUAY; MALACOLOGIA; LAVORI DELLA SOCIETA
MALACOLOGIA ITALIANA; CONCHIGLIE; MALACOLOGICAL REVIEW; THE ECHO; ARGAMON;
HALIOTIS.

This publication began in 1968. Volume 6 started in April 1973.
(5) MOLLUSCAN DIGEST. Monthly. Editor, Jack W. Brookshire.

This unique periodical provides "current citations" of published articles
on malacology. The citation is identified by number and is listed alpha-
betically by author(s). The bibliographic data include in addition to
the author, the title of the article and the journal, volume, date and
year of publication. The listing is derived from a wide array of jour-
nals of all types, not necessarily those restricted to malacology.

In combination with MALACOLOGICAL REVIEW a current subscription to MOL
LUSCAN DIGEST should arm the collector with references to the most sig-
nificant articles dealing with malacological subjects that appear in
periodicals. As the number of articles increase there is a growing need
for cross-indexing by subject matter. The editor has indicated that such
an index is in preparation but no target date for its appearance has been
indicated.

The publication currently is concluding volume 3.
(6) HAWAIIAN SHELL NEWS. Monthly. Editor, E.R. Cross.

Identified as "an educational publication of the Hawaiian Malacological
Society'' this widely read publication has been extremely popular with the
amateur shell collectors. Each issue is well illustrated. The articles
are written by a variety of people and the subject matter varies from
highly scientific presentations to anecdotal reporting of shelling ac-
tivities of the members. There appears to be the expected emphasis on
material dealing with Indo-Pacific province.

The periodical is now in its 22nd volume. Commercial advertising appears.
(to be continued)

24

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CONCHOLOGIST

VOLUME XI, NO. 2 IAM H. DALL DECEMBER, 1974
SECTIONAL LIGRARY.SOOSOS~S

DIVISION OF MOLLUSKS

SHELL AUCTION REPORT by Merle Kleb, Chairman
Shell Auction Committee

The Houston Conchology Society Shell Auction Committee is happy to announce
that a net profit of $551.18 was made at the auction held at our last
meeting on September 25, 1974. There was a very fine attendance and it
appeared that everyone enjoyed the event. The proceeds from the auction
will be used for the continued publication of the Texas Conchologist as
well as other Houston Conchology Society publications.

Mrs. Clarice Van Erp did a fine job with the oral auction and all the
shells prepared for that part of the auction were sold, as well as the
shells on the silent auction table.

Particular appreciation and thanks is extended to the following:

Mrs. Clarice Van Erp - Auctioneer

Mr. Bob Morrison, of The Morrison Galleries, 5101 Ocean Bivd.,
Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida for his donation of a Murex
acanthropterus, Lamarck,

Mrs. Frank Biasca, Mrs. Ruby Ray, Mr. & Mrs. Frank Petway,

Mrs. Carol Cortade, Mrs. Jerry Clampit, Mrs. Rosemary
Habermacher, Miss Mary Myers, Mrs. Leola Glass, Mr. & Mrs.

Sam Miron, Admiral & Mrs. Cordeza, Mrs. Ruth Goodson, Mr.

Wilson Ward, Dr. Watt Sutow, Dr. Helmer Ode, Mr. Lloyd Miester,
Mr. Frank van Morkhoven, Mrs. Clarice Van Erp, Mr. Charlie Doh,
Mr. & Mrs. P. H. Loughmiller, Mrs. Barbara Hudson, Mrs. Constance
Boone and Mrs. Merle Kleb for shell donations.

Mr. Fritz Lang - who made and donated a beautiful shell case.

All members of the Houston Conchology Society - who really
made the auction a success by your attendance and purchases.

Mr. Jim Hudson and Mr. Frank Petway for acting as cashiers.

I want to add my personal appreciation to Mrs. Constance Boone and Mrs.
Barbara Hudson, Shell Auction Committee Members, and Mrs. Tina Petway
for their assistance in packaging, pricing and_sebeting-the.ghells for
the auction, A special thanks to Mrs. Conge ere Badne for, donating the
shells awarded for door prizes. a y

m
L

hank you very much, one and all.

MAY 31 1989
LIBRARIES

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is.
published quarterly at Houston, Texas.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular and subscribing members of the Society, with the
exception that only one copy is mailed to a family.

RATES AND DUES

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EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
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Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 7/035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Odé W. W. Sutow
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Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,

subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

AMERICAN MALACOLOGISTS - 1975 SUPPLEMENT

A supplement to 'American Malacologists" is in preparation for spring
distribution. Club members who would be included should contact Fritz
Lang or write directly to the address below. The supplement will be
available for $1.00. A special discount is offered on the hard bound
1974 edition of "American Malacologists" to those who write in for a
free application form.

The managing editorship and main office of the National Register of
Amateur and Professional Malacologists have been transferred to Dr. R.
Tucker Abbott, P. 0. Box 4208, Greenville, Delaware, 19807. All cor-
respondence, listings and orders should be sent to the new address.

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA
IN THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO by H. Odé
PART I: CRASSATELLACEA - POROMYACEA

INTRODUCTION

From a look at the map of the coastline of the tropical western Atlantic,
it is apparent that the Gulf of Mexico is placed in a position of great
faunistic interest. Not only is it the most westerly and most secluded
basin of the Caribbean area, it is also the place where the essentially
southeast - northwest trending coastline of South America and Middle
America swings to the northeast and continues along the North American
continent. Its margins offer essentially three types of faunistic areas:
in the South extends the large calcareous self area of the Yucatan plat-
form, its western and northern coasts are formed by sandy beaches, muddy
coastal bays and an extensive shelf area on which the Rio Grande used to,
and the Mississippi still deposits large amounts of silt and clay, and
finally along Alabama and Florida a clean sandy province grades into the
calcareous province of the Keys extending into the Bahamas. In its deep
water portions lives an abyssal faunal. No systematic attempt has yet
been made to compile all malacological information about the Gulf of
Mexico.

It is noteworthy that Abbott and Warmke, in a map on page 319 of their
popular book "Caribbean Seashells", excluded the Texas and Louisiana coast
from the Caribbean faunal area. In doing so, they were undoubtedly in-
fluenced by the widespread, but in my opinion erroneous belief, that the
Texas-Louisiana fauna is Carolinian in composition. In contrast to the
fauna of western Florida, the fauna of the Texas-Louisiana coast is not
well known. A number of species of common beachdrift mollusks is also
found on the beaches of the Carolinas, a fact which at an early date
suggested (Romer 1848) the idea of Carolinian relationship. A more sys-
tematic investigation of the fauna however, discloses numerous species
endemic to the Texas-Louisiana coast. While the fauna of Florida has
been studied intensively and that of Yucatan (See Refs. 178, 215) has,
on the basis of meager evidence, been inferred to be similar to faunas
of adjacent areas (Caymans, Jamaica) which are known to a fair degree -
but not well -, the fauna of the Texas-Louisiana coast remained practi-
cally unknown to this day. It is this particular fauna, remarkable
because it is totally enclosed by areas of calcareous environment, that
will be reported here.

Faunal lists are some of the most difficult of all reports on taxonomic
matters to prepare and it requires some optimism on the part of the
author to try. Particular attention has to be paid to the composition
of adjacent faunas and taxonomic matters cannot be lightly glossed over.
It is often not so much of importance to attach some label or other to
a species, the essential difficulty and often neglected aspect of the

work is to show what every species discussed is not equal to. The prob-
lem which faces the author of such a list is in @ Sense comparable to

providing a uniqueness proof in mathematics, proofs which are in general
more difficult than those which deal with a specific and direct propo-
sition.

Many years of intensive collecting along the Texas-Louisiana coast have
provided both the materiai for the collection and experience to report
it. This report pretends to be more than an up-to-date version of the
tabulation which has appeared in coauthorship with A. Speers continuously
since 1964 in volumes 1-9 of the "Texas Conchologist" under the heading
"Notes on Texas Beach Shells", In that series of notes the bay and

beach fauna obtainable by simple beach collecting was enumerated but no
attention was given to the offshore fauna. In addition to beach col-
lecting a large amount of offshore material (* 22,000 lots) was assembled
for the Houston Museum of Natural Science (abbreviated H.M.N.S. in the
following) obtained by dredging, diving and conventional collecting
methods. A note about the historical background of this collection has
appeared in the "Texas Conchologist" (Vol. 5, p. 63-68), in which also
several diving expeditions and collecting trips (Tex. Conchol. Vol. 4,

p- 46-48, Vol. 6, p. 8, 15-16; 29-31) were reported.

A preliminary list of the results, reflecting the status of the collection
in 1971 has been published (Tex. Conchol., Vol. 9, p. 46-48; 60-70;
73-83). Since that time much new material came to light and it is now
time to report the results of all investigations in a proper manner. This

report intends to discuss systematically and in regular installments,

groups of related mollusks from the H.M.N.S. collection, collected along
the Texas-Louisiana coast.

In the introductory article for the "Beach Notes" (Tex. Conch. Vol. 1
(1), 1964) the estimate was made that the Texas bays and beaches would
eventually yield over 400 species of moliusks. In the completed series
of "Beach Notes", this number has already exceeded 500 and about double
that number is known from offshore waters, so that the total number of
mollusks known from the N.W. Gulf of Mexico is more than double that
reported by T. E. Pulley in 1950.

Although in the last 25 years our knowledge of the mollusk fauna has
increased substantially, it is apparent that much intensive work re-
mains to be done. Taxonomic difficulties are many, new species must be
described and relationships with other faunas clarified. Of many of the
smaller bivalves and gastropods, nothing is known except the fact that
they live along the Texas-Louisiana coast. Their mode of life, habits,
breeding, etc., remain a fasinating subject for study and observation.
Notes and short articles in the ten volumes of the "Texas Conchologist"
will for a few species, furnish some information on this subject.

The Texas beachcomber handles shells which derive from a limited range
of ecological conditions. Relatively few species live in the upper
portions of the coastal bays, many more live in the high salinity bays
seldom flushed by large amounts of fresh water, but most species live
close to the inlets or "passes" as they are called in Texas. Not too
many species are inhabitants of the sandy beaches and the narrow surf
zone in front of them. The majority of collectors items comes from
the offshore shelf and reach the beach only rarely. Some have been
transported by shrimpers or are adventitious by other means. Dredging
of deep channels has in some instances uncovered Pleistocene fossils
accounting for a number of species on our beaches which so far have
never been found alive in the immediate vicinity of the shore. Jetties
and pilings harbor a community of species which to a large extend is
artificial for Texas. Pelagies are common in beachdrift but few in
species.

The major part of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico fauna lives in water too deep
for the waves to transport the shells to the beach. It is these species
which are incompletely known and although this report will add a large
number of species to the published record, it undoubtedly will remain
fragmentary. A particular source of confusion in the interpretation of
the results is the change in sea level since the Pleistocene. Many bay
species, living exclusively in water shallower than 3 fathoms are
regularly dredged dead in offshore waters below 10 fathoms and as deep
as 40 fathoms. These should be considered fossils. Large accumulations

of fossil shell material are found at certain locations (Heald Bank,
Sabine Bank), locations which now sustain a somewhat specialized fauna,
different from that on the surrounding muddy or sandy bottoms. At
present, schemes to classify molluscan assemblages in offshore waters
in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico are almost exclusively based on water depth
(Parker, A.A.P.G. Bull. 40, p. 295-376, 1956; 43, p. 2100-2166). It

is probable that the type of substrate rather than water depth is the
controlling factor.

The reader not familiar with the Texas littoral fauna may wish to con-
sult some previously published information. The works of Parker (cited
above) and a few shorter notes by myself in the "Texas Conchologist"

in which a somewhat different interpretation is given, are suitable for
this purpose. A brief sketch of the history of various molluscan in-
vestigations along the Texas-Louisiana coast can be found in the "Texas
Conchologist!,, Vol. 3 (4)5 Vol. 4, .p. 13-145, 31-325 Vol. 5, p. 29-32;
41-42.

Now that slowly, a picture of the composition of the in-and-offshore
fauna in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico begins to emerge, several important
questions can be raised in connection with the composition of this fauna
and its relation to faumas in adjacent parts of the Gulf of Mexico and
Caribbean region. A comparison with adjacent faunas is not significant
because these will be different for purely ecological reasons. A more
significant comparison should be made, however, with areas of similar
environments such as the coastline of the Carolinas, the bay sketches of
the coastline of Middle America, Costa Rice-Panama and the coastline of
South America, the Guyana shelf. I have made some attempt to do this
and came to the conclusion that the Mexico-Texas-Louisiana coast con-
stitutes a faunal province in its own rights. The reason that it took
so long to come to this conclusion is twofold.

Prior to 1950, practically no systematic collecting has been undertaken
in the Texas-Louisiana area and most of the information about it was
derived from specimens collected by Mitchell and sent by him to Dail.
Mitchell was not yet aware of the richness of the Texas coastal fauna
so that his list is quite fragmentary, but as far as his data go, they
are quite reliable and carefully assembled, in contrast to many data
compiled later which show many erroneous identifications. The listings
of Mitchell show of course, a preponderance of easily collected shallow
water species, most of which have been collected in the Carolinas, al-
though already a number of endemic species were discovered (Macoma
Mitchelli). About this time the technology of deep sea dredging was
perfected and the interest of the biologists became focussed on deep
sea basins so that the shallow shelf area off Texas remained neglected.
A second factor contributing to the persistence of the idea that the
Texas fauna is Carolinian is the nature of the sediment on the shelf,
which stiil today is the greatest obstacle to a reliable assessment of
the moilusk fauna. Over large areas of the shelf, clays are deposited
which compact readily into a tough and coherent mass. Dredges drawn
over bottoms have a tendency to slip and jump or, if they bite, fill

up quickly with mud so that the "fetch" of the dredge is drasticaily
shortened. The result is that those species which prefer loose sandy
bottoms as habitat are preferentially collected whereas species living
in dense clay bottoms seidom come up alive. As example, we may cite
two quite widespread components of the offshore Texas fauna: Laevicardium
fiski Richards and Pitar (Agriopoma) texasiana Dall, for both of which
until recently hardly any live specimens were known, although both are
common as dead shells. Both of these species live in clay bottoms.

Another example is Panopea bitruncata, a large clam living deep in clay
bottoms. Until several years ago when a trawl accidentally bit too deep
in a clay mound and brought up a live specimen (Ref. 198) it was sur-
mised that the species was extinct. The erection of oil platforms by
the oil industry in deep offshore waters disturbs the bottom deeply
enough so that hundreds of valves are washed out. The offshore Texas-
Louisiana fauna is rich in species, either rare in adjacent areas or
unknown elsewhere: of all species covered in Part I about 1 in 6 proves
to be endemic to the area, For this reason, I believe that one justi-
fiably can speak about a Texas faunal province. In the small section of
mollusks treated in Park I of this report, the following are abundant in
the Texas provinces but according to the literature, rare elsewhere:
Pitar cordata, Vesicomya pilula, Spheniopsis sp., Jouannetia, Rangianella,
Microcardium, etc. Whether their scarcity elsewhere is caused by poor
collecting techniques or not remains to be proved. It must be noted
that the so-called Carolinian faunal elements (f.i. Dosinia discus,
Dinocardium robustum) are all easily collected sandy beach and inlet
species. Recently van Regteren Altena has published comprehensive data
on the fauna of the Guyanan shelf (Zool. Meded. No. 119, Leiden 1971).
Along the coast of Surinan, one finds similarly as along the Texas coast
a broad shallow shelf area where rivers deposit clastic material. It is
not surprising that a number cf faunal elements known from Texas are
also in Alten's list but I would hesitate to call our fauna Surinamian.

A second element in the Texas fauna is the fauna on a number of rocky
outcrops (Stetson Bank) and coral reefs fringing the outer shelf where
the fauna is Caribbean. Under favorable circumstances there areas may
serve as a source of veligers, which sustain population of Caribbean
species closer to shore. In this manner one is able to explain that
several of these species can be collected from beachdrift or the jetties
over a period of several years after which they disappear only to emerge
again some years later (Sphenia antillensis, Cantharus tinctus).

Of even greater interest is the remarkable correspondence between certain
groups of bivalves in the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Pacific. It is
a puzzle to me that such an interesting fact has not been studied in
greater detail than the few passing references in some of the literature
I have seen. But this is perhaps to be explained by pointing out that
only recentiy a reliable and up-to-date review of the Panamanic fauna

has appeared (Keen: Sea Shells of Tropical West America) and that, al-
though a similar compendium for the Caribbean fauna still has to be
written this fauna in many respects is known from available but very
scattered works. In the Texas fauna too many South American species
(t.i. Strigilla gabbi, Macoma tageliformis) and too many Panamanic
species (Uperotus and some small Pitars) occur to classify it as Caro-
linian. Rather it has a character ail of its own because it is located
where South American elements are gradually replaced by cooler fringe
fauna of the northern Caribbean (i.e. Carolinian). Only when this report
has been completed will it be possible to write a more definitive dis-
cussion of the Texas-Louisiana marine mollusk fauna.

Apart from the problems in connection with faunal relationships, some
other problems can be formulated on the basis of our results. If one
looks at several groups of related bivalves it is seen that the
Cardiidae, Mactridae and Tellinidae have produced many endemic forms
whereas some other families: Semelidae, Solecurtidae and Pholadidae
(Myoidea in general) are much less rich in those. In the Veneridae

the number of endemics is large only in certain groups: Chioninae and
Pitarinae, and in the Donacidae, the genus Donax has produced local forms
all over the western Atlantic.

A quite surprising result to me so far is, the serious difficulty in
identification I experienced with many socalled common and "well known"
species as Crassinella lunulata, Dinocardium robustum, Mulinia lateralis,
Gastrochaena hians, etc. It became painfully obvious that in the pro-
fessional literature hardly any data are given on the earliest stages of
shell morphology of bivalves. Much of the material in the H.M.N.S. col-
lection is immature and hence was quite difficult to identify. Right
from the beginning, a conscious effort was made to pick all samples in
their entirety under the microscope discarding nothing. I believe that
this policy has paid off so that the H.M.N.S. collection possesses
possibly more juvenile forms than most other regional collections. The
pertinent data are discussed in the main section of this report.

In this section, all marine species known to us and present in the
H.M.N.S. collection are listed and discussed. A large number of dredge
samples from various coastal bays was obtained from the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Service whose kindness in providing these samples is hereby
gratefully acknowledged. A few species have been added to our list from
the literature but only if the source is considered reliable and proper-
ly documented in print. :

There is considerable change in format from the "Notes", No effort was
made to give descriptions of well known species - there are enough
sources for that and it would have been unnecessarily repetitive - nor

to provide keys for identification purposes, but the emphasis is placed
entirely on reporting reliable depth and distribution data and to point
out uncertainties and taxonomic difficulties. The latter cannot be
treated in any detail here and I have restricted myself to point out some
of the difficulties that exist with regard to many species. Until ex-
pert work based on world wide collections and especially a study of the
type specimens is made, a definitive opinion has to be postponed. In
some instances I have expressed my own views concerning certain taxonomic
problems by elevating certain subgenera to fuil genera, or vice versa

and given reasons for doing so. In more than one instance where ex-
tensive Museum work in comparing types would be necessary (f.i. family
Corbulidae) I have rather arbitrarily chosen a name, but stated this in
the text. The amount of categorical detail has been considerably in-
creased by inclusion of subfamilies and subgenera so that a better com-~
parison can be made with related faunas of the eastern Pacific, South
America and West Africa.

Complete information about synonymy of species cannot be given in a re-
port as this. Some information however is provided in order to avoid
confusion. In the arrangement of species, I have sometimes deviated
from the conventional one (f.i. Abbott: American Sea Shelis) and have
preferred to follow a different one (Treat. Invert. Paleont, Vol. WN),
fully realizing that not everybody will agree with that arrangement. For
many species, it is not necessary to give figures; they are often well
known and are usually well figured in the literature. A number of
figures will be published, mainly of the lesser known species or those
which are usually confused with others or juveniles. Some attention is
given to previous reports for all species. Here some effort was made

to be reasonably complete. Species reported in the literature but which
were not collected by us, have been listed with a few comments under

the heading "Remarks", Because unfortunately erroneous identifications
abound all cited records are open to doubt, Because it is of interest
to correct these as far as is possible, we have in many instances given
our opinion about the proper designation.

In the course of this study 2 number of apparently undescribed specie
has been discovered, many of them fairly common throughout the area.

For the sake of completeness it is advisable to include them in a proper-
ly described and documented manner.

As can be expected, this somewhat detailed discussion of about 1500 spe-
cies will be a lengthy one and can be expected to be a continued effort
over many years. Completed so far is a section of bivalves - Crassatellacea
to Poromyacea - which will appear as Part I of the report.

A list of publications pertaining to the Texas marine mollusk fauna has
already been published (Texas Conchologist, Vol. 11, p. 7-18). It con-
tains well over 250 references, numbered more or less in chronological
order. This was preferred to aiphabetical ordering of author's names to
facilitate the use of numbers for the purpose of conserving space and
chronological order in the heading "Previous records", in the main body
of the report. Besides few publications pertaining to the Atlantic coast
of Mexico, the reader may find among these titles most of the important
studies on the Texas mollusk fauna.

These papers reflect the lack of interest by malacologists in this fauna :
during the first half of this century. Only during the Fifties the num-
ber of papers in various publications began to increase substantially so
that during the last 15 years a steady flow of new information has be-

come available.

Special acknowledgement must be made to those studies which were exten-
sively used and quoted in the present report. These are: all issues of
the publication "Johnsonia" and Keen's book, The Sea Shells of Tropical
West America, without which I could not have written this study. Also
the "Treatise of Invert. Paleontology" proved to be invaluable and
Altena's work on the fauna of Surinam was quite helpful. Many authors
contributed their share in papers concerning more specialistic detail.
Many of them have been acknowledged under the heading "Sources".

In conclusion, I want to express my sincere thanks to all persons who
contributed information and material or helped us in other ways to com-
pile this list. One person in particular deserves mention here. The
H.M.N.S. collection would never have been assembled were it not for the
efforts of Mr. Harold Geis, now of Paige, Texas, who took the initiative
to bring it together, coordinated the efforts of the various agencies
and organized collecting and diving expeditions. After becoming an ac-
complished diver, he spent many hours washing and sieving the samples,
and hundreds of hours picking them and to top it off, prepared a series
of color slides of many of the collected shells. During ali his work,
he not only extended the hospitality of his home to the dedicated group
of twice-a-week workers cataloguing the 22,000 lots of the H.M.N.S. col-
lection, but demonstrated his abilities as cook by feeding them gourmet
meals and particularly delicious cheese stick of his own receipe as
"in-between" snacks. Without his dedication, foresight and encourage-
ment this report never would have been written.

The help and advise of Dr. H. Rehder who assisted greatly in making
available type material from the Natural Museum for comparative pur-
poses is thankfully acknowledged. To Mrs. Constance Boone, who over
many years has collected new and unusual species alive in their natural
habitat along the Texas coast and who has thus contributed much to the
knowledge of the Texas marine mollusk fauna the list owes many new and
interesting pieces of information. Special thanks are due to Mrs. Ruby
Ray who has undertaken to type the manuscript. Im ending, I express
the hope that this report may assist those who are interested in shells
either professionally or as a hobby and afford the user as much pleasure
as the author has in compiling it.

A MICROMOLLUSK FROM THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO by H. Ode

From a sample taken at a depth of 450 fathoms at the coordinate loca-

tion 27 38 - 94 07 W in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico an extremely

small taxodont bivalve was obtained, which under conventional magnifica-
tion looked unlike anything known to me. Details of the hinge remained
fairly unclear and were difficult to make out precisely. This is no

wonder because the maximum diameter of this small bivalve is about one

half millimeter (0.02 inch). In order to study this bivalve in more detail
Mr. F. van Morkhoven prepared a series of photographs ranging in magnifi-
cation from 100 times to 6000 times by means of the electron microscope

at the Shell Research Laboratories in Houston, Texas.

There can be hardly any doubt that the specimen shown is full grown and
thus must be one of the smallest bivalves known to science. So far, I
have made no effort to find out whether this small species has des-
eribed or not; in all probability it is new, but I shall make here no
effort to describe it and will merely present our readers with a series
of interesting pictures of the species, which, so far as I can judge,
belongs in the Family Nuculanidae.

The original specimen, now goldplated in order to obtain the pictures

by means of the electron microscope, has been deposited in the collection
of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The species has also been
found in the Florida Straights at a depth of 558 fathoms (collection

V. Morkhoven). :

Figure 1 shows at a magnification of 100 times the entire valve, looking
down into the shell cavity. The maximum (horizontal) dimension is .5mm.
Characteristic of the species are the triangular shape and the snoutlike
umbo, which protrudes forward above the hingeline. The hinge is clearly
taxodent and consists of two sequences of teeth separated in the middle
by an irregular wavy area. This is shown in Figure 2 at a magnification
of 600 times. Quite remarkable is the somewhat hooked shape structure on
the umbo, a structure which is visible in ali pictures taken. Its function
is unknown to me. The small circular region with a white halo around it
is merely a small pinhole in the shell. Another view of the umbo with
its hook like structure is presented, at a magnification of 600 times,

in Figure 3. To obtain it the shell was tilted at an angle of 60 degrees.
Figure 4 shows the same view at a lesser magnification (300 times), but
gives details of the marginal greoves surrounding the entire valve.

Figure 5 taken at a magnification of 6000 times and tilted at 60 degrees
shows the outer two teeth of the sequence to the left of the viewer of
Figure 1. Finally, Figure 6 shows at 4000 times magnification a close-
up of the wavy area between the two rows of teeth in the hinge. No
impressions of the muscles can be seen in any of these photographs.

2

WOE:

iy

PAOLINS AND MERCENENE by W. W. Sutow, M.D.

According to cold statistical estimates by the American Cancer Society,
655,000 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in America in 1974 (1). About
355,000 persons will die of cancer this year - '975 persons a day, one
every one and one half minutes". It is obvious, then, that a significant
portion of medical research activity will be concentrated in the search
for drugs that will cure, control or alleviate cancer.

The impetus for this type of research is provided by the periodic dis-
covery of effective agents from various sources, such as the isolation

of the alkaloid vincristine from the periwinkle plant and the progress
that resulted from the availability of such agents (2). For example, the
use of vincristine with other treatments now provides a better than 95%
chance for survival to children with Wilms" Tumor, a cancer that involves
the kidneys (3). (Parenthetically, it should be noted here that Cernohor-
sky in his fine books on marine shells of the Pacific erroneously attri-
butes, in both editions, the source of vincristine to the molluscan peri-
winkle instead of the periwinkle plant).

The magnitude of the search, world-wide, is indicated by a report des-
cribing tests of the anticancer effects of extracts of plants indigenous
to Taiwan and its nearby islets. Special interest was focused on plants
mentioned as possessing some anticancer properties in the ancient Chinese
Materia Medica (Pen-Tzao-Kang-Mu, 1973). These plants were collected

from 30-40 meters under sea water to 3000 meters above sea level. The
report concerns the first 500 species that failed to show sufficient anti-
tumor activity in experimental tumor systems to warrant further investi-
gation (4). :

The sea appears to be another vast reservoir where probes for effective
anticancer drugs have been directed. Several recent reviews summarize
the results of these studies (5, 6, 7). Of particular interest to con-
chologists might: be the potentials of mollusks as sources for anticancer
drugs.

While provocative activity has been seen with some agents developed from
the sea, only cytosine arabinoside has been clinically useful up to this
time. Cytosine arabinoside resulted from studies of antitumor substances
in the sponge (see Texas Conchologist, 8:5, 1971). Schmeer first demon-
strated that extracts of Mercenaria mercenaria has growth inhibiting
properties (10). Li and his colleagues, earlier, found that extracts
from such molluscan sources as Ostra virginica, (Mercenaria) mercenaria
and Haliotis rufescens showed marked inhibitive effects (antimicrobial
effect) against experimental infections with Staphylococcus aureus, one
of the widespread ''pus germs" (8). In addition, a moderate protective
action against experimental poliomyelitis was noted (9). The anti-
bacterial and antiviral substances were called "paolins" a Chinese deri-
vation meaning "abalone juice". Later, Li and colleagues expanded their
research to investigate the effect of paolins on experimental cancer.
The antitumor activity of paolins was demonstrated (5). Schmeer applied
the name of 'mercenene’’ to the antitumor substance extracted from the
well-known clam,

What might be the nature of these antitumor substances? Li and co-
workers have delved into this problem. They have some evidence that the
antineoplastic activity is concentrated in the clam liver. The extract
of clam minus the liver had no effect on the growth of experimental tumor.

The extract of the whole clam had only moderate activity. The liver ex-

tract showed the greatest activity. Although considerable data regarding
the physical and biological nature of the antitumor substances have been

accumulated, the exact mechanism by which the substances act remains un-

known.

While the findings briefly reviewed here are scientifically quite important,
neither the paolins nor mercenene have been developed to the stage of
clinicai usefulness in the cancer patient. It is hoped, however, that the
studies of anticancer agents from the sea in general, and possibly from
mollusks in particular may provide leads to the isolation or synthesis of
more active compounds. To some degree, paolins and mercenene have shown
many of the properties considered to be the prerequisites of a truly
effective anticancer agent. It may be of some interest to see that other
mollusks such as Busycon canaliculatum, Helix sp., Loligo sp., Strombus

gigas, Mya arenaria and Spisula solidissima also contain some of these
substances with antitumor properties.

It has been reported that those whose diets contained a substantial helping
of the conch (Strombus gigas) prepared in various ways were protected from
a poliomyelitis epidemic. The possibility of a high abalone diet being
protective against cancer seems fanciful, however attractive that may seem.
Incidentally the lobster has been found wanting as a potential source of
antigrowth material.

References
1g8 American Cancer Society: ‘74 Cancer Facts and Figures. 32 pages, 1974.

Des Frei, E., ILL, Sutow, W.W. and Luce, J.K.:; Plant Products and the
Treatment of Cancer in Man. Lloydia 30:324, 1967.

3 Sutow, W.W.: Chemotherapy in Wilms" Tumor. An Appraisal. Cancer
a2 AAS OLN 1973 %<

4. King, M.L., Wang, C.F., Hsu, H.M., Wang, S.J., Hartwell, J.L., and
Abbott, B.J.: Screening Study on Taiwan Plants for Antitumor Activi-

ties. Cancer Chemotherapy Reports (Part 2) 4:1, 1974.

ie Li, C.P., Goldin, A. and Hartwell, J.L.: Antineoplastic Substances

from the Sea: a Review. Cancer Chemotherapy Reports (Part 2)
OV GAS

6. Marderosian, A.D.: Marine Pharmaceuticals. J. Pharmaceutical
Sciences 58:1, 1969.

Tks Youngken, H.W., Jr.: The Biological Potential of the Oceans to Pro-
vide Biomedical Materials. Lloydia 32:407, 1969.

8. Li, C.P.: Antimicrobial Acivity of Certain Marine Fauna. Proc. Soc.
Expl. Biol. & Med. 104:366, 1960.

OF Li, C.P.: Antimicrobial Effect of Abalone Juice. Proc. Soc. Exp.
Biol. & Med. 103:522, 1960

10. Schmeer, M.R.: Growth-inhibiting agents from Mercenaria Extracts:
Chemical and Biological Properties. Science 144:413, 1964.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

My trips to South Padre Island, Texas, are so infrequent that I cannot
claim that area to be a familiar "hunting ground" for shells, yet each
time I go I learn a little more about it and find something new for me.
In October I made two visits there. Tides were fairly low for the one
week but high for the second time. Nevertheless, I came home with finds
from each journey.

From the rocks under the pilot station at the Coast Guard Station, I col-
lected a six millimeter "yellowish-orange" animal that I did not know was
a Lamellaria until I got home and put it under a microscope. Fortunately
I had kept it in a gallon of water along with two Nudibranchs I had
collected during the week.

The Lamellaria looks like a Nudibranch but differs anatomically. The
specimen I collected had a creamy yellow background to the translucent
umbrella-like mantle spread over and engulfing the transparent shell.
The animal inside the Sinum-like (ear-shaped) shell was rosy pink and
showed through the mantle, making the dorsum look orangish in the center.
The outline of the shell could be determined from the bulge on the dor-
sum. I observed a pattern of opaque rings of whitish spots around nucleus
of orangish spots on the dorsum. Underneath there was a cream foot pro-
truding from the shell and two dark tentaciles which were withdrawn into
the animal by the time I got to see it under the scope. I did not get
to see much movement in my animal as it was beginning to die.

The shell itself measured three millimeters. I have not taken the
animal out and have preserved the whole mollusk, so I have not examined
the shell completely. It seems to be very flat, transparent whitish
and very thin. In references (American Opisthobranch Mollusks by Marcus
and Marcus, 1967, page 11-12; Sea Shells of Tropical West America by
Keen, 1971, pages 483-484, and The Invertebrates: Volume VI Mollusca I
by Hyman) it seems probable to me that the species I collected could be
the worldwide Lamellaria perspicua (Linnaeus, 1758) or a form of this
species. The illustrations in Marcus and Keen are very close to what
my tiny specimen looked like. Keen says the male has a pinkish hue.

This species has been found in Florida, in South America, Eastern Atlantic
and Mediterranean, Indo-West Pacific Ocean and Eastern Pacific. Perhaps
this, at least, may be extension of range.

This prosobranch is of the Order MESOGASTROPODA, Superfamily LAMELLARTIACEA,
Family LAMELLARIIDEA.

Other mollusks I might mention finding include Nerita fulgurans, in
greater number than I have ever found them on the jetty rocks; an orange
wee Dorid I have not seen before; three Littorina meleagris, low on the
jetty rocks; Hastula salleana in the surf zone, and a number of
Ischnochiton papillosus on old oyster shells and slabs of concrete in
the channel and bay areas. Also I collected one fine, ruffled, reddish
Pseudochama radians live on a flat building slab near the pilot station.

One day we went over to Washington Beach on the Mexican side of the Rio
Grande River. There was not too much on the beach, but we were able to
collect a large series of Hastula in the surf zone. In so doing, ob-
servations were made that may prove of interest.

Hastula saileana (Deshayes, 1859) has been recognized as the Gulf of
Mexico version of the gray auger, Hastula cinerea Born, found on the

Eastern Atlantic coast, especially common from Cape Hatteras to Florida.
We also have another species, a gray-white (or albino) and brown form
named Hastula maryleeae R.D. Burch, 1965, with Surfside, Texas, as type
lecality.

Dr. J.P.E. Morrison reviewed the differences of these three Hastulas in
the Texas Conchologist of May, 1968, and photos exhibit differences in
punctations and radulas. My observations from the Washington Beach ma-
terial mostly concern the coloration of the animals we saw in the three
forms (not species) we collected. From what I understand, we collected
Hastula salleana and both albino and brown forms of Hastula maryleeae.
However, the three animals had different colors. Standing in the surf,
snatching the mollusks from the sand as they were uncovered by the waves,
I began to notice that the animals looked different. The few albino
Hastulas were creamy white and the operculums seemed light orange. The
many, many Hastula salleana were all gray with hardly visible operculums.
The albinos (Hastula maryleeae) differed from the wine-brown Hastula
maryleeae (three specimens) in animal coloration. The latter three
specimens collected by Lucille Taylor of San Antonio and by me all seemed
to have very white animals with dark orange operculums.

Qn returning home, I checked out the original description of Hastula
maryleeae in The Veliger, Vol. 7, #4, page 242. The species were des-
cribed by Burch as dark brown with obscure white band at the periphery
of the body whorl. The sculpture was said to consist of low thin axial
ribs on the posterior one-third of each whorl; the anterior portion
unsculptured. The body whorl had a series of low, thin, weak semi-
nodules at the periphery, not connecting with the crenules on the pos-
terior portion and not extending to the base of the shell; the proto-
conch of two glassy whorls. Of the specimens examined by Burch, 40%
had the peripheral crenules on the body whorl entirely obsolete and
replaced with a continuous swelling that forms a wide convex belt and
gives the outline of whoris a concave appearance. Burch said that this
species often produces colorless or albino varieties.

The holotype described from the dark brown form is like wine-brown
specimens collected by Mrs. Taylor and me. The white specimens resembled
Burch's hypotype which was solid opaque white Hastula which he said pos-
sessed a row of small crenules, occasionally coalescing into a broad

belt at the periphery of the body whorl. My white specimens had trans-
parent and clear nuclear whorls, were very slender and had the effect

of the ribbing flowing up and down and shell and with sutures very

weak. The brown shelis [ have are fatter and with distinct ridges or
nodules in the peripheral zone. The nuclear whorls are light brown

and glassy.

The gray-animal, H. salleana, had more nuclear whorls and these were
dark amber. The operculum was a pale yellow color but looked gray be-
cause the animal showed through. The thin edge of the mantle was white
and the feathered rolled tip of the siphon is white also.

These observations of shells differences do not mean new discoveries;
populations of mollusks vary in both great and subtle ways from dif-

ferent areas and even from one area. However, animal colorations are
frequently not mentioned. It may be worthy of note to others.

Most of the specimens from Washington Beach (and those from Padre) were
small, up to 20 millimeters. We collect much larger specimens of H.
salleana in the Galveston area, and they seem more like H. cinerea. The
Galveston specimens reach 40 mn.

I returned to South Padre with Dr. T.E. Pulley's continuing education
class on "Biology of the Sea" and found tides high and bays muddy.
However, a goodly number of animals were found. This second trip was

a good example of determination to collect. Seines were used to re-
trieve fish and other animals such as Bursatella leachi plei (Rang, 1828),
the ragged sea hare that is not too common. We sloshed out to the
grasses on the mud flat near the mangroves on the old causeway. There

we seined for sea horses and pipe fish and gathered shovelfuls of mud

and grass to sieve. It was thus we recovered a few live Phacoides

pectinatus, not seen alive too often; Neritina virginae, Tellina
texana, Bulla, etc.

Lamellaria sp. drawn from live specimen collected at South Padre Island,
Texas, October 14, 1974, by Constance Boone. Mantle spread 6 mm., shell
3 mm. Compared to worldwide Lamellaria perspicua (Linnaeus, 1758).
Drawing by C. Boone.

MANTLE ;
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VENTRAL VIEW

MOLLUSCANA by W. W. Sutow, M.D.

This issue continues the comments on periodicals that relate to mol-
lusks. (The numerical order in which the publications are discussed
has absolutely no significance). Many of these publications are avail-
able in our own Houston Conchological Society library. Some might be
examined in the librarv of the Houston Museum of Natural Science or in
the libraries of Rice University or the University of Houston. It has
been suggested before that it would be useful if at some future date
the accessibility of these books and periodicals might be ascertained
and listed for our Society members.

(7) OCCASTONAL PAPERS ON MOLLUSKS. Occasionally. Published by the
Department of Moliusks, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Univer-
sity. William J. Clench, editor.

In the preface to Volume I, Dr. Clench indicated that the periodical
will publish studies which are limited entirely to moliusks. "Each
number is an entity and may deal with any phase of malacology whether
bio-bibliographic or monographic or it may consist of catalogues of
families or genera. A convenient number of pages will be grouped to
form volumes, the numbers to run consecutively."

Volume I (Nos. 1 to 18) was printed from February 27, 1945 to August
14, 1954. Volume II (Nos. 19 to 34) was published from August 13, 1955
te November 8, 1965. The current Volume III started February 8, 1967
(No. 35); the last number (47) was issued November 29, 1973.

In general, the subject matters that have appeared can be categorized

as follows: Biographical Sketches, Catalogue of Families and Genera,

Monographic Studies, Faunistic Studies and Book Reviews. The Bio-bib-
liographic Sketches "are part of a long range plan to build up a his-

toric background in our field of mollusks". The material is prepared

by top professionals.

(8) MALACALOGTA, Quarterly. Published by the Institute of Malacology,
Museum of Zoology at The University of Michigan. Editor-in-chief:
J. B. Burch.

The first issue published October, 1962 put the journal on an inter-
national base and dedicated its pages to the publication of long articles
or monographs devoted primarily or exclusively to the study of mollusks.
The first article to appear in this journal was "An Outline of Gastro-
pod Classification" by D. W. Taylor and N. F. Sohl.

The current issue is No. 1-2, Volume 13, 1973.
(9) STERKIANA, Semiannual. Editor: Aurela La Rocque.

The journal was named after Dr. Victor Sterki (1846-1933) who lived

ind worked in the midwest. He maintained a lifelong interest in non-
arine mollusca. Consequently, the periodical originally limited it-

self to articles concerned with non-marine living and fossil mollusca

of both Americas. Since 1973, however, the editorial policy was changed.

Now articles on marine molliusca wild be considered for publication. In

particular, there has been an emphatic call for ecological data.

This publication was begun in 1959. The latest issue, No. 54, is dated
1974.

(10) THE ZOOLOGICAL RECORD. Annual. Published by The Zoological
Society of London. Section 9, Mollusca, is published as a separate
volume.

This mammoth undertaking lists "current" references on the broad sub-
ject of Mollusca. The material is cross-indexed under a number of
categories including Author Index, Subject Index, Geographical Distri-
bution, Palaeontological Distribution and Systematic Index. Except for
the publication lag of some four years these pages should provide the
key references (world-wide) for any bibliographic search concerning
molluscan subjects.

The current Volume 107 published in 1974 includes publications for 1970.

(11) BIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS. Semi-monthly. Published by Bio-Science
Information Service, with the cooperation of individual biologists, bio-
logical industries and biological journals.

One section of each issue of the Biological Abstracts is headed Inver-
tebrate, Comparative and Experimental Morphology, Physiology and Path-
ology. Under this heading one subsection deals with the Phylum Mollusca.
The abstracts of references relating to mollusks appear here. These
items are concise, running from 10 to 30 lines of fine print, and are
professionally prepared. Each issue contains from 24 to 40 of these
abstracts.

The journal sources are international in scope. The subject matter of
the selected material appears to relate, for the most part, to basic
research, References are current, having appeared one year or so
earlier, Almost no private library will have a need for periodicals
of this size. Nearly all wniversity libraries and many departmental
libraries will provide easy access to this publication.

(12) OF SEA AND SHORE. Quarterly. Editor: Tom Rice.

For five years now, the affable Tom Rice of Poulsbo, Washington, has
put together almost singlehandedly the contents of this most readabie
quarterly which is slanted deliberately toward the shell-collecting
hobbyist. Most of the articles are written in popular and entertaining
styles by a variety of contributors.

The publication offers a varied menu and lots of illustrations, many
in color. For many readers, this is frequently a welcomed change from
the weighty and too often stereotyped discourse on basic science sub-
jects.

(13) LA CONCHIGLIA (THE SHELL). Monthly. International Edition in
English. Editor: Kety Nicolay (Italy).

This large, profusely and beautifully illustrated publication supplies
the continental point of view to conchology. For example, in late
issues, F. Nordsieck discussed in depth the genus Thericium in the
European seas. E. Romagna-Manoja writes part one of Superfamilia Strom-
bacea, Material dealing with Mediterranean mollusks has been published.

Publication began in 1969. The International Edition begins with Issue
No. 15 (Volume II, May 1970). The issues prior to that were printed in
Italian. The back issues, however, contain a mimeographed insert with

English translations. This periodical must not be confused with another

italian journal, Conchiglie, or the publication, Journal de Conchylio-
logie.

JOHN Q. BURCH, CONCHOLOGIST by W. W. Sutow, M.D. —

John Quincy Burch died on August 6, 1974. Thus another giant in the field
of conchology passes on.

}
:
The biographical data on John Q. Burch are conveniently summarized in the
recently published American Malacologists (page 220). In his own words,
John was an "editor ... book and shell dealer (retired) and an amateur
malacologist". He was born on June 20, 1894. He spent a good portion

of his early years around El Paso, Texas, and attended the University of
Texas in Austin. From 1944 to 1966 he was a book and specimen shell

dealer for which he is best known. He edited the famous Minutes of the
Conchological Club of Southern California (Nos. 1-200). He contributed

to many publications. He was a member of many malacological organizations.

These cold facts, however, are inadequate to describe John Q. Burch as a
human being. He was a respected and treasured friend of generations of
conchologists, amateurs and professionals alike. He was elected presi-
dent of the prestigious American Malacological Union in 1964. During
the time he ran his shell business, his so-called lists were priceless
items of carefully researched information.

And in our fledgling days, John Q. Burch supported the TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST
with his usual enthusiasm. The August, 1966, issue of the TEXAS CON-
CHOLOGIST (Vol. 3) carries his comments about basic literature for the
amateur conchologist. Later, he contributed "Notes on the Family Pec-
tinidae" in the September, 1967 issue (4:15). In 1966 he and Rose Burch
became subscribing members of the Houston Conchology Society.

A very personal description of this man's life and activities has been
published in THE TABULATA, 4:7-12 (January) 1971. His bibliography is
also appended. Two genera and four species of mollusks honor taxon-
omically the name of Burch.

LIBRARY NOTES

Some early issues (now out of print) of two paleontological journals

have been catalogued and added to the library of the Housten Conchological
Society. These included: Builetin of American Paleontology, complete
volumes I, V, VI, VII, VIII, XIII, XIV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, KIX and XX.
Incomplete volumes II (Numbers 6, 7, 8, 9, 10); III (No. 11);IV (No. 16);
XII (No. 47); XV (Nos. 56, 57, 574, 57B); XXII (No. 74); XXIII (No. 78);
XXIV (Nos. 80, 84, 85, 86); XXV (No. 94B); XXVII (Nos. 104, 106); XXVIIT
(Nos. 112, 113); XXXI (No. 126). Palaeontographica Americana, Volume I
(complete), II (Ne. 8); III (No. 15).

These journals were donated to the library of the Houston Conchological
Society by Sidney Stubbs.

The "Minutes of the Conchological Club of Southern California’’ mentioned
above is an oft-quoted reference in articles dealing with mollusks of the

American west coast. The Minutes have long been out of print and second-
hand copies are practically unobtainable. Fortunately, the malacological
section of the library of the Houston Museum of Natural Science has one
set.

SOME REMARKS ON THE OCCURRENCE AND COLLECTING OF SHELLS IN THE ,
FAMILY TEREDINIDAE ALONG THE TEXAS COAST by H. Ode

Until recently it was rather difficult to identify material of the
family Teredinidae found boring in wood along the Texas coast. The
world wide review of the Teredinidae by Turner (1966) has made this

task not only much lighter but for the first time possible. Before her
review was published, the innumerable species, which she has shown to

be for a major part synonymous of only a relatively small number of spe-
cies, precluded even a superficial discussion of this group in the Texas
fauna,

In contrast to almost all other groups of bivaives, the Teredinidae
possess practically indistinguishable hard shells which can hardly be
called characteristic of the species and specific distinction must be
made on the basis of the structure and shape of the pallets. These
are calcareous-chitinous structures forming a pair of small appendages
placed at the base of the siphons, serving the purpose of closing the
tube in which the animal lives, when the siphons are retracted. The
pallets are characteristic for the Teredinidae and are assumed to be
highly specific, i.e. each species can be recognized by the shape and
structure of the pallets. Thus, the collection of the pallets together
with the shell is a necessity, because otherwise it remains virtually
impossible to identify material.

All Teredinid material must be collected from the calcareous tubes the
animais secrete to line their tunnels bored in wooden objects. Not
rarely one finds logs, roots, nuts or boards washed upon the beach,
which have been attacked by Teredinids. In most instances the animals
have died so that only empty shells can be obtained from the end of the
tubes. Usually but not always some pallets have remained behind. For
reliable identification of this material, it is absoluteiy required to
obtain as many pallets as possible. If, as happens quite often, two
different species have infested the same log, it is seldom possible to
separate the shells according to species and it is only possible to
note from examination of the pallets that two different species lived
in it. The rare material picked from beachdrift is useless and except
for perhaps a single species, can never be identified.

In this short note I will report upon the several species of Teredinids,
which according to my information, have been collected along the Texas
coast. All naterial has been found along the beaches or was in rare
instances dredged in comparatively shallow water on the offshore shelf
near Galveston and Freeport in completely waterlogged wood. Only in a
few cases live material was obtained. It remains difficult to say
whether these animals, even when collected alive in Texas waters, be-
long to the fauna of the Northwest Gulf of Mexico. Many species of
shipworms are practically world wide because of their dispersal in
floating timbers and animals may survive in certain locations but may
not breed or propagate. To my knowledge no test board experiments
have been made in Texas waters and until such experiments have been
made it is possible that most of the species reported here below are
merely adventitious. I am inclined to believe that only Bankia gouidi
is truly a part of our coastal fauna.

Unfortunately the number of useful lots in the collection of the Houston
Museum of Natural Science is severely restricted because in many cases
pallets are missing either because collectors were not aware of their
importance for systematics or as happens once in a while, no pallets

=<

could be retrieved with the shells. When a piece of wood floats for a
long time in the water and the animals die before the wood is totally
consumed the tubes get washed out completely, the pallets disappear,
and only the shells remain because they have grown too large to escape.

If the animals consume more than a critical amount of wood the weight

of the calcareous material in the tubes finally makes the log sink. Such
submerged logs riddled with tubes are occasionally dredged in mid ocean,
and may have drifted there from long distances away.

Collecting must be done carefully. Because live fresh material is rela-
tively uncommon or sometimes impossible to obtain one must gather what
one can. Once I found an enormous tree trunk on the Freeport beach,
moderately attacked by still living Teredinids. Watersoaked wood of
tropical trees can be extremely tough and not having an axe with me and
after breaking a pocketknife, I was completely stymied in my efforts to
collect even a single specimen and all I got was a sliver of wood in ny
hand. Fortunately one finds usually smaller pieces of wood or removable
parts of trees in which a sufficient number of specimens are crowded
together to obtain an idea of the species. These pieces of wood can be
explored at home and be picked apart above paper spread out in a draft
free room. When doing such exploration in the backyard it is a good
idea to anchor the paper securely, otherwise paper, pallets and shells
are blown away by slight gusts of wind. With these precautions, usually
a number of pallets can be obtained to serve as indicators of the species
which have infested the wood. But one can never be sure unless one col-
lects live material. Frequently more than one species infest the same
log and although the pallets may be quite different, the shells are sur-
prisingly similar. There are probably some minor differences in sculp-
ture, which long experience might enable one to recognize, but I have
not studied them sufficiently to make statements about such characters
and all identifications in the following are made on the basis of pal-
lets only.

The state of preservation of the pallets is important. Older ones have
the tendency to exfoliate and to corrode, so that it is not always sim-
ple to identify them. Usually the genus can be assigned without too
much trouble, but within the genus the choice is not always easy. More-
over, there exists a certain amount of variability in these objects and
it is not inconceivable that the number of species within certain groups
will be still further reduced when more detailed studies are made (f.i.
the genus Teredo).

In the literature pertaining to the Northwest Gulf of Mexico a number
of taxa have been reported which we cite here under the name considered
correct by Turner. They are:

Bankia gouldi Bartsch

Bankia carinata Gray (as Bankia caribbea Clench and Turner)
Bankia fimbriata Jeffreys

Teredo navalis Linne

Teredo bartschi Clapp

Teredora malleolus Turton (as Teredo thomsoni Tryon)

Lyrodus pedicellatus quatrefages (cited in Andrews but no
records are given)

NOU FWP eK

Of these numbers, 1, 2, 5 and 7 are present in the collection of the
Houston Museum of Natural Science. Numbers 3, 4 and 6 could occur in
this area. Teredo navalis has been reported by many investigators,
but I suspect that this is due to the fact that it is a well known

species of the Atlantic, often citied in literature available to those
who report on local faunas. In view of the diversity of species in our
limited material, I suspect that systematic collecting will uncover
more species than mentioned in the listing below which enumerate all
species identified in the Houston Museum of Natural Science collection.
As stated before about 50% of our material unfortunately cannot be
identified. Of the material identified the name is based on pallets
only and the shells are merely assumed to go with the pallets.

Two of the three accepted subfamilies are represented in our fauna:
Teredininae and Bankiinae, which differ in anatomical details apart from
differences in structure of the pallets (see Turner, 1966). The fol-
lowing species are present:

Teredininae Ike ?Lyrodus pedicellatus
Die Teredo c.f. bartschi
; Oye Teredothyra dominicensis
4. Uperotus panamensis
Bankiinae Die Nausitora fusticola
6. Bankia gouldi
ke Bankia carinata

A discussion of the material follows:

Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages, 1849. A single lot from Bryan Beach,
Freeport. The identification is based on a single pallet of typical
shape, but which has lost its chitinous moore The shells obtained
with it may or may not be this species.

Teredo bartschi Clapp, 1923. A single lot of many pallets mixed with
an equal abundance of Bankia gouldi. There are slight differences in
shell appearance, but whether these reflect specific differences be-
tween Teredo and Bankia must be further investigated. All pallets are
old and many are badly exfoliating.

Teredothyra dominicensis Bartsch, 1921. We have 3 lots of these very
characteristic pallets with its inserted extra cup, obtained from
dredgings between 11 fathoms and 25 fathoms off Galveston, In this
case there is no doubt about the identification.

Uperotus panamensis Bartsch, 1922. A single lot from Mustang Island
Beach, about which there can be no doubt. Two large pallets are
beautifully preserved and show the typical structure of this genus. The
shells are different in shape and scuipture from Teredo and Bankia and
can be considered almost certainly to belong with the pallets. The
occurrence of this species in the Gulf of Mexico is quite interesting
because Uperotus is an eastern Pacific species from the Panamanic
Province.

?Nausitora fusticola Jeffreys, 1860. A single lot dredged from 40
fathoms. Most specimens are quite juvenile and were alive at the time
of collecting. Unfortunately the pallets as far as they were preserved
are now loose from tke shells. They are quite small and show the fol-
lowing characters:

i The blade is transtucent, opaque and the stalk can
be discerned in it.

Die The distal part shows the close arrangement of
septa crowded together in a single mass. The
small size of these pallets makes this identi-
fication somewhat uncertain.

Bankia gouldi Bartsch, i908. We have about 8 identifiable lots of

UPEROTUS

pallets. Im one case the log contained a mixed population of B. gouldi
and B. carinata, since 2 pallets of the latter species also were obtain- |
ed. B. gouldi is probably the most widespread of the Teredininae along |
the Texas coast and may be the only species which truly belongs to the
coastal fauna living in the muddy waters of the Northwestern Gulf.
Bankia carinata Gray, 1827. Two lots of pallets. Both in mixed popula-
tions, one with B. gouldi and another one with Teredothyra dominicensis,
in a large log.

4

From this brief ennumeration it is clear that much more work and sys-
tematic collecting of live material is necessary before the Teredinid
fauna of the Northwestern Gulf is understood. Test board experiments
should be undertaken.

CHITINOUS MISSIN

LYRODUS

TEREDOTHYRA

NAUS ITORA

Schematic figures of Teredinid mallets X 20

A most interesting fact emerges when we com-
pare this list with a listing of Teredinina

in Keen's book of the Panamanic Province.
Except for Lyrodus and Teredothyra all other
species cited here have been collected in the
eastern Pacific. Uperotus panamensis is
confined to this province and its occurrence
on the Texas coast is still another indication
that the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico has re-
tained many traces of an original fauna drivedy
from the Pacific before the Isthmus of Panama
was formed.

BANK TA

CONCHOLOGIST

VOLUME XI, NO. 3 MARCH, 1975

O000000000000000000000

We have not been overwhelmed with a deluge of requests for copies of
the December issue, Volume XI, Number 2 of the TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST.

This is rather surprising and somewhat disappointing because the De-
cember issue carried the first of a series of articles.on the mol-
lusks living in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. The second in this series
is carried in this issue.

We believe that this is an important work, the culmination of years
of activity by a number of dedicated people and the results are sig-
nificant,

000000000000000000000

The editor regrets that Volume XI, Number 2, was printed without page
numbers. It should have been numbered 25 - 48. For purposes of ref-
erence it would be well to number the pages of your copy by hand.

49

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
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The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception

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EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
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The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,

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to the editorial staff.

CHANGES IN RATE

Inflation is catching up with the TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST and we are forced
to make the following changes effective with the fiscal year 1975-76
starting in June:

1. We are eliminating the subscriber classification urging
all subscribers to become members with all the benefits

and privileges of membership.

2. We will pass on the additional cost of the postage for
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Hopefully, these will be the only changes required for the next year.

50

SHELLS OF THE WORLD
ABOUT OUR 1975 SHELL SHOW Lloyd Meister

It has been this writer's privilege to have been involved in all but the
first of our shell shows one way or another. It has been this writer's
honor to have been chairman of three out of the ten shows, including this
year's, that we have put on. You will notice I said ten. This year will
be our ninth show at Sharpstown Center, so why ten?

In April of 1969 our club put on a display in Joske's Post Oak store. This
was my first experience at doing anything of this nature and had it not
been for the wonderful backing of all who were involved it could not, like
any show, have been accomplished. This show was followed in May by our
Sharpstown affair.

In 1970 along came Mary Sutow who not only filled the entire mall from
one end to the other but several of the side malls as well. This was far
and away our best show.

It fell on me as Chairman of the 1971 show to follow Mary's. It was need-
less to say, considerably smaller in scope, but was as successful as far
as sales from the store.

Now, once again, I have been asked to chair another, my third. With the
selection of the following people and the help of all our members this
too wiil be a successful show.

CHATRMAN Lloyd Meister 926-3812

or 926-4047
SHELL SHOP Carole Courtade 668-2541
TABLE FOR THE BLIND Fanny Miron 723-3628
TABLE FOR THE CHILDREN Margaret Rogers 524-0052
SCOUTS AND SCHOOLS Janet Christie 723-8852
PUBLICITY Wilson Ward 645-9938
EXHIBITS Mary Myers 774-2914

Do not be afraid to exhibit your shells. Sharpstown has 24 hour security
guards and we will have someone there from early morning until the Mall
closes at 10:00PM.

The dates for the show will be May 8-9-10, with setup to begin on the
afternoon of the 7th.

We are limited as to the number of cases we have to use and if you are

not lucky enough to get the use of one, a cardboard box painted flat black
and covered with one of the plastic wraps will serve very well. Tables
will be available in the quantity needed and will be 2ft. by 6ft., so
make your plans and let us know your needs as soon as possible.

The theme of this year's show will be "SHELLS OF THE WORLD". If you have
enough shells of a genus to make a display of them, then please do so;

if you do not, then mix them up.

If you have any shells, either beach or specimen, to donate to the store,
bring them to the meetings or to Carole Courtade or call and we will make

arrangements to have them picked up.

Your help is needed and requested. Let us hear from you.

51

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO. PART I - CRASSATELLACEA - POROMYACEA

SUPERFAMILY CARDITACEA

FAMILY CARDIT IDAE

Represented in the NW Gulf of Mexico by five species, one of which is en-
demic. Most species in this family have rather thick shells, radial rib-
bing and ventral crenulations. We shall here recognize the genera:
Carditamera, Cyclocardia, Pteromeris and Pleuromeris.
Sources: A. Chavan in Treat. of Invert. Pal., Vol. N, Part 2,
p- 548-558, 1969.

M. Keen, Seashells of Trop. West America, p. 106-111,
2nd edie. woe.

Genus Carditamera Conrad, 1838.

Somewhat elongate and rectangular. Chavan considers most subgenera in
Keen, 1971, as full genera,

1. Carditamera (Carditamera) floridana Conrad, 1838.

Carditamera floridana Conrad, Foss. Med. Tert., p. 12, 1838,
Although we have a fair number of lots, mostly from the beaches and
hypersaline bays, the live occurrence of this species in the Texas
faunal province has not yet been documented. Dead shells are fair-
ly common in beachdrift from Matagorda to St. Joseph Island, but
become abundant on Mustang and Padre Islands. Rare worn shells
have been found on Galveston Island, and occasionally dead material
of worn appearance has been dredged off Galveston and Freeport. A
single rather fresh valve was obtained by diving on the coral reefs.
Numerous juvenile valves can be collected from the Mississippi mud-
lump fauna. In the recent past, this species must have lived in
abundance along the Texas coast. Very small juveniles are quite
Symmetric with the umbo placed in the middle of the valve. By the
time the shell reaches 2-3mm it has developed considerable asym-
metry.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are:* 15, worn beach
valves at Corpus Christi; 19, beach-worn shells in Matagorda and
Espiritu Santo Bay; 21, listed; 45, repeats previous locations;

56, listed for Texas; 61, Corpus Christi region; 62, Harbor Is-

land and Padre Island; 65, common in Corpus Christi area; 66,
Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 69, listed; 98, bays, also dead on
beach of Padre Island; 110, beach worn shells rare at Galveston,
fresh shells on St. Joseph Island, Mustang and Padre Islands,
plate 9, fig. 1; 135, dead in Gulf and in the bays; 160, dead
at three locations in Matagorda Bay; 161, dead in Rockport area,
dead in Laguna Madre, 170, as Cerastoderma pinnulatum, pl. 16,
fig. 6; 175, listed; 202, figured; 206, Beach Notes, Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 1, (8); 208, listed for 'bay margins and grass flats" en-
vironments; 253, one fossil (?) valve on offshore reef, Padre
Island; 269, figured on p. 179.

Records H.M.N.S.: 21 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 0-67 fms. The depth range is puzzling. A fresh valve
from 13-16 fms. There are two ranges in our material, one from
0-25 fms. and another from 50-67 fms. mostly in sandy mud. Some
of these have a somewhat different shape than those from shal-
low water.

* (The numbers of references refer to those of the bibliography pub-
lished in Texas Conchologist, Vol. 11, p. 7-18. Figures of some of
the lesser known species are in preparation.)

52

Geographical Range: Southern Florida, along Gulf Coast to Yucatan.

Maximum Size: 30.5mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: There is only one Panamanic Carditamera,
which is not close.

Genus Pleuromeris Conrad, 1867.
Small, triangular shells, with lunule only in left valve.

Des

Pleuromeris tridentata (Say, 1826).
Venericardia tridentata Say, Jour, Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., lst
series, Vol. 5, p. 216, 1826.
This small species apparently reaches its western range extremity off
the Louisiana Coast. We have only two small lots of worn shells and
do not know whether the species still lives in the area.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None. This
species can hardly be considered part of the Texas faunal province.
Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots, none alive.
Depth Range: 12-40 fms.
Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida.
Maximum Size: 3.5mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Cyclocardia Conrad, 1867.
Rather rounded small shells, with somewhat curved radial ribs. In Texas,
two species.

3)6

Cyclocardia armilla- (Dall, 1903).

Venericardia (Cyclocardia) armilla Dall, Proc. Aead. Nat. Sci.,
Woks Sao Co ysuaie (Os oils}

This widespread and common species is characteristic for the Texas
faunal province. It can be collected in great numbers in depths
between 50-167 fms. One record from 8 fms. probably represents a
shell adventitious at that location. Often this species is called
rare (ref. 105), so that I believe it is endemic to the Texas faunal
province, where it lives in the sandier portions of the coastal shaft
all along the Louisiana-Texas coast. Very small juveniles are al-
ready exact replicas of mature specimens. Fresh specimens are cover-
ed by dense radial rows of epidermal hairs and in large specimens
the radial ribs flatten out considerably toward the ventral margin.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 144,listed for off-
shore locations; 147, dead on Big Southern Bank; 175, upper continen-
tal slope, 65-100 fms., common especially from 60-120 fms., plate 6,
Figs 4) 206, Lex. Conch. Vol’. 9: p.. 78

Records H.M.N.S.: 20 lots, of which 4 contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 50-167 fms., alive; 60-95 fms. in sandy mud.

Geographical Range: largely restricted to the Texas faunal province;
off West Florida.

Maximum Size: 11.6mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Cyclocardia sp. indet. (A
In our area a second species has been collected (a single lot), which
has ribs of a square cross section, colored by brown flecks, and
which is somewhat broader. The ribs are not as nodulose as those of
C. armilla but carry somewhat spinelike protuberances. In many as-
pects this quite different species is much closer to Carditamera
floridana (color, ribs and spines), but its shape and hinge are clear-
ly those of Cyclocardia; only taken off the Louisiana coast.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, none alive.

Depth Range: 60 fms.

53

Geographical Range: unknown.
Maximum Size: 4.5mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Pteromeris Conrad, 1862.

Small, obliquely rounded, somewhat compressed shells. One species in the
Texas faunal province.

5. Pteromeris perplana (Conrad, 1841).

The distribution of this small species is the same as that of
Pleuromeris tridentata and it reaches also the western extremity
of its rangeoff Louisiana. We have only two lots, one contain-
ing eight recent-looking valves with fresh color patterns, the
other of two small bleached juvenile valves.

Previous Records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 13-40 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida. This species can hardly

be considered part of the Texas faunal province.

Maximum Size: 6.2mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Remarks: In the literature, the following species have been mentioned:

Ref. 74: Carditamera artata Conrad, 1832. This species close to
C. floridana has been figured in the reprint of the papers
by T.A. Conrad by the Pal. Res. Inst. (1963) (Cypricardia
arata Conrad, Plate 5, fig. 1.).

Ref. 170: Milneria c.f. kelseyi Dall, 1916. Listed for deep shelf
assemblage off East Texas. Plate 15, fig. 4. Until a few
years ago I would have been inclined to dismiss the oc-
currence of this Pacific genus in the Atlantic as a mix-up
of material but since then the number of species derived
from the Panamanic province has become so numerous that I
rather reserve judgment and prefer to await the discovery
of more material,

FAMILY CONDYLOCARDIIDAE
In the NW Gulf of Mexico represented by two species, one in the subfamily
Condylocardiinae and the other in the Cuninae. In this family the smail
shells are characterized by a concentric ridge which separates the nepionic
part of the shell from the later part. Some species possess concentric
ribbing, ¢-&8- Goniocuna dalli Vanatta of the Alabama coast - (and just in
the Texas faunal province), - others such as Condylocardia are strongly
radially ribbed.
Sources: A. Chavan in Treat. of Invert. Pal., Vol. N, Part 2, p. 558-
is oy bss bole Je
M. Keen, Seashells of Trop. West America, p. 111, 2nd Ed.,
LOA
Genus Condylocardia Bernard, 1896.
Small bivalves, with radial ribs.

6. Condylocardia c.f. bernardi (Dall, 1903).

Erycinella (Carditopsis) bernardi Dall, Tr. Wagner. F. Inst.
Scil., Vol). 35) (P1506; ps 1438, Pls 53, fig. 10) (USNMMSS 637)

Originally described from the Pliocene of Costa Rica, this species
was later reported by Olsson and McGinty from the Atlantic coast

of Panama .(1958,,.Bull. 177, Am. .Pal...p..20,.525.Pl.05,4 422. app

It is not rare on the Texas offshore coral reefs, also lives on

the Miocene shale outcrops and has’ been taken in sandy mud at 51. fms.
We have not yet compared our material with authenticated material

or with Carditella smithii Dall, 1886,from Bermuda and Florida

54

(=Condylocardia floridensis Pilsbry and Olsson, 1946).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas Conch.
Wolkg es wae Wei

Records H.M.N.S.: 11 lots of which 1 contains live collected material.
Depth Range: 12-51 fms.; alive: 12-15 fms. on coral and algal reefs,
Miocene shale outcrop and sandy mud (51 fms.).

Geographical Range: NW Gulf of Mexico, Panama, to South America.
Maximum Size: 1.5mm. i

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Condylocardia hippopus Morch, 1861.
"Puntarenas, Costa Rica, to Panama" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Goniocuna Klappenbach, 1963.
Small, inequilateral, with concentric ribbing and very strong hinge.

7. Goniocuna dalli (Vanatta, 1903).

A single valve of this rare species, living at present in the North-
east Gulf of Mexico (Mississippi-Florida) in shallow water, was
dredged in 50 fms off Louisiana near the Mississippi Delta. It
compares perfectly with material from the Alabama coast. Super-
ficially,the species resemble a somewhat skewed_Gemma purpurea, but
the hinge is different. Whether the species still lives off
Louisiana is unknown; our specimen could be a Pleistocene fossil.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: One lot, none alive.

Geographical Range: N.E. Gulf of Mexico (hence our locality is merely

a slight extension of the known range).

Maximum Size: 2.6mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

SUPERFAMILY CRASSATELLACEA
FAMILY ASTART IDAE
In the N. W. Gulf of Mexico represented by two species in fairly deep water.
Recent species are mainly distributed in the north Atlantic, but a few
small ones are known from the Gulf of Mexico. These shells are somewhat
rounded, trigonal in shape, with strong concentric sculpture.

Genus Astarte J. Sowerby, 1816.
Rounded, trigonal in shape, with strong undulating concentric sculpture.

8. Astarte (Astarte) nana Dall, 1886.

Astarte nana "Jeffreys" Dall, B.M.C.Z., 12, No. 6, p. 261, Pl. 7,
Figs. 6a, b.
This rather small, somewhat ovate, especially in the juveniles,
species is probably common in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico in the depth
range of 100-170 fms. At least it is found in a large proportion
of the samples taken at that depth. One of the remarkable facts
about this species is the crenulation of the ventral margin, which
is present only in part of the valves, never in juvenile speci-
mens. Abbott (Am. Seashells, p. 480, 1974) states that it is very
abundant off eastern Florida in moderately shallow water, and Dall
cites also the Carolina coast as its area (B.M.C.Z., Vol. 12,
Pie, 2615 71886).
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 175, listed for
upper continental slope, 65-600 fms., common, 50-100 fms; 206, Tex.
Conch, “Volo spe 78s W214), “Platerl2, sfles.: 1522. Acreference to this
species in 164 for the Rockport Area: "alive in open bay margin and
inlet influence", and the Laguna Madre: "dead in inlet influence",
must be in error for Crassinella sp.
Records H.M.N.S.: 5 lots, none alive, but two contain some fresh
fragments with brown periostracum and ligaments.

Depth Range: 110-170 fms.; no live material.

55

Geographical Range: Texas faunal province, West Florida and off
coast of Carolinas.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Astartidae do not live in the Panamanic
province.

Astarte (Astarte) spec. indet. (A)

One lot of another somewhat smaller species was taken at a location
off Louisiana. It is more triangular in shape with higher umbo,
heavier hinge line and a discernable color pattern of radial brown
color bands. The juveniles are much more rounded with a prominent
umbo, and the concentric ribs are coarser. Possibly this is
A. liogona Dall, 1903, which was reported from the Mississippi
Delta.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: One lot, off Louisiana, none alive.

Depth Range: 40 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown. If this is A. liogona Dall, 1903

P.U.S.N.M., 26, No. 1342, pp. 940, 948, pl. 62, Fig. 9, it is only

known from the Mississippi Delta.

Maximum Size: 6.5mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Astartidae do not live in the Panamanic

province.

FAMILY CRASSATELLIDAE

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico represented by two subfamilies: Crassatellinae
with the genus Eucrassatella and the Scambulinae with four species in the
genus Crassinella.

10.

Sources: A. Chavan in Treat. of Invert. Pal., Vol. N, Part 2,
P. 573-578, 1969.

M. Keen: Seashells of Trop. West America, P. 103-106, 1971.
H.W. Harry: Inst. Mar. Science, Texas, Vol. 11, P. 65-89, 1966.

Genus Crassinella Guppy, 1874.

Small bivalves, up to 10 mm in size, concentrically sculptured, brown-
ish white, or with radial brown bands of color, opisthogyrate beaks

and quite variable in form. Although specimens of this genus are wide-
spread over the continental shelf, it remains very difficult to make

a reasonable interpretation of the various species. In a recent, very
detailed and extensive study,(ref. 222), Harry studies two of the
species Crassinella in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Our extensive material
definitely shows the presence of four species, only one of which is
uncommon and which may be new, although Altena (1971) reported a very
similar form from Surinam.

Crassinella lunulata (Conrad, 1834).

Astarte lunulata Conrad, 1834, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. 7,

GC) Sep.ss'. :

(Syn. Thetis parva, C.B. Adams, 1845; Astarte mactracea, Linsley,

1845;

Eriphyla galvestonensis, Harris, 1895).
Recently Harry has studied this species in great detail and came to
the conclusion that it is also the same as C. guadelupensis Orb.,
1846. This is possible in view of the great variability of this
species, but it leaves the identity of another common Texas species
uncertain. Inspection of the type of C. guadelupensis if still
existent is required to solve this problem.
C. lunulata Conrad is by far the largest of the Texas species (up
to 9.2mm). Fully grown specimens show considerable variation in
color and shape. Fresh specimens show a texture of the shell sur-
face, illustrated by Harry, which under the microscope, gives the
shell surface a reticulated appearance. Juveniles of this species

56

can be distinguished from other species by their rounded shape
(fig. 16, page 73 of Harry's paper) and differ substantially

from the other three minute species. The most variable aspect of
C. lunulata is the intensity of the concentric sculpture. This
varies from practically non-existent (C. galvestonensis Harris),
over moderately intense undulations to (rarely) lamellar ridges

as in some Venerids.

Cc. lunulata is most easily identified by its size. No other species
reaches a size in excess of 5mm. Its juveniles are different in
shape from any of the other species. It may be noted here that full
grown specimens of an as yet unidentified species resemble full
grown C. lunulata in shape, but differ considerably from juvenile
C. lunulata, especially in strength of development of the hinge
lines. This is in juvenile C. lunulata considerable coarser than
in any of the other forms. C. lunulata Conrad is a very common
species along the Louisiana-Texas coast, where it lives both in
the bays and in shallow offshore waters. Often old valves are
found together with the other three species, making identification
of the material difficult. Most of these deeper-water valves how-
ever, are old and worn and probably fossil. The species is common
in beachdrift all along the Texas-Louisiana coast.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 15, (Eriphyla
lunulata Conrad), single valve at Galveston; 21, listed; 32,
artesian well Galveston at depth 444-458 feet (C. galvestonensis),
pl. 49, fig. 14; 45, Galveston, recent and in well; 66, listed for
marine Pleistocene of Texas; 98, (Crassinella sp.), listed for bays;
110, (C. mactracea Linsley, 1845), dead shells at Galveston and
Port Aransas, living in Aransas Bay;.137, reported for almost ail
stations sampled off East Texas, in depth of 10 fms, plate 6,
fig. 8; 140,(C. martinicensis) listed for inlets, pl. 39, fig. 23;
152, in about 60 fms. off Mississippi Delta; 164, dead in open bay
center at Rockport, alive in open bay margin and inlet influence ,
dead in Laguna Madre; 170, alive in transitional shelf assemblage;
174, listed; 175, listed for inlet and deep channel assemblage,
common on shelly bottom, pl. 3, fig. 18; 201, listed in appendix;
206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 71; 208, in tidal
inlet influence and open bay center; 222, extensive discussion;
225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 253, several pairs on Padre Island
reef; 269, figured on page 180.

Records H.M.N.S.: 61 lots, of which 20 contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms.; alive: 0-12 fms., and if a doubtful specimen
proves to be this species, 0-26 fms.

Geographical Range: Massachusetts, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico to
Brazil.

Maximum Size: 9.2mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: C. pacifica C.B. Adams, 1852, "Cape San
Lucas and through the Gulf of California, south to Peru" (Keen,
1971).

11. Crassinella spec. indet. (A).
A second species, living in deeper water than C. lunulata, is com-

mon over the Texas- Louisiana shelf, where it has been dredged in

a depth range of 8-70 fms. In many respects it is close to C.
lunulata but is is much smaller. [In the list of mollusks of the
N.W. Gulf of Mexico published earlier (Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78),
I lumped it together with C. lunulata, but now I believe that it
represents a distinct species. The reasons for this are: 1) Speci-
mens of equal size of both species show considerable differences in
shape. Those of C. lunulata are quite rounded with a strongly
curved umbo (see fig. 16 of Harry's paper); at the same size (2-3mm)
specimens of C. spec. indet. (A) are full grown and exhibit a form
closer to the form of mature C. lunulata, Thus they are quite

Sy)

triangular and quite flat; 2) The differences in development of
the hinge line are distinctive. Although topologically quite
similar, the hinge line of C. lunulata is much more strongly de-

veloped than that of species C. spec. 's C. spec. indet. (A); 3) In general

the shape of species C. spec. indet. (A) is quite skewed and re-
sembles to some extent a straight sided Pteromeris perplana.

I became aware of the specific differences through the fact that
in the water depths of 25-40 fms. large Crassinellas (i.e. C. lunulata)
are rarely obtained and that many samples yielded only abundant fresh
looking "juveniles" of some species. The fact that shells of true
C. lunulata are obtained - but rarely - at such depths confused the
issue. Closer inspection however showed that most, if not all, of
these specimens are "drowned" shells, derived from shallow-living
animals, when the sea level was below the present level of the
Gulf. In consequence, they look dull, brownish, eroded, whereas
most of the so-called juveniles are fresh and often alive.
The color pattern of species C. spec. indet. (A) is essentially that
of C. lunulata, there are fine radial striae of brown color.
Whether this is the species that ought to be designated as C.
guadelupensis Orbigny, 1846,cannot be determined here. For that, an
inspection of the type - if it still exists - is necessary. If
Harry is correct C. guadelupensis is a synonym of C. lunulata and
species C. spec. indet. (A) must receive another name. As Altena
(1971) remarks, it would be premature to name this and still another
species C. spec. indet. (B) until all Neogene and recent material
can be critically compared.
The species lives all along the Texas-louisiana coast in sandy
bottoms. It does not enter the bays, nor is it found on the beaches.
It is also abundant in the mudlump fauna off the Mississippi Delta. i
Its optimum depth range is far below that of C. lunulata (20-40 fms. ;
as compared to 0-12 fms. for C. lunulata).
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: In the past
either reported as C. lunulata or C. guadalupensis, Orbigny.
Records H.M.N.S.: 49 lots, of which 9 contain live collected material.
Depth Range: O (mudlumps)-50 fms; alive: 9-32 fms.
Geographical Range: Unknown.
Maximum Size: 4.2m.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

|
i

12. Crassinella martinicensis (Orbigny, 1846)

Crassatella martinicensis d'orbigny, in Sagra, Hist. Cuba, Moll.,

2Epe 288-289, ple 27, figs 21-235 1846.
This minute species is often collected with C. spec. indet. (A) in
water depths between 20-50 fms. In fact, the three species: C.
martinicensis, C. spec. indet. (A) and Vesicomya pilula, together
form the majority of dredged bivalves at many locations off the
Texas-Louisiana coast.
This species is regularly triangular, is seldom skewed, and is more
inflated than any of the other species. Its surface sculpture
varies in intensity from rather sharp ridges to only slight indi-
cations of their presence. It has been well figured in Harry's
paper of 1966. Although we have extensive material, live shells
are apparently uncommon in spite of the fact that paired valves are
common in dredgings. This species is seldom colored, but sometimes
specimens with a brownish hue are seen. I agree with Harry that
the specific separation of above three species remains occasionally
tenuous. C. martinicensis sometimes is difficult to separate from
either C. lunulata or species C. spec. indet. (A). In one lot from
Heald Bank, all three species seem to merge but at all other lo-
cations the separation is easily made; especially at deep-water
locations, C. spec. indet. (A) is quite different from C. martinicensi

58

For the present we recognize here above three forms as different
species. About the distinctness of the fourth species, there is
no doubt.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 147, dead on
Baker Bank, dead on Big Southern Bank; 174, listed; 206, listed in
Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78; 222, extensive discussion. The following
references are probably all misidentifications of C. lunulata: 136,
dead in Gulf, alive in bay; 143, Matagorda Bay; 145, upper sound,
Mississippi delta, pl. 2, fig, 12, A, B; 160, alive at several lo-
cations in Matagorda Bay.

Records H.M.N.S.: 59 lots, of which 14 contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 8-70 fms. (one sample however from 1.3 fms near Tambalier
Island, La.); alive: 9-50 fms. in sandy and muddy bottoms, often
in large numbers (dead).

Geographical Range: Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Panama.

Maximum Size: 3.2m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Crassinella varians Carpenter, 1957, "La Paz
and Guaymas, Gulf of California to Ecuador", Keen, 1971.

13. Crassinella spec. indet. (B).

A quite different species, also minute, has been collected in only
a few lots of a few shells each. There can be no doubt that this
is a completely different species because both surface sculpture
and shape are different in many respects from the characters of the
other three species. It is probable that Altena was dealing with
the same form from Surinam (figs. 17 a-d in his 1971 paper). Our
specimens are closest to his figures ‘ce and d, In many characters
this species (B) seems comparable to the Panamanic C. adamsi
Olsson, 1961, which is, as in species (B), the least triangular of
the Crassinella's of that faunal province.
The most characteristic features of species (B) are: a regular,
undulating concentric surface sculpture; an even rounded shape,
although at times a hump in the frontal slope can be seen; a clear
indication of radial sculpture between the concentric undulations.
In general the material at hand possesses a surface sculpture,
which is rather constant in intensity as opposed to the other three
species. No color patterns have been observed.
This species has been collected at several locations off Louisiana
and in the Galveston-Freeport area. It must be concluded that this
is either a species endemic to the Texas faunal province or a
South American species. One specimen was obtained from beachdrift
(San Luis Pass, Galveston).

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
Crassinella spec. A), Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78.

Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots, no live material, but some rather fresh.

Depth Range: 0-95 fms. (optimal 10-30 fms.).

Geographical Range: N.W. Gulf of Mexico, Surinam?

Maximum Size: 2.4 mm

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Crassineila adamsi Olsson, 1961. "La Paz
and Guaymas, Mexico, to Ecuador" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Eucrassatella
Large, thick shelled bivalves, only one species in the subgenus Hybolophus
in the Texas faunal province.

14, Eucrassatella (Hybolophus) speciosa (Adams, 1852)
Crassatella speciosa A. Adams, syn: Crassatella gibbesi Tuomey
and Holmes, 1856, and Crassatella floridana Dall, 1881 (juvenile
shell).
This is the largest of the Crassatillids of the Texas faunal province
and apparently abundant in sandy mud bottoms in a range of 20-50 fms.

59

Live specimens are quite rare, but fresh dead valves are common.
Remarkable is the discrepancy in shape during its life cycle. ‘
Very small juveniles (as 1 mm) are quite thin shelled, glassy,
almost smooth and with a thin hinge plate, and the umbo is not
very prominent. When the shell reaches about 5 mm it is quite
flat, almost shapeless, with a prominent umbo and broad hinge plate.
Only after this it acquires the typical shape of the mature shell |
and the sulcus becomes prominent. Often specimens are colored pink
on the inside, |
The species has never been collected on the beaches, but is dredged
along the entire Texas-Louisiana coast in water depths of 13-70 fms.
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 32 (Crassatellites
(Scambula) gibbesi Tuomey and Holmes), p. 1474, in artesian well
at Galveston, Texas, at a depth of 2158-2920 feet below the surface,
Singley; 45, repeats ref. 32, but credits it correctly to Harris;
144, offshore locations 504, 506, 1088; 145, deep shelf; 156, Stetson
Bank (indigenous); 170, deep shelf assemblage, pl. 5, fig. 2; 175,
outer shelf 40-65 fms.; common, mud bottom, whole coast, pl. 5,
fig. 9; 206, Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78, (1973)3;— 2145. Campeche
Bank; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston.
Records H.M.N.S.: 47 lots, of which one contains live collected material.
Depth Range: 13-70 fms.; alive at 30 fms. in sandy mud.
Geographical Range: North Carolina, Fiorida, Antilles.
Maximum Size: 65 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None of the Panamanic forms appears close.

—

SUPERFAMILY CARDIACEA
FAMILY CARDTIDAE
In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico represented by the subfamilies Trachycardiinae
with genera Trachycardium and Papyridea; Fraginae with genera. Americardia
and Dinocardium; Protocardiinae with genus Microcardium and Laevicardiinae
with genus Laevicardium. The Cardiums or cockles have developed several
endemic species in the Texas faunal province. They are bivalves with a
characteristic hinge and usually outspoken radial sculpture and ventral
crenulations.
Source: M. Keen in Treat, of Invert. Pal., Vol, N, part 2, pl. 583-590,

1969.

W.J. Clench and L.C. Smith, Johnsonia, Vol. 1 (13), 1944

R.T. Abbott, Monograph 11, Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1958, :

pie 21-529).

=.
Genus Trachycardium Morch, 1853.

Rather strongly built sheils, higher than wide, often with spiny ribs.

In our area live three subgenera, each with a single species: Trachycardi

027

ss., Dallocardia Stewart, 1930,and Acrosterigma Dall, 1900.

15. Trachycardium (Trachycardium) isocardia (Linne, 1758)
Cardium isocardia Linne, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th ed. p. 679.

This heavy, fairly large bivalve is uncommon along the Texas coast.
Beach specimens are known from Sargent, Matagorda Beach, Mustang
and Padre Islands, especially south of Mansfield Cut from where
live material is known (ref. 206). It does not enter the bays, but
lives offshore. Valves have been dredged offshore Galveston and
Freeport, but we have not seen any live material yet. The offshore
Texas waters off Galveston are apparently the extreme northwest end
of its range which is mainly along the South American coast
from Surinam westwards (Altena, 1971).
As is often the case, the species appears to reach its largest size
at the end of its range (77 mm.). In west Florida it is replaced
by the endemic Tr. egmontianum (Shuttleworth), whose occurrence

60

in Texas was reported (ref. 110) but never confirmed. Juvenile
specimens of a few millimeters have already all the characters of
full grown specimens.

Previous references for the Texas Faunal province are: 15, single
beach valves at Corpus Christi; 21, listed; 45, repeats ref. 15;
69, listed in appendix 8 and referred to on p. 53; 137, not in
text, but figured on plate 9, fig. 1; 192, listed; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2 (8), 1965; 269, figured on page 182.

Records H.M.N.S.: 9 lots, none alive, from beach and offshore sand
bottoms.

Depth Range: O-11 fms.

Geographical Range: Mainly in Lesser Antilles and along South American
coast, west of the Guyanas.

Maximum Size: 77 X 64 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Trachycardium (Trachycardium) consors (Sowerby,
1833),
"The species is fairly common on tide flats from the northern part
of the Gulf of California south to Ecuador and the Galapagos
Islands and has been dredged from depths of 45 m.'"" (Keen, 1971).

16. Trachycardium (Dallocardia) muricatum (Linne, 1758)

Cardium muricatum Linne, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 680.
This rounder and smaller species replaces T. isocardia in the
immediate shore area and in the hypersaline bays and inlets. In
general, it lives too deep in the bays to be easily collected alive
on the estuarine mudflats. Winter storms: occasionally deposit live
material on the beaches of Mustang and Padre Islands (ref. 206).
its popular name "yellow cockle" derives from its color which seldom
has red in it as T. isocardia does. Only at Sargent one can
occasionally collect reddish specimens. It lives along the entire
Texas-Louisiana coast in shallow water and in the hypersaline bays
(Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, Aransas Bay). Material from deeper
than 15 fms. (Stetson Bank, Clay Pile Dome) is probably fossil.
Juvenile specimens of 2-3 mm can be easily recognized and the
differences which separate T. muricata and T. isocardia are already
clearly visible in juvenile material of 1-3 mn.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 1, single
valve, Galveston; 7, listed; 15, dead valves at Galveston and
Mustang Island; 16, Galveston and Corpus Christi, single valves
common; 19, live specimens at Indianola, dead valves on Matagorda
Island, Espiritu Santo Bay, Shell Bank and Corpus Christi Bay; 21,
listed; 45,repeats previous references; 61, Corpus Christi area;
62, Mustang Is., 66, marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel;
69, listed; 79, Port Aransas, Matagorda Bay, plates 1 and 5; 98,
listed for the bays; 116, worn shells at Galveston, fresh shells
St. Joseph Island, alive in Aransas Bays and Laguna Madre at Port
Isabel, plate 10, figs. 7-8; 126, outer sandy beaches of Carolinian
Province; 135, dead in Gulf, alive in bays; 136, dead shells on
East Texas beach; off East Texas, 9 fms; 139, lower bays; 143,
Matagorda Bay; 145, inlets; 146, inlets; 153, listed in Table 1;
160, listed for Matagorda Bay, alive at one, dead at many lo-
cations; 164, alive at Rockport, dead in Laguna Madre; 170, listed
for shallow shelf assemblage; 174, listed; 175, listed for open
lagoon or open lagoon margin assemblage; 202, figured; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2, (8); 208, listed for tidal inlet
assemblage, enclosed bay center and bay margin environment; 225,
Galveston; 236, Galveston; 253, rare on reef off Padre Island; 269,
figured on page 183.

Records H.M.N.S.: 37 lots, of which 6 contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive; 0-12 fms., in sand and sandy mud.

61

Geographical Range: In the entire tropical western Atlantic, from
North Carolina, Antilles, Guyanas, Brazil into Argentina.

Maximum Size: 45 mm. Apparently this species reaches its maximum

size at the southern extremity of its range in Argentina: 65 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Trachycardium (Dallocardia senticosum
(Sowerby, 1833), "The recorded range includes the whole of the
Gulf of California, south to Paitu, Peru'' (Keen, 1971).

17. Trachycardium (Acrosterigma) magnum (Linne, 1758)
Cardium magnum Linne, 1758; Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 680.

This species has many of the characters of the subgenus, although
Abbott, 1958, has expressed some doubt. Its outer surface is much
smoother and its hinge line more curved than in Trachyceardium or
Dallocardia. Because of the narrower umbonal region this species
appears more slender than the other two. Concerning the identity
of T. elongatum Bruguiere(see Clench and Smith) it may be remarked
here that Texas specimens almost all have 36 ribs. T. magnum
has been taken several times alive, but only on the offshore coral
reefs and miocene shale outcrops (Stetson) where it is one of the
many Caribbean species living there. Its color is more reddish
than brown, sometimes with lighter areas and the inside may be suf-
fused with yellow and pink. Early references in the literature
mentioned this species for the beaches but these are erroneous
identifications of Dinocardium robustum. The first correct report
is by Parker and Curray (ref. 147), although perhaps Dall may have
seen specimens as early as 1890.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed; 147,
dead on Big Southern Bank, alive on east Flower Garden; 206, listed
in Tex iGonch., Voln.9 wipes cOs) sov7se

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, all of which contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 25-31 fms.; only on algal reefs and Miocene shale out-
crops.

Geographical Range: Mainly along South American coast and Antilles,
reaching extremity of range on Texas offshore coral reefs and shale
outcrops. Southward into Brazil.

Maximum Size: 65 mm. (alive).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Trachycardium (Acrosterigma) pristipleura
(Dall, 1901). "This is not a common species, although it may be
found by shore collectors anywhere between the southern portion
of the Gulf of California and Guyaquil, Ecuador" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Papyridea Swainson, 1846.
Thin, somewhat rounded or elongate bivalves with coarse ribs on the posterio
side, often with color patterns. Along the Texas-Louisiana coast live three
species of which the most abundant surprisjngly has remained unnamed. This
species, related to P. soleniformis Bruguiere, 1789, is smaller, differently
shaped and colored and lives in a different environment. Whereas P.
soleniformis on the Texas coast is restricted to the offshore calcareous
reefs, the other species is widespread over the muddy shelf, although it
also has been taken on the reefs.

18. Papyridea soleniformis (Bruguiere, 1789)
Cardium soleniforme Burguiere, 1789, Encycl. Meth. 1, p. 235.

(syn: Cardium hiatus Meuschen, 1787; invalid name used in
Johnsonia).
This species in the Texas faunal province is restricted to the off-
shore calcareous reefs and Miocene shale outcrops (Stetson Bank)
along the Texas-Louisiana coast where large, live specimens have
been taken. It is much more elongated, more inflated than the next
species and its ribs are never flattened in the median area of the

Ov
NM

shell surface. It has a color pattern of rather squarish brown
blotches on a light background, quite different from the pattern

of the undescribed species. A few fragments of this species from

a depth of 51 fms. probably come from a drowned coral reef. Juvenile
specimens of a few millimeters can be easily separated from the

other species which is, when small, more inflated and almost smooth.

References for the Texas faunal province are: 147, dead on Big Southern
Bank; 175,(ex parte) only those reported for the calcareous bank
environment; 206, (ex parte),listed in Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 80.

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots, of which two contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 9-51 fms.; alive 9-25 fms. on calcareous reefs and
Miocene shale outcrops.

Geographical Range: Apparently in the entire Caribbean area, outside
sandy and muddy environments (not in the Guyanas).

Maximum Size: 48.5 mm (alive)

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Papyridea aspersa (Sowerby, 1833), ''on sand-
bars and beaches from Manuela Lagoon, Baja California, south to
Peru, including the whole of the Gulf of California," (Keen, 1971).
This species is so close, that I believe they are identical.

63

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

San Luis Pass is presenting a new look AGAIN. This area at the bridge
between Galveston Island and Follets Island (the Freeport side) pre-
sents a new face so often that each time I go to collect I do wonder
how to approach my favorite shelling areas. So many times now on the
Galveston Island side one cannot reach the beach via the road to the
Gulf just before you reach the bridge. The Gulf has taken a great deal
of the beach area there except at very low tide. The old cars "plant-
‘ed'"' on the Gulf front once are now far inland. Water often laps the
remaining dunes.

Nautical charts always list a caution that this shoreline is subject
to continual change. For someone who has shelled this area for some
twenty years, the yearly changes are fascinating.

My first memory of shelling on the Galveston side concerns a trip with
junior high schoolers one spring Saturday. There was no bridge, and
the dunes were deep and hard to walk across to reach the Gulf waters.
The bus stopped at the road, and we trudged across the dunes to col-
lect Olivas and Polinices. Most particularly, I remember going back
to the bay areas, shallow and sandy and full of interesting "things".
I saw my first live Mercenaria, a huge one dug by an eager student.

Through the years I have memories of foggy mornings when I had a hard
time finding the water, listening for the roar of surf to locate the
Gulf. There were early field trips when many shellers found good
specimens, dead but fine, of the much-sought Amaea mitchelli, and I
know one fellow who went one fall morning to shell and came home with
two excellent Amaeas and a bucket of Busycon, Olivas, etc., but also
some half dozen live Phalium granulatunm.

Leola Glass and I used to hurry down to Galveston San Luis on cold, low
tide mornings to walk the sand bars under the new bridge. It seemed to
us that after the new bridge was built the sand built up at the pass
and forned good bars that were exposed after northers caused low tides.
We found many live shells, especially large numbers of both kind of
Busycons. Live Phaliums, Murex fulvescens in the debris line, large
Thais, Tellins, Terebras, Epitoniums, etc. We'd go one day, rush home
to satisfy our husbands' wishes for return by nightfall, and then get
up and go again the next morning. 1966, 1967, 1968 -- these were good
years at the Pass. I saw two Tonnas collected there one morning. We
dug heart urchins, collected gray starfish, picked up sea pansies live,
all-of which we watched in buckets of sea water and learned a little
more about creatures of the sea.

To get to the bay side we usually had to wade across the inlet just
west of the bridge at the Pass. This is sanded over now and only in
spring months flows through.

The mud flats we waded to along the Pass west of the bridge were full

of small shells like Tellina iris, Acteocina (formerly Retusa), Sinum,
Terebra dislocata, Epitonium. It was like a nursery ground because

you often found wee Busycon here and baby Polinices. More recently this
area sanded up and you could drive to the bay point at this Pass area.
Now once again the Pass waters have filled in almost to the dunes and
you have to walk to the area. Fishermen have formed a road across the
dunes to the bay some distance away from the Pass itself.

64

This whole area at the Pass must be treated with respect when driving.
When the sand blows dry and soft a trap is set for cars. I've seen
three at a time stuck trying to get from the turnabout at the Galveston
bridge to the water at the Pass.

One of my pet shells is the Pandora. The mud flats at the Pass and along
the edges of the inlets have supported living Pandora trilineata. For

a few years I could count on finding several at very low tide, and for

a time the sand bar on the Freeport side on the west end of the bridge
was really a fine place to collect this species. This latter location
is changed again; the sand bar is reduced and very poor for collecting.
I have not found a living one at the Pass now for a couple of years,

but it will be found again there.

On February 24th San Luis Pass was drained of much of its water due to
very strong north winds some 24 hours before that morning. The sun

was out; the winds had calmed; the temperature was rising from the low
thirties. It was a good day to collect, and I spent several fine hours
on the sand bars on the bay side. Several bars were completely exposed.
The tidal change had been made, but the waters were slow to encroach the
bars. The grassy knolls on some of the bars were almost dry. Polinices
egg cases were everywhere. Busycons were popping up. I was more in-
terested in the bars of sand exposed so rarely. I headed for these and
began to see trails everywhere, tiny thready ones with gleams of white
at the ends --- Epitoniums. Everybody knows I'm absolutely nuts about
Epitoniums. The majority cf the some forty I collected live were E.
humphreysi. These bay shells are typically E. humphreysi. Sometimes

I question the variety found in worm tube and sargassum debris on the
Gulf front. Some of the specimens look like the humphreysi form, and

I am never sure how much variability there is-in the E. angulatum forms.
I also collected E. rupicola and what I call E. apiculatum, at least
that is the closest species to what I find. Once again I noted that on
this bar were hundreds of living sand worms. What do these Epitoniums
eat? I haven't been able to determine this yet to my satisfaction. [I
brought some home to watch under the microscope. This time I saw some-
thing new. E. rupicola has sooty slanting "eye-shadow" patches at each
eye spot. I've never seen that on any other Epitonium, and I have
looked at hundreds.

Collected also was a live Odostomia teres in a trail. I didn't know
this until I get home as it is rather small. I just pick up trails in

a sieve and examine when I get home. Of cther collecting note was
ciscovery of a Lyionsia and several live Solen viridis. The latter, as
well as Ensis minor, seems not to be able to stand our Texas northers.
This species and Ensis pop up out of their burrows and often flop up on
the sand and die or lie stunned from cold. Even if found in the bur-
rows, as were my Solen specimens, they are unable to retreat very rapid-
ly and can be easily collected. Solen is not that easy to find live

so I was pleased to get a few. The spring drift line usuaily has plenty
of dead pairs along with Tellina iris pairs, so if you don't have this
in your Texas collection, watch for it this year.

That day I could walk all across the bay beach to the point at the Pass.
The inlet was completely sanded over. Only the lagoonai entrance at the
foot of the bridge had a little water in it. The owner of the fishing
camp does dredge this area for his boats. The mud around this lagoon
was well exposed and slippery. I recovered a large Laevicardium mortoni

65

live and several Dinocardium.

I suppose that San Luis Pass will always be a mysterious, favorite
place for me. Almost every time I go, I learn something new about the
fauna. I doubt that man will ever really tame it, und it will present
a new face from time to time. That just means I have something new to
explore.

©00000000000000000000

Now if you have read this far I'll offer a few hints on some of the
tools I use in this hobby of shell collecting. I promised to do this
after talking about them to some of our members. Maybe some of the
newer members will benefit.

Most of you know to use dental tools or crochet hooks in extracting
animals and fishing out operculums of shells. I find that the thin
copper wire bought on a spool is especially handy to use for tiny
shells. This wire can be twisted easily, can be thrust up apertures
of shells and curled in and around columellas and often brings out the
operculum and animals when retrieved. A wee hook can be formed on the
end to help the process. The wire cen be doubled or tripled; it can
be used on delicately-lipped shells; it doesn't corrode; it makes the
life of a sheller a lot easier!

I also discovered long ago that I lose tools and need a goodly supply
of inexpensive tweezers. I buy mine at the stamp and coin shops be-
cause these are lightly sprung and easy to work with. They come with
many different points. They can be used to pick up micro shells and
other shells that need special handling.

For Christmas I received an Opti-Visor which is very comfortable to

wear in the field. It has a plastic band that is adjustable and you

can buy several strength lenses for the eye piece that is set on so that
it can be flipped up and down with ease, just as athletes use their

dark glasses in the field. This visor lens could be used for sorting

at home and can be used on the beach for examining drift. (Ask Hollis
about the picture he made of me flat on my stomach picking out Epitoniums!
Waders and all!) I found this device especially ideal for looking on
and under rocks on my recent West Mexican trip. It was given to me to
search out wee Nudibranchs, and for this it is ideal also.

By coincidence, I have learned that Larry Allen gave wife Betty this
same device for Christmas, so it is available here in Texas. Mine came

from California and has a 5 X lens.

Ask at optical companies, or call me for address of the company.

66

SEASHELLS AND STAMPS by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Shell stamps continue to proliferate.

Not too long ago, one was able to approach the collecting of sea-shells-
on-stamp stamps with the comfortable feeling that after some effort,
one would be able to obtain almost all of the stamps.

This is true no longer. More and more countries are issuing these
philatelic items - with nice pictures of conchological goodies. For
example, one of the latest issues (October, 1974) included the de-
finitives (some 19 values) from Angola. They represent the West African
fauna. The current price for this set is around $17 or $18. While these
newer stamps are coming on the market, the older issues are becoming
scarcer and more expensive.

Some years ago we started this series of comments with the intent of
eventually reviewing and categorizing the various stamps. It is still
planned to do this but it seemed useful to continue the preliminary com-
pilation. The numbers run consecutively but the stamps are not listed
in any special order. There are stamps that have been omitted (inad-
vertently) and these will be picked up when the entire list is revised.

From time to time we have hinted at the various ways in which seashell
stamp collecting can be approached - depending on one's enthusiasm, time,
and bank account. One point can be repeated - there will be no space
problem at home. The stamps can be elegantly displayed in many ways in
one or more albums that can be stored away easily on the shelf when not
in use.

The philatelic aspects can be pursued additionally in several other di-
rections. For example, there are many stamps showing allied marine
life or marine environment or activities. Countries issuing seashell
stamps have also put out stamps illustrating maps of the islands (or
seacoast) and the surrounding waters. Fishing, diving, pearl culture
and the like have been pictured on a number of stamps. The topical
buff who is conchologically oriented could have a field day.

As for the conchological aspects, the rapid increase in the number of
species depicted on the stamps now permit considerable exercise of in-
dividuality on the part of the collector. How can the stamp collection
be organized? The easy and obvious way is to systematically separate
the stamps by country of origin. But there are other methods of organ-
izing the stamps. The cephalopods, for example, can now be put to-
gether in a meaningful way that will appeal both to the eye and the mind.
The shell rarities constitute another interesting area. The bivalves
on stamps are now beginning to grow into a sizable group. Certain
families are represented regularly on stamp issues from many countries.
The emphasis can be shifted to such subjects as shells and culture of
the country, shells and art, shells and food, and so forth. Even a
single stamp can lead to challenging research, conchologically and
otherwise (such as the Burma stamp showing the "world's largest Pearl").

As before, the stamps are indentified by country of origin, face value,
Scott number and mollusk depicted. Previous listings of seashells on
stamps have appeared in the TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST for January 1969, Febru-
ary 1969, March 1969, April 1969, January 1970, February 1972 and
September 1973,

67

Face Scott
County Value Number Mollusk depicted

Eee

251. Malagasy 3} ifie 481 Volva volva

Do LO -fr 482 Lambis chiragra

DS) 1S Ene 483 Harpa major

2547, 25) eG 484 Volva volva

25s 40 fr 485 Lambis chiragra

25168 50 fr 486 Harpa major

257.2. Piteaizny stands ae 137 Rhinoclavis & Mitra

258. LO 138 Pyrene

DO: 18 ¢ 139 Cellana & Siphonaria

260. 50'<¢ 140 Clena (Lucine)

Zola Mibeuiea lca! 5 82 Murex ramosus

262). lige 83 Nautilus macrophalus

ZOSi 2 84 Harpa major

264. Iie 85 Phalium strigatum

265\s Ae 86 Cypraea talpa

266. De 87 Mitra stictica

267. 8e¢ 88. Charonia tritonis

268. LOE 89 Murex triremis

269); 20° ¢ 90 Oliva sericea

DIO. 255 91 Tritonalia rubeta

PA fips 60 ¢ 92. Strombus latissimus

DID thee 93 Biplex perca

273. New Caledonia Sieere GLIS Gvula ovum

274. S2 ei Giuile Hydatina sp.

24D. 3) hie c1i5 Dolium perdix

276. Cook Islands ee 381 Phalicium glaucum

Ql il ars 382 Vasum tubinellum

278i. ik sere 383 Corculum cardissa

279). Dies 384 Terebellum terebellum

280. Ze 385 Aulica vespertilio

28. 4¢ 386 Strombus gibberulus

282. Bye 387 Cymatium pileare

283). 65¢ 388 Cypraea caputserpentis

284. 8 ¢ 389 Bursa granularis

285). 10° ¢ 390 Terebra muscaris

286. 15 ¢ 391 . Mitra mitra

287. 20) ¢ 392 Natica alapapillonis

288. 2S 393 Gloripallium pallium

289. 30 ¢ 394 Conus miles

290. Cayman Islands Ae sis\il Hermit crab & shell

291. Shae 352 Lyropecten nodosus

292. ILS yee 339 Murex cabriti

293. 20 ¢ 340 Strombus gigas

294. Togo AUeaerg 881 Tympanotomus radula

295. 20) Er, 882 Tonna galea

296. 30 fr 883 Conus mercator

297i 40 fr 884 Cardium costatum

298. 90RET. —2G250 Alcithoe ponsonbyi

299; 100 fr C231 Casmaria iredalei

300. 90/100 cC23la Souvenir sheet with the
ite two values

68

BOOK REVIEW by H. Ode
AMERICAN SEASHELLS, 2ND. EDITION, BY R. TUCKER ABBOTT,
VAN NOSTRAND REINHOLD COMPANY, 1974, $49.50, 663p.

It has long been my opinion--sometimes stated in print in the Texas Con-
chologist--that an intelligently annotated, modern checklist of the North
American marine mollusk fauna should be written because it has become
impossible to find one's way in the flood of papers, books and articles.
Dr. Abbott has done much more in writing a scientific documentation of
that fauna and has produced a book which will be intensively used for many
decades to come. At the outset of this review, I would state that the
value of this monumental compilation cannot be overestimated. Its impor-
tance lies, apart from its other merits, principally in the overview it
affords over two entire faunas, one along the East Coast and one along the
West Coast of the North American continent. In this review of the second
edition of "American Seashells" I will discuss certain aspects related to
completeness and usefulness for the reason that a more detailed evaluation
of such a major and important work can be given only after it has been in
use a year and preferably longer. No opinions about matters of interpre-
tation shall be offered here.

Those who have grown up with the first edition will not recognize the
second. The book has been expanded enormously and the arrangement of the
illustrations has been changed. They are now distributed throughout the
text, so that the book is much easier to use. As an apparent concession
to the hobbyists, some of the larger, more colorful, collector's items are
figured on a number of color plates, some of which--showing bivalves--I

do not consider sharp enough.

The book reflects the explosive progress made during the last 25 years in
the inventarisation of the fauna and the advances in systematic malacology.
The previous edition was designed primarily for the serious amateur, but
this edition is written much more with the professional biologist in mind
and presents a long overdue scientific inventarisation of the fauna

around the North American continent. It provides the student with an
illustrated and annotated checklist composed with high competence and up-
to-date knowledge of the subject. Categorical detail is much more system-
atically given than in the first edition; the arrangement has been modern-
ized and much of the nomenclature has been updated. Among the many changes
one finds that several long used and venerable names have been replaced by
still older ones. For the first time shell-less mollusks are treated in
extenso, Omitted are the introductory chapters of the first edition about
shell collecting, elementary terminology and biology, which within the
scope of the second edition would have been indeed out of place. Thus,

it can be truly said that this is a completely new book.

How convenient it will be when in use is at this moment difficult to judge.
Because its scope is so enormous, only the briefest details are given in
the descriptions. These, in general, are excellent and often have been
taken unchanged from the first edition. Occasionally, this produces some
contradiction--for instance under the generic description of Pseudochama
it is stated that only one species lives in the western Atlantic, but

two are cited. For the Turridae now treated in 30 pages (570 spp) the
author repeats the original statement that a book of this size cannot do
justice to the many interesting species. Photographs and drawings are
sometimes designed to provide only an overall impression of the species
they depict, without really showing all significant detail. In my opinion,
the hinge structure of many bivalves, e.g. the Leptonids, cannot be ade-
quately judged from the figures. Hence for many small, but common and
widespread species, it will be necessary that the user do a consider-

able amount of hard work in going to the original literature, Im par-

69

ticular, this will be necessary for the Family Corbulidae, for which the
old line drawings prepared for Dall have been used. These in my opinion
are misleading. The omission of most references, except for those species
reported or described in the last 20 years or so, is undoubtedly caused
by limitations of price and volume, and however much one may regret this
omission, one has to live with it.

Comparing the book with two other fairly recent publications, the "Treatise
of Invertebrate Paleontology" and the second edition of Keen's "Sea Shells
of Tropical West America", one notices many differences in taxonomic detail
among all three. A discussion of these various other opinions is not
given by Dr. Abbott, and for the sake of brevity correctly so, but I men-
tion it here because the ease of use of the book will be affected Dye distre

In this respect, it may be stated here that in the use of genera and sub-
genera any author should be allowed a certain freedom depending on his
familiarity with certain groups and his personal preference. It is un-
avoidable that in this manner a somewhat random emphasis on taxonomic de-
tails is introduced, the more so because at present many groups of
mollusks have not yet been carefully reviewed. Dr. Abbott considers for
instance Pitar and Agriopoma to be generically different, but he does not
separate, even on a subgeneric level, Timothynus from Diplodonta, whose
hinges appear even more different to me. In general the author has fol-
lowed a rather conservative course, without giving the user all possible
detail, but enough to outline the main categories presently in use.

Under the heading "other species" many of the rarer or less well known spe-
cies are listed, sometimes with brief annotations. These are mostly re
ported under the generic assignment by the original author although this
may be in error. For instance Mysella triquetra Verrill and Bush is not

a Mysella, but a Spheniopsid bivalve. Until for many of these listed spe-
cies a more definitive choice can be made---which often will have to await
dissection of soft parts as in the case of Henrya, of which it is very un-
likely that it belongs in the Aclididae---the choice of the author to use
the original assignment is a prudent one.

Distribution data are much more completely cited than in the previous edi-
tion, but I would have preferred to have seen the term 'West Indies" re-
placed by more precise localities. I am pleased to see that among the
location data the Gulf of Mexico is much better represented, although by no
means completely. Here I may mention that remarks by Dr. Abbott about the
rarity of a number of species gives additional weight to the view that the
Northwest Gulf of Mexico harbors a fauna quite different from the so-called
Carolinian fauna. Many bivalves common off the Texas and Louisiana coast
are labelled "rare" in the book: Cyclocardia armilla, Nemocardium trans-
versum, Nucula aegeensis. The author can hardly be blamed for this omis-
sion, but in spite of much dredging by oceanographic institutes, hardly
any systematic results have been published for the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

Often species are cited having their distribution entirely outside the North
American continent. Such species are not nearly as completely reported as
those from around the North American continent. For instance most of

Altena's species from Surinam apparently did not make the deadline for the
manuscript. On the other hand the number of species described from U.S.A.
coastal waters omitted or missed by the author appears to be small. As
examples can be cited Laevicardium fiski Richards, "Mulinia" pontchartrainensis
Morrison and Vioscalba lou1isianae Morrison. Such omissions are in a work j
of this size unavoidable. f
Because the work undoubtedly will be used as a standard reference for many
years to come and justifiably so, an important aspect of its usefulness is

its completeness not only in the enumeration of species, but also in the
correct assignment of genera and location data. In the numerous papers

70

about local faunas which have appeared during the last twenty years, many
misidentifications have been made, mainly because a reliable and compre-
hensive standard reference work was missing. Checklisters in the future

will not have that excuse anymore. Once erroneous reports appear in print,
they are repeated by other workers until finally everyone is convinced of

the correctness of the initial report by the weight of the later "evidence".
This course of events is illustrated by Nucula proxima, which has often

been reported for the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Abbott figures for the first

time both N. proxima and N. aegeensis on the same page with excellent figures.
From these it is obvious that the widespread Texas-Louisiana species of shal-
low water is not N. proxima, but must be very close if not identical with N.
aegeensis. Thus Abbott's second edition has proved to be quite useful. But
now there are two problems: (1) does N. proxima live in the Gulf of Mexico,
for which Abbott cites it, (2) is our species really N. aegeensis? The first
question cannot be answered without knowing the date on which the citation

is based. The second question can in principle be solved by comparing Gulf
of Mexico material with museum material of all listed species of Nucula. Thus
one can arrive at a tentative identification--provided the species is not
new--by exclusion of all nonspecific material. I might emphasize here that
this exclusion principle is the only safe method of identification. But
suppose now that one wants to identify the species described by Dall as
Nucula callicredema, which is widespread in the deeper waters of the Gulf

of Mexico. It is not listed by Abbott. This argument may suffice here to
show that some aspects of the usefulness of this compilation are difficult
to judge at present.

Most of the preceding remarks concern relatively insignificant points when
one considers the book as a whole. It impressed upon me more than anything
else the need for additional taxonomic work and more precise distribution
data. it is particularly gratifying to me that when used in conjunction
with Keen's compilation, Abbott's work will make a significant comparison of
Atlantic and Pacific faunas practical for the first time.

The book is surprisingly free of misprints: Lopho instead of Lopha on page
457, Barginella on page 250, Eulimastomia instead of Eulimastoma in the in-
dex; however a number of essential corrections in figure labels has escaped
the eye of the proofreader: 4818 should be 4810, 1508 should be 1628, 5564
should be 5524 (page 480) and 5772 (page 505) is in error. Some slight
errors in the use of Latin names have also escaped the attention of the
author: Teinostominae instead of Teinostomatinae; Glyphostoma should be of
neuter gender and Cerithiopsis has remained and is even spegially mentioned
to be of a neuter gender, which it is not. The Greek tate) Byes means ~vision
(ability to see), face, or in this context "the likeness of...."". The
neuter gender of Cerithium cannot change the feminine gender of ows . The
gender of the principal noun is always conserved and fs is not an adjecti-
val ending as for instance -oides in Parviturboides. Linga amiantus in-
stead of Linga amianta also persists, although amiantus is the Latinization
of a greek adjective meaning pure,clear, immaculate and hence should take
the ending corresponding to the gender of Linga.

In conclusion I may state that the price of $49.50 for many may be too much
of an investment, but for it one acquires the only up-to-date, fairly com-
plete and certainly authoritative overview of the North-American marine mol-
lusk fauna in existence, succinctly condensed into 663 pages.

71

BOOK REVIEWS by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

THE SHELL MAKERS. INTRODUCING MOLLUSKS. BY ALAN SOLEM. John Wiley &
Sons. 1974. 289 pages. $9.95.

Once in a great while there comes along a book that is strikingly dif-
ferent, that is readable, and that is authoritatively informational.
Such is this book and it is strongly recommended to anyone who collects
seashells seriously.

This is not a book of shell photographs for artistic or identification
purposes. This is not a check-list of shells from specific geographic
areas or from typical faunal habitats. Then what is this book all
about?

As the title indicates this is a book about mollusks - not primarily
the shell. It is an introduction to the biology, ecology and struc-
ture of shells. The point of view is that of “ecological anatomy" as
the author puts it or perhaps "paleontological biology". In the
author's own words, the book "presents new ideas about what the first
mollusks might have looked like and why it eventually had a spiral
shell". The author speculates "on the origin of shells, why pulmonate
snails are so successful on land, and why so many land snails evolved
toward slugdom".

The titles to the 13 chapters are in themselves intriguing and arrest-
ing. In order, the chapter headings are: Understanding Variety; The
Molluscan Patterns; From Life's Start to Shells; The Slow and the
Quick; Filtrationists; Gliding Browsers; Sophisticated Hunters; Vanish-
ing Freshwater; To Scrape a Living; The Road to Land; Experiments in
Living; On Becoming Sluggish; and, Why Who Lives Where.

There are 4 appendices: Outline Classification of Mollusks; Selected
References; Glossary of Terms; and, a brief section on care and feed-
ing of mollusks. The book is profusely illustrated. In addition to
color photos of living mollusks, and line drawings of good scientific
quality, there are electron microscopic photographs seldom seen out-
side the pages of specialty journals.

In the discussions, a firm scientific base is maintained, yet the
style permits ready comprehension by the average conchologist. The
book does not contain detailed descriptions that characterize a true
reference source. But the scope and authoritativeness would qualify
this book as required reading for varied courses in biology and in-
vertebrate zoology.

The author is a well known professional malacologist who is currently
Curator of Invertebrates in the Department of Zoology at the Field
Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Dr. Solem was president of the
AMU 1969-70. His research interests include systematics and zoogeo-
graphy of non-marine mollusks, evolution and comparative morphology
of slugs, and phylogeny of non-marine mollusks.

fy.

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

One of the seashells that has appeared on many, many stamps is the
Indian chank. The very first stamps issued by Cochin (a feudatory
state in the Madras States Agency in southern India) in 1892 showed the
state seal. One component of the state seal was a stylized represen-
tation of the sinistral form of the sacred Indian chank. From then
through 1949 many issues and numerous values all depicted that state
seal and with it the stylized shell.

Travencore, another feudatory state in southern India, also began to
issue stamps in 1888. The central design on the very first stamp was

a stylized Indian chank which appeared on the state seal. Through 1933,
several variations of the state seal were shown on the stamp, all of
which featured the chank shell. Later issues through 1946 became more
pictorial and the design changed. However, most of them still included
the chank shell, though this was now reduced to a tiny, incidental item
on the stamp.

In 1949, the United State of Travencore-Cochin was established and be-
gan to print stamps. The stamp design in the early issues was based on
the Travencore issues. In 1950, however, the new country issued a stamp
featuring a highly stylized chank shell as the central design.

000000000000000000000

The religious significance of the Indian chank shell is discussed in
detail by K.D. Rose in the article entitled "The Religious Use of
Turbinella pyrum (Linnaeus), The Indian Chank'' which appeared in The
Nautilus, 88.1-5, January, 1974. It is interesting to note that the
name for this shell was considered to be Xancus pyrum (through a

ruling on priority by the International Commission on Zoological
Nomenclature in 1926). However, the ruling was reversed in 1957, "form-
ally suppressing the name Xancus and requiring the use of the name
Turbinella." The Indian Chank Shell, therefore, is Turbinella pyrum
(Linnaeus).

occ000000000000000000

The problem with some Japanese books on seashells is the fact that the
text is in Japanese. The color photographs are superb and the Latin
names provide satisfactory identification. But the rest of the ma-
terial is not understood.

A case in point is the book called "KAI (SHELLS)', co-authored by
Tadashige Habe and Sadao Kosuge. The fly-leaf translation of the title
into English is "Common Shells of Japan in Color by Dr. Tadashige Habe".
The main text under each item concerns the usual scientific data
(professionally done) dealing with description, habitat, distribution
and so forth. But the "footnotes" are something else again. They are
tidbits of most fascinating information.

As one browses through these footnotes (which, incidentally, are appended
vertically along the outside margins of the pages) one learns, for ex-
ample, of the approximate numbers of species found in Japan for a num-
ber of genera. Some of the numerous molluscan speciations in Japanese
waters include: Arcidae (50 species); Mytilidae (74); Pectiniade (62);

73

Cardiidae (60); Veneridae (125); Limidae (29); Asaphidae (35);
Dentaliidae (31); Chitons (90); Fasciolariidae (69); Mitridae (180);
Olividae (38); Conidae (120); Turridae (400+); Terebridae (75);
Epitoniidae (100); Buccinidae (230); Nassariidae (71); Pyrenidae (65);
Rapidae (52); Muricidae (200+); Cymatiidae (61); Cypraeidae (75);
Eulimidae (100+); Maticidae (90); Strombidae (38); Cerithidae (70);
Neritidae (40); Turbinidae (40); Fissurellidae (60); and, so on.

Other footnote items include mini-biographies of people and notations
of events of significance to Japanese malacology. One reads that
Hilgendorf in 1875 purchased in a souvenir shop in Enoshima the slit
shell that established the existence of Pleurotomariidae in Japanese
waters. However, what is probably Mikadotrochus beyrichii was figured
as early as 1843 in a Japanese book. Early publications describing the
molluscan fauna from this area were written by people like Philipp
Franz von Siebold who collected in Japan from 1823-30 and 1859-61.
Arthur Adams also collected in Japan in 1843-46 and 1859-61. William
Dunker published "Mollusca Japonica" (1860) and 'Index Molluscorum
Maria Japonica" (1882).

The origins of many Japanese (and occasionally Latin) names for the
seashells are discussed. Sometimes these comments appear to be spec-
ulative but nonetheless they are intriguing. For example, Guildfordia
yoka is a fascinating shell and I had wondered what gave rise to the
specific name of yoka. On page 17 of the book, it is stated that this
is the expression for "good" or "fine'’ in the Kyushu (southern Japan)
dialect. The name implies a good or a fine shell. (You can take it
or leave it but it is a fact that the adjective is in daily use today
in southern Japan).

The Japanese designations for the sheils are truly fascinating, des-
criptive and picturesque. The Japanese name for Lunatia marmorata
translates into "the shell that shines in the night". Terebridae are
"bamboo shoot'' shells. Conidae are "potato shells". Cowries are
"treasure shells''. The genus Donax are called “children (offsprings)
of the waves". Spondylus barbatus sheds its beard and becomes, in
Japanese, the "chrysanthemum of the sea’. Some names are more or less
direct translations of the Latin such as "purple-mouthed coral dweller"
for Coralliophila violacea. Occasionally, the names are practically
identical with the English common names. These include the "moon and
sun" shell for Amusium japonicum, "spider shell" for Lambis lambis,
"quail" instead of "partridge' tun for Tonna perdix. Rapa rapa remains
the "turnip shell''. But how about "devil's fang brush shell" for

Mitra papalis?

Lambis chiragra is the 'word for water shell". This derived from the
arrangement of the six spines of the mollusk which was thought to re-
semble the Chinese character for "water''. We recognize Arcidae as

"ark shells". The well-known Arca noae from European waters refers to
"Noah's ark". Arcidae are called "boat shells" in Japan. It is stres-
sed, however, that the designation originated independently in the
Orient and was not derived from the Occidental reference to "ark".

When Japanese names and particularly Japanese words are incorporated

in the generic or specific designations, it becomes impossible for the
non-Japanese to guess their origins. For example, let us look at
Mancinella siro. "Siro'' means "white" in Japanese but the spelling needs
comment. During the recent World War nationalistic feelings ran high
and anti-American attitudes influenced even the spelling of words.

74

White is still pronounced "shiro" and used to be written that way be-
fore the war. To indicate Japanese nationalism "shiro" changed to
"siro". Now the word is written both ways.

In typical Japanese style, a number of short poems are inserted here and
there. These poems relate to shells in various ways but the understand-

ing of the subtleties of poetry requires more than a casual knowledge of
the language.

OC0DD0D00000000000000000

SEA SHELLS by S. PETER DANCE. Bantam Book/Grossett & Dunlap, Inc.
1973. 159 pages. $1.45.

This paperback is the British counterpart of Abbott's well-known Sea
‘Shells of the World. The book is small, inexpensive and informational.
It is a useful book for beginners and is suitable even for those who
consider themselves more than casual shell collectors. It is recom-
mended highly.

NOTICE OF SAN MARCOS SHELL SHOW

The San Marcos Shell Club will present "Our Molluscan Heritage from
the Land and Sea'', a bi-annual shell show, according to a schedule of
events received from Mrs. R. Thacher Gary, on October 11 and 12, 1975,
in San Marcos at the Austin Savings and Loan Association Building, 308
East Hopkins Street, San Marcos, Texas. Anyone interested in entering
this show should write Route 1, Box 327C, San Marcos, Texas 78666, for
a schedule. Deadline for returning entry blanks is September 12, 1975.

A number of our members prepared entries for the first San Marcos show
two years ago and were successful with them, winning several awards.
Mrs. Gary remarked in her note that this show will be an official Bi-
centennial affair and is being given nationwide publicity.

75

wht

B i: faa :

CONCHOLOGIST

VOLUME XI, NO. 4 JUNE, 1975

NOTES & NEWS

The Officers and Directors for 1975-1976 are as follows:

President Wilson Ward Pa
Program Vice-President Frank Petway \
Field Trip Vice-President Ruby Ray 4
Treasurer James Sartor iL LAN,
Recording Secretary Cynthia Biasca % ‘
Corresponding Secretary Margaret Baldwin ir ,
Directors Yo

Merle Kleb WILLIAM H. DALL
Jim Hudson “ SECTIONAL LIBRARY
Sr ae eee DIVISION OF MOLLUSKS
Rosemary Habermacher

At the April General Meeting, Dr. Sutow was the speaker. His topic

was "'molluscana"' which covered several diverse areas. Of special
interest to Conchology Society members everywhere was his wonderful
tribute to Ernest Libby, a member from Saipan who died recently.

Along with a commentary of charm and humor, he showed about 40 slides
of "Ernie". Dr. Sutow presented the club with a check for $100.00,
given by Dr. & Mrs. Sutow, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Kister, Mrs. George Major and
Dr. Margaret P. Sullivan to buy books for the library in Ernest Libby's
name.

The May Shell Show was a great success, both in terms of interest from
the public and financial return. The gross income from the Shell Shop
was $1,924.00, netting us, after expenses, $1,833.35.

At the May General Meeting, the club voted to add $50.00 to the Ernest
Libby Memorial Fund, and to give $300.00 to the Museum of Natural
Science for operating expenses. It was also decided to publish an

extra issue of the Texas Conchologist next year, a continuation of
Helmer Ode's articles, with this bonus issue to be mainly figures (illu-
strations) of shells previously discussed.

The Conchology library at the Museum of Natural Science will be open
weekends to members this summer. Ask for Susan at the information desk.

76

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional! postage
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES

Family membership

Single membership
Student membership
Single issues

Extra sets mailed members

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
William R. Keeler Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
729-6958 723-3628
5827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street
Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Ode W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233

3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

Dues for the 1975-76 fiscal year starting June 1 are due and payable to:

Houston Conchology Society
James Sartor, Treasurer
5606 Duxbury

Houston, Texas 77035

DIRECTIONS TO 13 MILE ROAD FROM HOUSTON FOR JULY 19, FIELD TRIP

Take Inter. 45 to Galveston. Get off at 61st Street exit. Turn right
at 6lst Street and proceed straight ahead on 61st Street until it
intersects with Sea Wall Blvd. (F.M. 3005). Turm right and proceed
straight ahead towards San Luis Pass. 13 Mile Road intersects with
San Luis Pass Road 6.2 miles after you come down off Sea Wall Blvd.
Turn left at intersection and proceed to beach.

FALL AUCTION NEEDS SHELLS

Mrs. Barbara Hudson has accepted as Chairperson for the Fall Auction.
Donations of shells for the sale are needed urgently. If you are col-
lecting this summer, collect for the auction; if you are trading shells,
trade for the auction; if you are screening dredgings, screen for the
auction. Duplicates, triplicates, even quadruplicates are welcome. All
proceeds go to the club.

a7

SHARPSTOWN SHELL SHOW by Lloyd Meister, Chairman

Displays by members filled the east end of the Mall and were grouped
for easy viewing by the public. This encouraged seeing all the dis-
plays. Votes from the public awarded Wilson Ward the first place rib-
bon and Constance Boone the second for most popular exhibits.

This is a non-judged show to encourage membership in the Houston Con-
chology Society, Inc., and to afford the chance to offer donated shells
in the Shell Store for the purpose of deriving funds to maintain our
growing library,available to members and housed at the Houston Museum

of Natural Science. Funds are also used for assistance in publishing
The Texas Conchologist, a quarterly mailed to members, the Newsletter,
sent nine times a year before meetings, and for other planned publi-
cations. A yearly sum is given to the Houston Museum of Natural Science
where the Society meets. The Society is a non-profit organization de-
voted to study and enjoyment of mollusks and other sea life.

Displays were set up as follows:

Fritz Lang, a general collection.

Clarice Van Erp, growth series of Pleuroploca gigantea, and
other large shells, mostly orange, her favorite color.

Constance Boone, Spondylus from Florida and Gulf of California.

Laurence and Anella Dexter, Texas beach collection.

Ruth Goodson, Pectens and large worldwide shells.

Gary LeBlanc, age 16, worldwide.

Deborah Mahavier, age 13, general.

Mary Myers, rare shells of the past and shells from Mauritius.

Wilson Ward, Cypraeidae and Conidae, also worldwide.

Rosemary Habermacher, Murex and worldwide.

Fannie Miron, table for the blind.

Margaret Rogers, table for the children.

Cynthia Biasca, Florida shells.

Linda Serrill, shells from Matagorda Peninsula.

Lloyd Meister, Strombus.

John Edstrom, decorative shells.

Mary Lea Bivona, worldwide.

Laura Montgomery, Lambis and Epitonidae.

Sam Miron, worldwide, other marine life, display on how to
clean shells.

Doug Reynolds, microscopes.

Frank van Morkhoven, photos of micro-mollusks.

Margaret Baldwin, Shells from Baja California.

Tina Petway, Conidae.

The success of this show is due in great measure to these members who
took the time to bring their shells to the Mall for this special event
sponsored by the Society.

78

SHELL STORE REPORT by Carole Courtade, Chairman

The shell store proved to be a very popular part of our 1975 shell show.
We met and talked to people from various parts of the world, including
Canada, Alaska, Scotland, England and Singapore, as well as many people
from Houston who professed an interest in joining The Houston Conchology
Society. We invited them to attend our May meeting, and information
slips were distributed to the public.

Financially, the store also proved successful. We completely sold out

of packaged trays, Texas boxes, filled cockles and the smaller filled
shells, plastic box arrangements and driftwood. We had over 800 packages
of individual non-specimen shells and over 600 specimen packages and

sold most of these. This success is due to the many hours of hard work
given so faithfully and cheerfully by a number of our members. Those

of us who worked together for so many sessions found it very rewarding
because we all learned while we worked and because we became much bet-
ter acquainted with each other. We were especially pleased that some

of our newer members joined with us in preparing for the show. We

want to thank Ruby Ray for the popular Texas shell boxes and Mary Myers
for making ail of the plastic covers for the boxes, as well as the ballot
box and various signs; Barbara Hudson for cleaning, packaging and
identifying all the specimen shells; Margie Woods for cleaning, packag-
ing and identifying the non-specimen shells; Merle Kleb for the beauti-
ful plastic box arrangements; Constance Boone for all of the driftwood
and for pricing everything in the store; Jo and Beth Irwin for making
the small filled shells; Tina Petway for the driftwood arrangement
samples; Mary Courtade for the filled large cockles; Rosemary Habermacher
for all of the price signs and the "butterflies from the sea" arrange-
ments; Ruth Goodson for the plastic boxes of small shells, the Janthinas,
and the many shells she brought us from Baja. These same members, along
with Leola Glass, Cynthia Biasca, Margaret Baldwin, Thelma Loughmiller,
Fannie Miron, Sam Miron, and Hazel McKee cleaned shells and packaged

all of the trays.

We also thank those who worked in the store for their many hours of
help: Rosemary Habermacher, Cynthia Biasca, Mary Ann Curtis, Margaret
Baldwin, Clarie Van Erp, Ruby Ray, Constance Boone, Ruth Goodson, Jo
Irwin, Beth Irwin, Barbara Hudson, Jim Hudson, Thelma Loughmiller,
Fannie Miron, Sam Miron, Jim Sartor, Lloyd Meister, Merle Kleb, Tina
Petway, Delssohn Conway, Mary Courtade, Wilson Ward, Jane Maier, Mary
Lea Bivona, Jane Mahavier, Helmer Ode'’and Frank van Morkhoven.

Lastly, we thank everyone who donated shells (and some who hurriedly
went home at night and cleaned and sorted some of their own shells for
the store when we began to sell out). We are most grateful to our out-
of-town members, Miss Mary K. Foote of South Padre Island; Mrs. Bonnie
G. Holiman of Jacksonville, Florida; Dr. George E. Metz of Pleasanton,
California; and George G. Gundaker of Atlantic City, New Jersey, for
their most generous donations of shells. These helped tremendously and
enabled us to offer a much larger variety of shells for sale.

Total receipts of store $1,924.50 !!

There will be some expenses before the net amount can be determined.
This gross total does not include the expense check from Sharpstown Mall
which will help pay for tables.

79

A TRIBUTE TO ERNEST L. LIBBY, SHELL COLLECTOR
AND FRIEND by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Ernie Libby, beachcombing along
the shores on the lagoon side,
Rongelap Island of the Rongelap
Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1969.

This is the "aurak" (Strombus
taurus) country he loved so much,

Ernie Libby was born in New Hampshire on July 11, 1909 and died in
Honolulu on April 3, 1975.

Ernie had many talents - and was the master of most of them. He is best
known as a photographer (marine life), shell collector and electronics
engineer. His photograph of the Scotch Bonnet (Phalium granulatum) sit-
ting on top of the column of eggs it is depositing is one of the earliest
and most famous pictures (widely reprinted) of living mollusks. His
article, "Miracle of the Mermaid's Purse" first appeared in the National
Geographic Magazine in September, 1959 and was republished in the book
"Wondrous World of Fishes". Many of these photographs were the result of
his work at the Marine Studios at Jacksonville, Florida, from 1953 to
1960. Since then Ernie's photographs have appeared in a number of
quality magazines and books.

In recent years, Ernie directed the section of Medical Photography at
the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in
Houston from 1960 to 1966. Ernie joined the Houston Conchology Society
in 1960 and continued his membership until his death. Ernie is res-
ponsible for the format of the TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST; the masthead is his
design. In 1966, he moved to Saipan to become a renowned teacher of
medical electronics and a friend of the native Micronesians.

Ernie possessed a unique feeling for artistic beauty. One expression of
this talent was the preparation of several portfolios of prints of X-ray
pictures of seashells. To his many friends, Ernie's outstanding per-
sonal attributes were his unlimited energy and contagious enthusiasm.
One of the most memorable events occurred many years back on the Bolivar
peninsula one cold windy wintry day. We dug up a mess of quahogs (pol-
lution was minimal then) and Ernie cooked, out there at the beach, some

genuine New England clam chowder. That really warmed up the body and
nourished the spirit.

Ernie had many dreams that he did not have the time to fulfill. One was
to serve to his fellow collectors a New England clam bake complete with
lobster and all the trimmings, prepared in the field. He left for the
South Pacific too soon. Another was a photographic portfolio of selected
seashells. He had a thousand ideas that had to be put into hibernation
_while he underwent surgery (several times) on his eyes. Perhaps the

80

grandest dream he had was the construction of a museum on Saipan to
preserve the Micronesian history and culture. The site was already
selected. Prominent in these plans was an aquarium and a large shell
display. He died too soon.

Ernie had an instinctive sense of timing. Even under the most trying
circumstances, he communicated a wry humor that somehow eased the tension.
And when the tables were turned and Ernie himself was the subject and not
the cameraman, he really went to town. Hundreds of pictures attest to
the unique histrionic ability with which Ernie was blessed.

We shall miss him.

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Editing a publication is no mean feat and William R. Keeler, the present
editor, should receive well-deserved thanks for undertaking the responsi-
bilities. He is doing the job well. By the same token, Helmer Ode earned
highest commendations for so superbly guiding the TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST
during the preceding 10 years.

When a manuscript is forwarded to the editor, he may not have a precise
knowledge of the exact space that the article will fill when printed. It
is inevitable that blank spaces will be left over sometimes. Since these
problems surface when the pages are laid out, there may be insufficient
time to write additional material.

Hence we come to the subject of "fillers''. They are those little bits of
reading that fill out the pages - so well illustrated in the magazine
READER'S DIGEST.

In order to help out our editor it is proposed to prepare a number of short
paragraphs that the editor might use as the need arises. In order to main-
tain some continuity in the subject matter used as fillers, these brief
paragraphs will be prepared under the following headings: "Shell Books of
the Recent Past'', "Mini-Book Reviews" and "'Mini-Biographies''. It is hoped
that if these fillers turn out to be useful, other subjects might be ad-
ded and that the readers may themselves forward contributions. As fillers,
these paragraphs will be so written that the editor can lop off one
sentence at a time (from the bottom) to fit the space need. What will
appear in print, then, will vary in completeness with which the subject is
discussed.

©00000000000000000000

"Shell Books of the Recent Past'' will be short comments on those publi-

cations which appeared before 1950 (but after 1920) and which may not be
published again in revised editions. For practical reasons, only those

books in this writer's personal library will be reviewed initially. Al-
most all of these books are out of print. The titles of many may be un-
familiar to the current generation of shell collectors.

81

OODDDDD00000000000000

LA CONCHIGLIA has been mentioned as an Italian publication that is printed
in English, usually 10 issues to a volume during one year. The current
volume completes the 6th year. Some beautiful color photographs of sea-
shells have appeared in these pages.

Nawona A. Gary of the San Marcos Shell Club (and a fellow collector well-
known to many of us) has written an article on "The Genus Lambis Roding,
1798". Colorful photographs show two views of each of the species dis-
cussed (photographs are credited to Mrs. Elizabeth Dibrell). The text
concerns the author's efforts "in collecting this genus by purchase only".

In the following issue (January/February, 1975, Volume VII, No. 71/72)
the author continues the subject and discusses "Taxonomy - the Characters
that Determine Classification". Additional photographs are provided to
illustrate the significant characteristics of the subgenus, species and
subspecies that comprise this genus. These articles nicely supplement
the scientific presentation of the genus by R.T. Abbott in Indo-Pacific
Mollusca 1:147-174, 1961. (This is the only reference listed by the
author in these two articles.)

000000000000000000000

THE TABULATA (named for Neptunea tabulata) was a quarterly publication
(and a darn good one) of the Santa Barbara Malacological Society (Cali-
fornia). Beginning in 1967, seven volumes were published through
October, 1974. Then the journal ceased publication.

During its lifetime, THE TABULATA published a number of top quality
articles emphasizing heavily the mollusks of the American West Coast.
Typical of its sensitivity towards scientific integrity, the final com-
munication from this journal was a well-edited index of the material that
had been published.

000000000000000000000

The meetings of the American Association for Cancer Research and the
American Society of Clinical Oncology were held in San Diego, California,
this year. The scientific sessions as usual were excellent and instruc-
tive. The meetings, however, produced unrelated bonuses as far as [I was
concerned.

First, I had the opportunity, after a long period of time, to eat fresh
abalone. These were of the green variety and were caught off the coast
of Mexico. They were prepared, to order, by the Japanese cuisine at the
restaurant. While many will sing the praises of the "abalone steak"
(pounded and then prepared) nothing, in my opinion, can match the dish
prepared by the Oriental techniques.

Second, and perhaps more memorable, I had the chance to meet Colonel
(retired) George A. Hanselman. Those who have seen the chitons prepared

by this gentleman will realize how well they can be mounted. We spent

a whole afternoon browsing through his chiton collection. While Colonel
Hanselman has a splendid general collection, systematically and effectively
kept in his cabinets, it is easily apparent that his first love is the

82

chiton group.

Colonel Hanselman took time to show me the equipment he uses to tie down
the chitons. His technique is well described in several publications
but it is hard to put into print the meticulousness with which he works
and the patience he has. Perhaps as impressive as the chiton collection
was Colonel Hanselman's library (on chiton literature). Ome left with

a deep respect for his knowledge of the subject and appreciation for his
and Mrs. Hanselman's hospitality.

I was very anxious to learn if any new publications on chitons are in the
offing. There doesn't seem to be one, not just yet. Most impressive to
me was to learn that Pilsbry's books still appear to be the best on the
subject - but getting the two volumes from the set is something else again.

000000000000000000000

Talking about books, the sudden plethora of excellent references for the
collector is a relatively new development. Except for some continuing
monograph series (JOHNSONIA, INDO-PACIFIC MOLLUSCA, OCCASIONAL PAPERS ON
MOLLUSKS) most of the books used widely by the collectors have been pub-
lished after 1950. Here are the dates of the first edition of some of
them:

Title Year of Publication
Kira: The Shells of Japan 1954
Abbott: American Seashells 1954
Keen: Sea Shells of Tropical West America 1958
Warmke & Abbott: Caribbean Seashells 1961
Habe: The Shells of Japan (II) 1961
Cernohorsky: Marine Shells of the Pacific 1967
Burgess: The Living Cowries 1970

FIELD BIOLOGY COURSE

Dr. T.E. Pulley, Director of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, will
teach a Field Biology course four Thursdays in July, beginning July 10.
There will be at least two field trips on weekends, one probably to the
Huntsville or Big Thicket area and one to the seashore area. The course
is part of the Continuing Education series offered by the University of
Houston. Fee is $15.00 per person. Anyone over 65 can attend free.
Information on registration can be secured at the Houston Museum or at
the University of Houston Continuing Education Center. Classes will be
held at The Houston Museum and are evening sessions, starting at 7:30PM.

000000000000000000000

The supplement to "American Malacologists" edited by R. Tucker Abbott,
mentioned in the December issue, will be available in June for $2.00.
The original "American Malacologists" is now published in paperback

at $4.75. Either or both may be ordered from "American Malacologists",
P. 0. Box 4208, Greenville, Delaware, 19807.

83

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO
(A Continuing Monograph) by H. Ode’

PART I -- CRASSATELLACEA - POROMYACEA

Note on Crassinella:

In a previous issue of the Texas Conchologist (Vol. 11, 3, p. 56-59)

the genus Crassinella was discussed and data were given on a wide-

spread but so far unidentifiable small species, Crassinella spec.

indet. A. Since then it has come to my attention that a very similar
species was described by Dall from the Pliocene of Florida (Caloosahatchee)
under the name Carssatellites (Crassinella) acuta Dall, 1963, T.W.1.S.,
Wells 35 wea: O52 (yo WAZA silane SO, aesiero. ily 14.

I believe that Crassinella spec. indet. A is identical with C. acuta
Dall, an opinion already earlier expressed by Smith (ref. 196) in 1962,
who identified C. acuta in the Pleistocene deposits of the Mississippi
delta (La.). Thus it appears that this small species still lives
abundantly in sandy mudbottoms of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. A compar-
ison with the type specimen of C. acuta Dall has not yet been made.

Two photographs by Mr. van Morkhoven of this small species are given
below, both from single valves obtained in a lot off the Texas coast
near Galveston in 14 fms. of water. Both valves are somewhat wider
than is typical for this species and in general the ventral margin is
more sagging so that the vaives are more sharply triangular than is
shown. Juvenile specimens of C. lunulata of the same size as the photo-
graphed ones are much wider, more curved, thicker shelled and more
coarsely ribbed.

A photograph of Crassinella spec. indet. B is also given. It is im-
mediately apparent that this is quite a different species with a curved
anterior side (the beaks are opisthogyrate) and quite different surface
sculpture.

84

FIGURE 1

Inner side of right valve of Crassinella c.f. acuta

Dall, to show hinge Size: 2.5 mm.

FIGURE 2

Outside of left valve of Crassinella c.f. acuta Dall,

to show reticulate sculpture and radial color bands.
Size: 2.06 m.

85

FIGURE 3

Crassinella spec. indet. B, from Texas shelf area, 11

RSS fms.
of water. Size: 1.34

Photos by Frank van Morkhoven

86

SUPERFAMILY CARDIACEA

FAMILY CARDIIDAE

Genus Papyridea Swainson, 1946.

19. Papyridea spec. indet. A.
This apparently undescribed species is endemic to the Texas

faunal province. It lives all over the offshore shelf in
sandy mud bottoms and also has been collected from beach-
drift on Mustang and Padre Islands and at Sabine, Texas. It
probably lives aiso in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, because

I have seen a valve in dredgings from the West Coast of
Florida. P. soleniformis and P. spec. indet. A. are so dif-
ferent, both in shape and in color that they can be distin-
guished at a glance, and it is therefore remarkable that the
species so long remained undescribed. The species has been
figured (as P. soleniformis Brug.) and reported (as P.
soleniformis Brug. several times. A description of this
species will be published in The Nautilus.

This species can be readily separated from P. soleniformis
by the following differences:

1. P. spec. indet. A is considerably smaller than P.
soleniformis (30 mm. versus 45 mm. for large individuals).

2. P. spec. indet. A is more regularly elliptical. Its
ventral margin does not sag towards the posterior end
as in P. soleniformis, which makes the umbo of P.
soleniformis appear to be placed more towards the front
than in P. spec. indet. A.

3. The ribbing of P. spec. indet. A is flattened and smoothed
out on the disc.

4. The hinge is lighter and less developed than in P.
soleniformis.

5. Its color pattern is reddish or orange with a different
arrangement of flecks.

*References for the Texas faunal province are (all as P.
soleniformis):

139, listed for the outer shelf, Plate 39, fig. 49;
145, listed;

156, common on Stetson Bank (ex parte); 170, listed for
deep shelf assemblage; 201, Mudlump fauna in
Mississippi delta;

206, beach records Texas Conchologist, Vol. 2, (8).

*Footnote: The number in "references for the Texas faunal Province!
refer to the serial numbers of the Bibliography of Texas
literature published in Texas Conchologist, Vol. XI,
(1), p. 7-18.

87

20.

Papyridea c.f. semisulcatum Gray, 1825.
Cardium semisulcatum Gray, 1825; Ann. of Phil. 25 (n.s.),

jo | LSks}.,

A single very small, fresh juvenile valve (1.5mm.) of this
species was taken from beachdrift at the coast guard station
at South Padre Island. It is so different from either juveniles
of P. soleniformis or P. limosa that there can be no doubt
of its being a different species. It agrees well with juvenile
material we have seen from the Ajax reef off Florida. Remark-
able is the very small prodissoconch of the shell (}0.1mm.).
Whether the species lives along the Texas coast remains an
open question, because at the location it was taken, often
exotic shells are found. These are brought in by shrimpers and
lost overboard when the decks are cleared coming into port. A
number of such species may succeed in establishing themselves
for several years, but usually their population dies out in
winter time.

References for the Texas faunal province are: 206, beach record,
Texas Conchologist, Vol. 7, p. 83.

Records H.M.N.S.: a single lot of one juvenile valve.

Eastern Pacific analogue: None

Genus Americardia Stewart, 1930.

21.

In the Treat. Invert. Paleont., Keen considers Americardia as a
subgenus of Trigoniocardia. We shall follow here the conventional
usage of ranking it as a full genus (see also Abbott, 1958). Rather
square shells, with the posterior slope set off by a ridge. In
Texas only a single fairly large species.

Americardia media Linne, 1758.

Cardium medium Linne, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th Ed., p. 678.
This species is widespread over the Texas-Louisiana shelf area,
living in sandy and silty bottoms. Live material is.rare, and
when taken, is most often obtained from the offshore coral and
algal reefs. The specimens from the latter locations are more
starkly and contrastingly colored than those of muddy environ-
ments. This conforms with a trend in most groups: of mollusks,
where specimens from calcareous environments, even when living
below the substrate, are more vividiy colored than those from
mud bottoms. Some specimens in the H.M.N.S. collection are
dark yellow inside with a purple splotch of color inside the
crest. Small juveniles of 2 mm. size exhibit the shape of
mature specimens.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 156, com-
mon on Stetson Bank; 174, listed; 175, outer shelf in 40-65
fms., rare Texas coast, not alive, sandbottom; 192, figured;
206, Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 80.

Records H.M.N.S.: 32 lots of which 5 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 9-55 fms.; alive: 9-24 fms., in sandy mud, algal
and coral reef, and Miocene shale outcrops.

Geographical Range: Entire Caribbean Province, from N. Carolina
to Brazil, reported by Altena from Surinam (1971).

Maximum Size: 45 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Trigoniocardia (Americardia)
guanacastensis Hertlein and Strong, 1947. "Cape San Lucas,
Gulf of California to Paita, Peru'' (Keen, 1971).

8&8

FIGURE 4

Inner side of right valve of Papyridea soleniformis
(Bruguiere, 1789) collected on the offshore shelf off
western Louisiana in calcareous environment in 30 fms.

FIGURE 5

Outer side of same right valve. Size: 37.3 m.

Photos by Frank van Morkhoven

89

FIGURE 6

Outer side of right valve of Papyridea spec. indet. A.
taken on the Texas shelf off Galveston in 25 fms. of
water.

FIGURE 7

Inner side of same right valve of Papyridea spec. indet.
A. Size: 24.5 X 18.0 mm.

Photos by Frank van Morkhoven

90

Genus Dinocardium Dali, 1900.

In the Treat. of Invert. Paleont., Vol. N, Keen considers
Dinocardium as a subgenus of Laevicardium. Abbott, 1958,
investigated the anatomy of the soft parts and reported "'a
great similarity in the two raised, complete siphons of
Laevicardium laevigatum Linne and Laevicardium (Dinocardium)
robustum Solander"'. There are however, a number of characters
which we shall discuss, that make this arrangement not so
certain as it appears. These characteristics are those of

the juvenile shell which for Dinocardium are so completely
different from those of Laevicardium that, in my opinion,

a careful reassessment of the generic affiliation of Dinocardium
is necessary. Unfortunately I can find little or no in-
formation about the morphological characteristics of juvenile
bivalves in the literature because descriptions of bivalves
are entirely based on fully grown material. The reason for
this is the lack of juvenile material in our museums.

Juvenile specimens of D. robustum (1/2-3 mm.) are quite re-
markable. In the first place, this giant Cardiid has an
extremely small prodissoconch (0.2 mm.) very much smaller than
I expected to find. After growing to about several times that
size, sharp triangular costae appear in a rather smooth shell.
Juveniles of about 2-3 mm. then have a very elegant shape, with
slightly 'S' shaped costae, but two characteristics stand out
particularly: 1) on the posterior side the last two radial
ribs are clearly spinose, carrying about 8-10 minute sharp
spines. When the shell grows, these spines become submerged
in rough knobs. 2) the costae of the posterior side are
somewhat distinct in shape and structure from those on the
anterior and median field, suggesting a relationship with the
Fraginae. In fact, the whole aspect of Dinocardium at that
state reminds one strongly of a species such as Americardia
guppyi Thiele. The shell is wider than high, the anterior ribs
increase slowly in emphasis toward the posterior and suddenly
become smaller and more crowded. There is also an indication
of a flexure in the ventral margin such as can be observed in
Americardia media. Moreover, the last sharply triangular rib
of the median field which is the highest and best developed,
forms a kind of a crest. When these shells increase in size
all these characteristics become submerged in the coarseness
of further development. The costae flatten out and become
somewhat uneven. Still to be noted is the fact that in some of
the immature valves of 2-4 mm. size one can observe fine small
pustules or scaly-like structures on the sides of the costae.
Such pustules are present f.i. in Papyridea and scales in
Americardia guppyi.

The most unexpected aspect of the Dinocardium problem is the
fact that among the material in the H.M.N.S. two clearly
distinct species are present. One representing the bulk of
this material leads in a continuous sequence of size to shells
in excess of 5 inches in largest dimensions. The other un-
described (?) species is present only in two valves of 2.2 m.,
which are clearly different from the others, but unmistakably
related to Dinocardium. It is at present not possible to say
whether these valves are mature, but that this also should be

a giant is highly unlikely. On the other hand, it remains

91

puzzling that one species should become gigantic while the other
would stay under one centimeter in size. In these notes, the
problem of Dinocardium cannot be settled. Necessary is an
anatomical investigation not of full grown but of immature ma-
terial of the genera Dinocardium and Americardia. Here I shall
classify Dinocardium in the Fraginae on the basis of the dis-
cussed characteristics and because the evidence suggests to me
that D. robustum is a gigantic form of a group of normally
small sized shells, probably related to Americardia puppyi, a
species probably absent in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

22. Dinocardium robustum Lightfoot, 1786.
Cardium robustum Lightfoot, 1786, Portland Cat., p. 58.
(syn. Cardium ventricosum Bruguiere, 1789, Encycl. Meth.,
Vol. 1, p. 228 and Dinocardium robustum vanhyningi Clench
and Smith, 1944, Johnsonia, Vol. 1, (15)
The largest Cardiid of our coast lives commonly in the mud-
flats near the inlets. Live specimens can often be dug at low
tide at Bolivar Pass and San Luis Pass and have been taken at
Port Aransas. Especially after rough weather, dead shells are
common on our beaches and juvenile specimens of about 2 mm. are
on occasion plentiful in beachdrift along all Texas outer
beaches. Dead shells can be found all along the Texas and
Louisiana coast. In dredged samples from offshore Galveston
locations,dead shells are common to a depth of 25 fms. and have
been taken at 43 fms., but those are probably fossil. Ref.123
mentions offshore populations in shallow water. The species
has also been mentioned for the Texas marine Pleistocene (refs.
66, 182). The subspecies D. robustum vanhyningi Clench and
Smith, 1944, is in my opinion, merely a form and washes ashore
with typically shaped D. robustum and may not deserve sub-
specific recognition. The assymmetry in shape of D. robustum
vanhyningi develops slowly in mature to senile specimens
living in a soft substrate. I have never seen material less
than two inches in diameter which displays this.asymmetrical
shape. In older references this species has been reported as
Cardium magnum Born, 1780, which is the same (not of Linne,
1758).

References for the Texas faunal province are: 1, C. ventricosum
Brug., common at Galveston; 15, C. magnum Born, single valves
common at Galveston, Mustang and Padre Islands; 18, C. magnum
Born, abundant at Galveston and Corpus Christi; 19, C. magnum
Born, common from east end Matagorda Peninsula to Corpus
Christi Pass. Living at 3 to 4 inches in sand; 27, C. magnum,
listed; 45, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Padre Island; Galveston
well at 2552-2600 feet; 58, Padre Island; 61, C. Magnum Born,
Corpus Christi area; 62, C. mapnum Born,Mustang and Padre
Islands; 65, C. magnum Born, common along entire coast of Texas;
66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel; 69, gulf
beaches of Texas; 79, Corpus Christi; Port Aransas; 98, listed
for bays, beach Padre Island; 110, found on all beaches of
Texas, Pl. 10, figs, 1, 2; 123, a single live specimen in 3-6
fms. off Green's Bayou, old valves in 6% fms., 20 miles west
of Sabine, Texas; 126, outer sandy beaches and near shore areas
of Carolinian Province; 135, dead in Gulf, dead in bays; 136,
dead at two stations off East Texas at depths of 7 - 9 fms.

92

23%

145, upper sound, shallow shelf dead; 149, Stetson Bank; 153,
listed in Table 1; 160, dead at one location in Matagorda Bay;
164, dead in open bay margin and inlet assemblage at Rockport;
170, shallow shelf assemblage off East Texas; 174, listed; 175,
inner shelf 2-12 fms., common, East Mississippi Delta to Mexico;
188, listed; 201, Mudlump fauna Mississippi Delta; 206, beach
records Tex. Conch., Vol. 2 (8); 208, "shelf mud and silt and
tidal influence assemblages"; 225, Galveston, 236, Galveston;
248, Bolivar Peninsula; 253, fresh pairs and single valves on
reef off Padre Island; 261, listed for offshore Galveston;

269, figured on page 181.

Records H.M.N.S.: 54 lots, of which 11 contain live collected

material.

Depth Range: 0-43 fms.; alive 0-12 fms. in sandy bottoms.
Geographical Range: Restricted to northern fringe of Caribbean

faunal province from New Jersey to North Florida and west Florida
to Honduras.

Maximum Size: 128 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None. It may be remarked that

Laevicardium elatum Sowerby, 1833, a similar, but not related,
giant lives in similar environments (Southern California as far
south as Panama).

Dinocardium spec. indet. A

Our material is insufficient to describe this species. Moreover,
there is a remote chance that they are juveniles of Americardia
guppyi, a species not yet obtained in our area but which is
known from Campeche Bank (ref. 214, pl. 14, fig. 1-2). Until
more material is uncovered we shall merely point out some dif-
ferences. The main one is that the umbo is reticulated and is
pointed quite forward so that the posterior part is larger and
much higher. Our photographs,to be published in a later issue,
will show these differences quite clearly.

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots, each consisting of a single valve, one

collected in a depth of 4 to 8 fms.(26° 42' - 97° 18') and the
other in 7.5 fms.(28° 58' 29" - 949 19', Heald Bank area).

Genus Laevicardium Swainson, 1940.

24.

Ribs without spines, often very smooth, fairly thin shelled. In
our area only a single subgenus, Laevicardium s.s., with several
species among which an endemic one.

Laevicardium fiski Richards, 1954.

Laevicardium fiski Richards, 1954, Nat. Naturae, 263, 8 p.
Acad. Nat. Sci., 1954.
In the list of mollusks for the N.W. Gulf of Mexico (Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 9, p. 80, 1973) I have reported this typically endemic
species together with L. pictum Ravenel, because I was then of
the opinion that it merely represented a somewhat inflated form
of L. pictum. Since then live collected material has been added
to the collection of the H.M.N.S., which proves conclusively
that this species is quite different from L. pictum and that
my original views were in error. Not only is the shape in many
respects different from that of L. pictum, but also its color
pattern immediately sets it apart. L. fiski is a smaller, much

93

22.

more inflated species, whose outline is far more skewed than
that of the more spatulate and triangular L. pictum. Its umbo
appears, when viewed looking into the cavity of the shell, much
more massive than the umbo of L. pictum. The normal adult size
of L. fiski is 15-17 mm., although rarely a few individuals of
over 20 mm. are obtained. The color pattern is characteristic.
L. fiski has a background of yellowish white on which a few
indistinct blotches of color can be seen. The internal color-
ing in either live collected or very fresh valves is of a
uniform pinkish or yellowish color, quite different from that
of L. pictum. Externally L. pictum has a light brown back-
ground on which there are zig-zag or wavy patterns, concentric-
ally arranged, of dark brown.

The biological habits of both species also appear different.
Live L. fiski appears to be restricted to coherent and tough
clay bottoms, although dead shells are often brought up in
sandy mud samples, and it does not live on the offshore coral
and algal reefs. L. pictum prefers sandier and cleaner en-
vironments and does live on the coral reefs. Not seldom are
dead valves of both species brought up together in the same
dredge. All of above mentioned differences can be noted
clearly in juvenile material of about 2-3 mm. In still smal-
ler material, the distinction becomes difficult. This species
does not enter the bays, but a few dead shells have been col-
lected from beachdrift (St. Joseph Island, Port Aransas,
South Padre Island). It was first described from the Missis-
sippi Delta and is also known from the Mudlump fauna.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 122,
original description; 145, deep shelf; 175, outer shelf, 40-65
fms., common on sandy botoom, rarely alive; 206, (ex parte)
listed as L. pictum in Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 80.

Records H.M.N.S.: 53 lots, of which 5 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-70 fms.; alive 12-33 fms., in mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: Largely restricted to Texas faunal province,
but I have seen material from off western Florida.

Maximum Size: 24.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Closest appears to be: L. clarionense
Hertlein and Strong, 1947. "Santa Inez Bay, Gulf of California
to Clarion Island Revilla Gigedo group, in depths of 64-155 m'".
(Keen, 1971).

Laevicardium pictum Ravenel, 1861.

Liocardium pictum Ravenel, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila.,

p- 44, 1861.
In the discussion of L. fiski most of the characteristics of
this species have been mentioned. It is the flattest and most
triangular of our Laevicardiums and grows somewhat larger than
L. fiski, whose average size is below 20 mm., whereas, that of
L. pictum is over 20 mm. The brown spots visible on the out-
side are also present of the inside of the shell.

This species is slightly less common than L. fiski and lives

94

26.

in a different environment. Once a small number of juvenile
_ vaives, one alive, was taken from a root attachment of whip-
coral washed upon the beach at South Padre Island.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 156, com-
mon on Stetson Bank; 174, listed; 206, beach records, Texas.
Conch., Vol. 7, p. 83, 1971 , ex parte; 214, Campeche Bank;
225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 253, Laevicardium sp. (could
be L. fiski).

Records H.M.N.S.: 30 lots, of which 12 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms.: alive 0-25 fms., in sandy mud, shale
outcrops and calcareous reefs.

Geographical Range: From South Carolina, Gulf of Mexico into
Brazil (Rios).

Maximum Size: 26.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Laevicardium mortoni Conrad, 1830.

Cardium mortoni Conrad, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila, 6,

Pp. 259-2605 plod, fies.) 5, 65 7%
In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, this species lives exclusively in
the coastal bays of Texas, (Galveston West Bay, Matagorda Bay,
Laguna Madre), and preferentially in the hypersaline ones. It
becomes progressively more common from Galveston West Bay
toward the southwest. We have no material from Louisiana. It
is a fairly inflated straw-yellow species, often with patterns
of zig-zag markings. A few valves have been dredged offshore
as deep as 25 fms., but we doubt that the species lives off-
shore and the report (ref. 137) of 8 live specimens from 40
feet on Sabine Bank needs confirmation (L. fiski?). Probably
these deep water valves are fossils. Juvenile material be-
comes abundant in bay dredgings in Matagorda Bay. Among this
material are shelis with an extremely heavy development of
the hinge line. It may be that this is a pathological character-
istic caused by varying conditions of salinity and temperature.
Their size is about 2-3 mm. The species is fairly common in
beachdrift especially in the southern part of Texas.

Previous references for the Texas Faunal province are: 15, com-
mon in Corpus Christi Bay; 18, abundant, living in Corpus
Christi Bay. Single valves only at Galveston; 19, Keller's
Bay, Carancahua Bay, Port Lavaca Bay, Matagorda Bay, Turtle
Bay, Espiritu Santo Bay and Corpus Christi Bay; 21, listed;
45, repeats previous references; 67, listed for Port Isabel;
79, Indianola and Port Aransas, pl. 12, figs 6-7; 98, listed
for the bays; 110, rare dead shells at Galveston, common
from St. Joseph Island to Port Isabel. Living in Aransas Bay
and Laguna Madre at Port Isabel, Pl. 10, figs. 3-4; 126, outer
sandy beaches and near shore sandy areas of Carolinian Province;
135, alive in bays; 136, eight specimens alive at depth of 40
feet on Sabine Bank; 153, listed; 164, alive in Rockport area
and Laguna Madre; 174, listed; 175, open shallow hypersaline
lagoon near inlets, common on sand bottom; 178, listed for
upper end of Laguna Madre, water depths less than 18", sand;
193, alive at Port Isabel, common over much of bay bottom;

194, listed as food item for black drum (fish); 206, beach

95

Dike

28.

records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2, (8); 208, listed for "bay margin"
and "grass flats", 215, listed for Mudlump fauna (note: probably
in error); 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page
182.

Records H.M.N.S.: 32 lots, of which 5 contain live collected ma-
terial.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive O-1 fms. in sand and mud bottom
of bays.

Geographical Range: Carolinas, Florida, Cuba, Guatamala.

Maximum Size: 23 mm.

Pacific Analogue: None.

Laevicardium sybariticum Dall, 1886.
Laevicardium serratum sybariticum Dall, B.M.C.Z., 12, No. 6,
p. 270.
Of this much less common species only three lots have been
obtained. The material at hand conforms very well with Clench
and Smith's discussion in Johnsonia (Vol. 1, (13)). This is
a thin shell with pinkish color, quite different from the
other three small species of Laevicardium in the N.W. Gulf of
Mexico. In our area it is not a deep water species because
our material comes from a depth range of 11-23 fms.
Previous references to the Texas faunal. province are: 145, listed
in Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 80, 1973.
Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots of which one contains live collected
material.
Depth Range: 11-23 fms; alive: 12 fms. in mud.
Geographical Range: Bermuda, Carolinas into Caribbean region.
Maximum Size: 19 mm. (broken valve)
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Laevicardium laevigatum Linne, 1758.

Cardium laevigatum Linne, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 680.
This species has in early references been reported as L.
serratum L., which is Indo-Pacific. It is a large species,
which is not seldom dredged in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico where
it can reach a size in excess of three inches (seldom), but
is commonly 70-72 m. It lives in muddy bottoms in a depth
range of 11-50 fms. Specimens dredged in offshore Texas-
Louisiana waters are fairly uniform in shape and color, an
even light brown, (except for some beach material from South
Padre Islend), which already when small, shows the peculiar
outline of this species.

The change in shape with size is a characteristic feature of
this bivalve. When it has reached about one inch in diameter
the outline of both valves is quite circular and a paired set
of valves is quite inflated. Increasing in size, this circular
outline is not maintained but the shell expands in an
asymmetrical manner along the ventral margin so that a skewed
outline is produced and in large specimens the shell becomes
much elongated. Texas material seems to grow especially large.
These live collected shells do not show a radial pattern of
ribs, but are covered by a thick, sometimes frilly epidermis

of dark color and concentric arrangement.

96

It is possible that the shape of the shell is controlled to
some extent by the nature of the bottom sediment so that soft,
muddy sediments produce large sized, skew and elongate forms,
whereas, hard packed sands give rise to smaller, more rounded
forms with lighter backgrounds and color patterns. For the
entire area throughout which this species is known to live
(Brazil-North Carolina), many forms have been described, some
of which by some experts are considered different species

(see Olsson and Harbison, 1953). However, forms like L.
vitellinum Reeve and L. brasilianum Lamarck do not live in our
area, but specimens often closely resemble L. laevigatum
wagnerianum Olsson and Harbison, 1953 closely. In general, the
Texas morph is narrow and elongated (see fig. 4, plate 11,

not fig. 5, plate 11 of Olsson and Harbison's monograph 11).

In the fifties, dead valves of L. laevigatum were not uncommon
on the beaches of Galveston Island and around Freeport. During
the sixties they have become quite scarce and now beach material
is only found south of St. Joseph Island. Valves have also
been collected from drift on Timbalier Island (La.).

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 19, (C.
serratum L.) dead valves on Mustang Island; 21, listed as C.
serratum L.; 45 repeats 18; 61, listed as C. serratum, area
of Corpus Christi; 67, (as C. serratum), Port Isabel; 110,
dead valves occasionally found from Matagorda Island to Port
Isabel. Found living in 15-20 fms. off Freeport to off Port
Isabel. Pl. 10, figs. 5-6; 123, not abundant, 30-40 fms. at
Wine Island Pass in 12-13 fms.; 135, dead in bays; dead in
Gulf; 144, reported from two offshore locations; 156, common
on Stetson Bank; 164, dead in open bay margin and shallow
hypersaline environments at Rockport; 170, transitional shelf
assemblage off East Texas; 175, intermediate shelf, 12-35 fms
on sand bottom, few, rare; 192, figured; 201, listed for Mud-
lump fauna; 206, beach records Tex. Conch., Vol. 2, (8); 251,
Yucatan Shelf; 269, figured on page 181. Also Olsson and
Harbison (106) mention this species for Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 52 lots of which 9 contain live collected
material. 2:

Depth Range: 0-70 fms.; alive 11-50 fms., with optimum at - 20
fms. Almost solely in muddy or sandy mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: Entire Caribbean region (N. Carolina-Brazil).

Maximum Size: 78 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Microcardium Theile, 1934.

We reported the three N.W. Gulf of Mexico species as Microcardium,

although in the Treatise, Microcardium is considered to be a subgenus
of Nemocardium . Our species are characterized by their small size,

habitat in intermediate to deep water depths and a difference in
sculpture between the anterior and posterior parts of the surface.

97

29. Microcardium transversum Rehder and Abbott, 1951.
Microcardium transversum Rehder and Abbott, Revista de la
Soc. Mal. C. de la Torre,Vol. 8 (2), p- 56, pl. 9, figs.
9-10, 1951.

This widespread and common species is one of the character-
istic components of the Texas faunal province in a depth
range of 20-35 fms. in sandy mud bottoms. Our material is
quite uniform in shape and size and conforms perfectly with
Rehder and Abbott's description and figure. We have seen
the type at Washington which agrees with our material. Pre-
viously we had identified this as M. tinctum Dall, but this
is in error. Apparently M. transversum Rehder and Abbott
and M. tinctum Dall are allopatric species, but closely re-
lated. M. transversum can be immediately separated from the
other two species in our area by its pink umbo and often has
light brown or reddish color patterns, which may have the
form of rather square blotches or radial stripes. It is
also larger and lives on the whole in much shallower water.
Apparently M. transversum is restricted to the Texas faunal
province whereas, M. tinctum is an eastern Caribbean species
which also has been reported from Surinam (Altena, 1971).
Along the Texas-Louisiana coast M. transversum is usually
taken in sandy mud and on the Miocene shale outcrops; it is
known from the Mudlump fauna of the Mississippi Delta and has
been reported, although we did not collect it there, from the
offshore coral reefs.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 95,
original description; 145, deep shelf; 147, dead on Baker
Bank and Big Southern Bank, alive on West Flower Garden; 156,
common on Stetson Bank; 170, (as M. tinctum Dall) listed for
deep shelf assemblage off East Texas; 174, listed; 175, listed
for outer shelf 40-65 fms., common on sandy bottom, whole
coast; 206, tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p..80 (as M. tinctum Dall);
214, figured (as M. tinctum).

Records H.M.N.S.: 32 lots of which 11 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 14-60 fms.; alive 14-50 fms. (If a dead juvenile
shell proves to be this species the depth range must be ex-
tended to 167 fms.)

Geographical Range: Restricted to the Texas faunal province.

Maximum Size: 19.8 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Of the two Panamic species none
appears to be close.

98

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance E. Boone

Are you wondering what kind of shelling you can do during the several
months of hot summer when the Texas beaches are crowded with surfers
and sun seekers? I'd like to make a suggestion or two for beach
roaming and study of our fauna.

One of my favorite areas has been the lonely stretch of beach from High
Island fishing pier up to Sabine Pass. In late March, Ruby Ray and I
went to Galveston East Beach, found the "Norther'’ had become a North-
east wind and drizzle , making shelling poor, and headed on across the
Bolivar ferry for the peninsula area above. We went to Gilchrist, cross-
ed Rollover Pass bridge and drove the block or two into the Gulf beach
one-half mile above the bridge. I have sometimes found nice drifts of
Epitoniums here. Club members have gone on field trips here also. Some-
times big Busycons and Murex fulvescens are blown in here. After hur-
ricane Carla some years ago, many odd Busycons with the swollen ridge
running across the body whorl as described for Busycon perversum were
found. They were usually dead specimens but were large and spoke of

what lived in this area in earlier days. Murex fulvescens lives offshore,
as do big left-handed Busycons, and both are frequently trawled by
shrimpers.

That day, Ruby and I faced hard drizzle, high rolling tides, and no drift
line. Yet this area is interesting because there are mounds of shells,
lots of driftwood, odd pieces of porous fossil coral called "floating
coral"' and pumice. Many areas along our coastline, such as Sargent Beach,
are becoming so eroded that shell mounds such as these are disappearing.

We climbed back in Ruby's truck, drenched, cold, and miserable, and
decided to go on to High Island anyway since Ruby had not been there.

We needed shells for the Sharpstown Store, and Ruby is field trip chair-
man next club year and wants to find new places for members.

I knew we could find big Thais and big Polinices at High Island. We
turned in a passable access road (50-100 feet in from the highway) to

the Gulf from the main road approximately one mile above the Y at High
Island. You cannot drive on this beach area if the tides are high. We
knew that the highway above here towards Sabine had been closed to
traffic so we were afraid to venture out on the beach with the truck. We
parked in the road entrance, took pails and started walking. We will
probably never forget the piles of orange-mouthed 3-5 inch Thais glisten-
ing and gorgeous in the drizzle and occasional glints of sun. We soon
picked up buckets of these dead shells, as well as 2-3 inch Polinices
that were everywhere. We stashed filled buckets against the dunes,
continued on up the beach, greedily filling empty containers and torn
plastic bags which we found in the trash against the dunes. By now |

you all know that we cleaned hundreds of these shells for the shell
packs and for good individual sales at the Shell Store. It was worth

the trip and our labors to lug back all our containers to the truck. We
must have been a sight. It was cold and raining. We had on waders and
parkas and were loaded down with full buckets, shakily-held full cartons,
and I dragged one big trash bag of shells. We slid along the clay banks;
I fell flat forward once and got thoroughly sticky with that mud.

a

The shells we collected would be there in the summer, too. The area is
never all that crowded. Sometimes there is a very good drift line, and

the grunge will have several species of Epitoniums, especially E. rupicola.
Also on these beaches you can collect the biggest Pholas Campechiensis
valves you'll probably ever see. This area is composed of clay banks,
covered by beach sand but eroding from the sea. This species undoubtedly
lives in these clay banks, and in the past must have been common, may

still be offshore. Valves are found by the thousands.

The Thais you collect here is the subspecies we have always known as

T. haemastoma haysae Clench, 1927. The new American Seashells by Abbott
gives us a name change on this, to T. haemastoma canaliculata (Gray,
1839). I have gone into this a bit, but at this time have not discovered
enough to report. There is a puzzle about the photo used in American
Seashells for this subspecies, and I haven't yet read all the old
literature. Typical "Hays' Rock Shell" is like the big, old shells
found on the High Island beaches. Contrary to the statement in Andrews'
book that this was named from Texas, the subspecies named by Dr. Clench
in 1927 was designated from 66 specimens sent to him from Grand Bayou,
Mississippi Delta, La., by Miss Marley L. Hayes. The Holotype was 88 mm.
in length and 55.51 mm. wide, a typical specimen chosen from the lot.
One specimen was 112.5 mm. long. Dr. Clench's monograph in Johnsonia,
Vol. 2, No. 23, March, 1947, shows the Holotype, a grotesque adult shell
of this form of Thais, common on the High Island-Sabine beaches. I

have asked many times of friends in the Beaumont and Port Arthur area
whether the really large, rugged, strongly-noduled and deeply-sutured
ones were ever found alive. I mean the 4-5 inch ones we see dead in

the shell heaps. These friends say they find many live Thais but of
normal three-inch size like those at Galveston. They are, of course,

of this subspecific form but not as grotesque as the old ones found.

I do not know if the 66 sent to Dr. Clench in the original lot were
alive or if some were. Two paratypes in the Houston Museum of Natural
Science are both dead specimens. Allow me to follow up on this and
report on the pieces of the puzzle later.

Ruby and I did find live Polinices, 2 to 24 inch ones. We also found
live Thais, 24% to 3 inches. But there are 4 to 5 inch weird looking
specimens of the latter to be picked up to add to your collection, and
don't overlook a 3 inch dead Polinices for your collection either.

At best, the Thais is a subspecies of a very, very variable shell. We
have forms up and down the coast that fit typical T. haemastoma

floridana and there are plenty of intergrades. Also found are some
reddish ones from South Padre Island jetties and other Texas jetty areas
that are smaller and very different from either floridana or canaliculata.
They are, however, floridana, I am told.

My prize of the day was my first Texas Natica canrena (Linne, 1758), a
dead but very fresh large specimen. This species is trawled live off-
shore; it has been taken live on Padre, reported from Bryan Beach, and
I have seen one live-taken specimen in Laura Bauer's collection from
San Luis Pass. I'm not positive Laura's is this species as I have not
handled it or checked the operculum. I remember it as grayish; it
could be a related species from the Caribbean fauna.

100

MORE AND MORE SHELL STAMPS by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Seashell stamps have been rolling off the presses in profusion recently.
This has necessitated updating these lists in two consecutive issues of
this publication.

While we have been discussing a great deal about the stamps themselves,

we have said practicaly nothing about taking care of the stamps. Although
I have been "collecting" stamps of various categories off and on for al-
most half a century, I probably do not qualify as a true philatelist.
However, some of the lingo of the philatelist has rubbed off on me and

I have learned some of the techniques of handling the stamps. It seemed
opportune, therefore, to mention at this time certain practical suggestions
for those who might be novices at working with stamps.

Certain minimum equipment is essential and such can be obtained quite
inexpensively at any stamp store. This will include stamp tongs (tweezers),
magnifying glass (for many of us), stock books or pages, stamp hinges
and/or mounts, and clear acetate envelopes. The stamp tongs are specially
made with flattened ''spade" ends. Stamps can be handled with tongs with-
out worry of injury or soiling of the stamps. Tongs with pointed ends

are also available but the possibility of damaging stamps with the points
exists. Tongs are always used in picking up or manipulating the stamps.

A number of different types and sizes of stock books are available. They
are used to store the stamps and to keep them organized until final mount-
ing in the album. The pages have transparent pockets so that the stamps
can be easily seen.

Stamps should never be pasted or glued to the album pages. "Hinges" and
various types of ''stamp mounts" can be purchased. Using these, the stamps
can be easily placed on the pages or removed. Good hinges are readily
peelable. Transparent mounts can be obtained in various sizes or they
can be cut to size to fit any stamp. Any stamp dealer will demonstrate
the proper way to use hinges and mounts. One can also obtain acetate
protective covers for an entire page so that the stamps can be protected
after mounting.

The album page can be pre-printed with a suitable heading. I have pages
printed with headings "SHELLS ON STAMPS" and "MOLLUSKS". Blank pre-
punched pages or quadrille printed blank sheets are also readily avail-
able at the stamp stores. The stamps can be placed as the collector
wishes - and comments as well as titles and explanations can be easily
typed or written.

As for stamp catalogs, one of the handy ones is the multi-volume SCOIT'S
STANDARD STAMP CATALOGUE. These volumes are revised annually but the
edition can be useful for many years without needing to buy the new
edition each year. There is available also ANIMALS ON STAMPS by Strom
and Levy distributed by the American Topical Association as Handbook #62.
This handbook lists many shell stamps but the material is dated.

As before, the stamps have been listed in consecutive numerical order.

After a fashion, the listing indicates the chronological sequence in
which the stamps have appeared.

101

LISTING OF SEASHELL STAMPS (Continued)

Face Scott

Country Value Number Mollusk Depicted
301. Cook Islands 50 ¢ 395 Conus textile
302. 60 ¢ 396 Oliva
303. St. Vincent - lL¢ Atlantic thorny oyster
304. Grenadines Dee Zigzag pecten
305. 35¢ Reticulated cowrie helmet
306. 4¢ Music volute
307. DEC Amber pen shell
308. 6¢ Angular triton
309. 8 ¢ Flame helmet
310. 10 ¢ Caribbean olive
Bll. 2c Common sundial
B12. Le Glory of the Atlantic cone
BIS. 20 ¢ Flame auger
314. 25/46 King venus
SULSIC 355 Long-spined star shell
316. 45 ¢ Speckled teilin
Si 50a¢ Rooster-tail conch
318. 1$ Green star shell
319. 25504S ' Incomparable cone
320. 5 $ File clam
321. British Indian 45 ¢ 59 Terebra subulata

Ocean Territory Terebra maculata

B22) FDC 60 Turbo marmoratus
S236 ese 61 Drupa rubisidaeus
324. IVE SIO} 62 Cassis rufa
325. British Virgin ye 274 Trumpet triton
326. Islands 18 ¢ 275 West Indian murex
327. DES 276 Bleeding tooth
S26. 7a. ¢ 277 Virgin Islands latirus
329. (4 V.) 277a Souvenir sheet of the 4 values
330. Tokelau Islands SEC Al Cypraea mauritiana
“BEG By is 42 Cypraea tigris
332). 15 %¢ 43 Cypraea talpa
533. 2D ue 44 Cypraea argus
334. Maldives 11 533 Cassis nana
335. Dei 534 Murex triremus
336. Syl D3) Harpa major
33/6 (fil 536 Lambis chiragra
338. Beil Sysy7/ Conus pennaceus
B59. 60 1 538 Cypraea diluculum
340. Yoda il 539 Clanculus pharaonis
341. Ihtise 540 Chicoreus ramosus
342. 2r/3r 541 Souvenir sheet
343. Afars & Issas Sy aee 382 Darioconus textile
344, LONE 383 Conus sumatrensis
345. 155 fr 384 Cypraea pulchra
346. 20 fr 385 Murex scolopax
347. 40 fr 386 Ranella spinosa
348. Aitutaki $5 93B Cypraea hesitata
349. $2 93A Terebra maculata
350. Afars & Issas 40 fr C79 Octopus macropus

102

THE AMERICAN MALACOLOGICAL UNION, INC. by Constance E. Boone
Recording Secretary, A.M.U.

The Houston Conchology Society, Inc., became a member club of the
American Malacological Union, Inc., in 1966. This society has been
involved in helping host two annual meetings of A.M.U., in 1968 at
Corpus Christi and in 1972 at Galveston, Texas. Several members have
attended the annual meetings across the country through the years, sev-
eral have served on A.M.U. committees or been councillors-at-large and
are officers currently, and still others are individual members. Our
first honorary life member, Dr. T. E. Pulley, Director of the Houston
Museum of Natural Science, was President of A.M.U. in 1961.

The history of the American Malacological Union was reviewed by Margaret
C. Teskey, Secretary-Treasurer and then Secretary of A.M.U. from 1951 -
1970, and printed in the Bulletin of 1973, a copy of which is in our
society's library. IL have liberally borrowed historical recounts from
this Bulletin report for a brief resume for members. [I have also in-
cluded information from the application form for A.M.U. to give you the
facts related to joining this organization.

Norman Lermond, of a small history museum and arboretum in Thomaston,
Maine, is credited with the idea of starting such an organization as
A.M.U. In 1929 or 1930 he began correspondence concerning the merits

of such a group, writing to his friend, Dr. William J. Clench of Harvard.
Then letters to friends interested in mollusks began to flow, and the
movement was called the American Association of Conchologists. Dr. Henry
A. Pilsbry invited the first meeting to the Academy of Natural Sciences
at Philadelphia in April, 1931, when 29 attended. By then, 169 members
had enrolled and were charter members, paying 25¢ dues. The name of
American Malacological Union was accepted and a constitution was adopted
at this meeting. Dr. Pilsbry became the first president, with Mr.
Lermond choosing to be corresponding secretary after declining to be
president.

A.M.U. grew slowly through the years, with annual meetings and the
annual election of a president. World War II interrupted the meeting
for four years. Each year an Annual Bulletin published news of members,
of the meeting, and abstracts of papers given. The Maine meeting in
1941 had a collecting symposium, a popular report in the Annual Bul-
letin which finally resulted inthe first How to Collect Shells (1955).
As Houston Society members know, this year a new edition of How to
Study and Collect Shells has been published. Our Society has purchased
a large order of this booklet, and it is available from the treasurer
HOT! S29 Ole

The Bulletin of A.M.U. has become a handy reference source for pro-
fessionals and shell club members since it publishes both abstracts

and complete papers given at the annual meeting. The 1964 Bulletin
contains an index of all papers read since 1949, At the present time,
procedure is to mail the Bulletin to members the spring after the annual
meeting it reports. The Publications Editor is currently preparing
reports of the Springfield, Mass., meeting of August, 1974 when Dr.
Harold Murray of Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, was President.
This 1974 Bulletin will be distributed soon.

103

Through the years, membership has grown to 800, with many foreign cor-
responding members as well as member museums and organizations. For

a while there was a Pacific Division of A.M.U. In 1956 this division
entertained A.M.U. in San Diego, California. As time went by, the
Pacific Division of A.M.U. disbanded and the Western Society of Mala-
cologists was formed, with its own dues and separate publication.
However, many professionals and shellers are members of both and liaison
is maintained. This year the annual meeting of both organizations is a
joint meeting to be held June 22-26 at San Diego, California, with the
Western Society as host organization. Dr. George Radwin of the San
Diegg Museum is Western Society President. Dr. Donald Moore of the
School of Marine Science, University of Miami, is President of A.M.U.

A joint Bulletin of papers to be given at this meeting will be publish-
ed. :

Mrs. Teskey noted that "the friendly attitude of professional malacologists
towards the non-professional has long been remarked upon, creating
camaraderie reflected in the success of over forty years of happy annual
reunions''. Her comments are echoed by many of us who are amateurs and

who feel very honored to be part of this organization.

The annual meetings are friendly meetings of people interested in mol-
lusks. As time has marched along, conservation became and still is a
major concern of many members. A.M.U. has been able to help. Other
members bring news of mariculture and commercial research. Medical
malacology has become important. Again, A.M.U. is able to provide as-
sistance and knowledge. Member clubs and individual members, even
amateurs, can be of help sometimes. The whole worid seems to be inter-
ested in the sea and its creatures. We need this organization.

From the early years of A.M.U., shell clubs formed around the nation
and world were invited to belong to this organization. Individual mem-
bers are welcomed. The membership form states that this scientific
non-profit organization is dedicated to the study of mollusks ------
morphology, shells, systematics, ecology, geographic distribution, etc.
Regular membership is limited to residents of the Americas and the West
Indies, and persons residing outside these boundaries are invited to
become corresponding members.

To quote from the membership form: "A high point of each year's ac-
tivities is the annual meeting held at a major museum, university, re-
sort hotel or motel. The program includes symposia and contributed
papers, exhibits, field trips, a banquet, and general good fellowship
and professional interactions."

A current listing of members and each one's special interest is printed
in the Bulletin each year. Newsletters are distributed twice yearly
with information on shell clubs, professional members and their ac-
tivities and research, major institutions and news of collections held
there, and other news relating to A.M.U. publications and events.

Annual dues in 1975 for residents of the Western Hemisphere are $4.00.
A new member or a reinstated member must pay an entrance fee of $1.50
with the dues. Additional family members may enroll for $1.00 each,
but only one set of publications will be mailed a family. There is a
corresponding member fee at present of $4.75 for those residing outside
the Western Hemisphere. I wish, however, to note that the question of
dues will be reviewed at the meeting in San Diego. 1976 dues will

104

probably go up. As we already know in our society, postage and print-
ing costs are forcing higher dues. Anyone now joining will receive the
year's Newsletters and the publication of the joint Bulletin of the
San Diego meeting.

Clubs and museums or corporations are required to pay $6.00 membership,
plus the entrance fee, when joining. However, members of clubs, museums,
and other such member organizations are welcome to attend the annual
meetings upon paying fees required at such meetings.

Anyone interested in becoming a member may secure an application form

from me by calling 668-8252 or writing to 3706 Rice Boulevard, Houston,
Texas 77005.

105

DUES NOTICE. This will be the last issue of the Texas Conchologis
mailed to those who have not paid their 1975-76 dues. After this
issue, the mailing list will be reviewed and revised to include only
those who are members in good standing. Please send $6.00 for a
family membership, $5.00 for a single adult or $2.00 for a junior
member to:

Houston Conchology Society

Mr. James C. Sartor, Treasurer
5606 Duxbury :
Houston, Texas 77035

An extra issue of the Texas Conchologist will be published this fall
which will include pictures of many of the mollusks previously de-
scribed in Helmer Ode's series on Mollusca in the Northwest Gulf of
Mexico.

FIELD TRIP REPORT

Thirty-seven shell collectors gathered at Thirteen Mile Road on the
island west of Galveston at 8:00PM on July 19. For most of us this
was our initial experience in collecting at night by lantern light.

In some aspects, this expedition reminded me of grunion (Leuresthes
tenuis) hunting expeditions in Southern California. The group assem-
bies with collecting equipment and refreshments, and aithough there
are no grunion, you still have a great time.

The tide did mot recede as far as hoped because of a fairly strong
south wind. However, there was fresh sargassum weed on the beach
which produced some nudebranchs, shrimp and crabs. There were live
coquinas and polinices. One of the members found a number of shark
teeth.

About 10:30 most of the party drove to San Luis Pass which was packed
with campers containing fishermen. We found live mulinias popping

out of the sand. After searching the bayshore for an hour, we gave up
and turned homeward.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchol ogy Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science. :

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES

Family membership

Single membership
Student membership

Single issues

Extra sets mailed members

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
William R. Keeler Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
729-6958 723-3628
5827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street
Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Od& W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233

3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject te approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff. _

SHELL AUCTION

The annual Shell Auction for members, by members, will be held November
19, 1975. Mrs. Barbara Hudson, Chairperson, is calling for shells to
be sold. We need the unusual, the rare , and the exotic shells. My
dictionary defines exotic as (among other) "strikingly or excitingly
different" and not as meaning undressed as in local lounges.

TRAVELING SEMINAR TO SOUTH PADRE

The Houston Museum of Natural Science, cooperating with Continuing
Education, University of Houston, will offer a long week-end in the
South Padre Island - Lower Rio Grande Valley, October 17-20, 1975.

The trip guides wiil be Dr. Tom Pulley, our life member; Mr. Carl Aiken,
Assistant Director of the Museum, a Biologist and Ornithologist; and Dr.
John Tveten, Nature Photographer and Author. During the three days on
location, groups will visit several localities on Padre Island, the Laguna
Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, Santa Ana Refuge, Benson State Park, the Sabel
Palm Wildlife Sanctuary, and Baffin Bay on the shores of King Ranch.

A preliminary meeting for those going will be held at 7:30PM, October 8,
1975 at the Museum. Attendance is required. Costs, accomodations and
schedules will be described at this meeting.

MOLLUSCA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

At various times, during the past dozen years, I have chronicled in
the pages of this publication notations of events that occurred dur-
ing the numerous trips to the Marshall Islands. As I browse through
the material I had recorded concerning the medical work associated
with these trips, I still find included therein odd items that have to
do with shells and shelling.

My first venture to Rongelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands took place
in March, 1958. En route there I had picked up a set of booklets by
Sally Kaicher entitled INDO-PACIFIC SEA SHELLS. In one of the booklets
I saw for the first time a picture of Strombus taurus. The initial
descriptive word was capitalized and punctuated: RARE! This was a
species that was '"lost'' for 100 years. In 1954 Hertlein discussed two
specimens that had turned up in Guam. Dr. Morrison had dredged a live
specimen from Bikini. Dr. Clench had one specimen from Tinian. In the
foreword to the booklet, the Strombus taurus was considered to be "rarer
than the Conus gloria-maris". Rongelap Atoll was prominently mentioned
and that really perked me up.

That year (1958) I found several beach specimens of the Strombus taurus -
all in good shape. They were found at the far end of Rongelap Island.
The villagers recognized the shell but none had any in the village. The
home of these mollusks apparently was miles on the other side of the
lagoon. The only means of transportation was the two-man outrigger

canoe so I did not get there.

In the following year (1959) we made the trip to Rongelap in a Navy LST.
We anchored in the lagoon offshore from the village while we conducted
our medical survey. One afternoon (March 11, 1959) the children had
swum from shore to the LST and then had begun to dive off the ship. One
of the boys came up clutching a seashell. I really flipped when I saw
what it was. A live Strombus taurus! I dickered for the animal and

put it away in the ship's freezer. The next day a couple of my state-
side colleagues decided to do some diving. They came up with several
more live Strombus taurus! This was all that year since we had to com-
plete our examinations and sail for Utirik.

In all the years I have visited Rongelap Atoll, this was the only time
I had seen living Strombus taurus brought up near Rongelap Island. I
have never seen anyone diving in the area since. In subsequent years
my supply of this species was obtained miles away across the lagoon
near Eniwetok Island.

During this episode, I had jotted down some comments on the animal ,

They are reproduced below:
"The taurus is an amazingly agile creature. It stretched out
its fiexible foot to unbelievable lengths. Utilizing the
leverage given by hooking its operculum on to any surface,
the mollusk easily somersaults. I had carefully put a live
specimen in a plastic bag and placed it on a shelf in my
cabin. (We used the sleeping facilities in the officers
quarters on board the LST.) I was awakened in the middle
of the night by a series of bangs. It was the valuable
taurus. He (she?) had ripped a hole in the plastic bag,

had bounced off the shelf, and was now cartwheeling along
the metal floor."

I had heard that a Navy engineer by the name of Dick Willis had dived
earlier that year (1959) in the vicinity of the far islands of Rongelap
Atoll. When I reached Eniwetok I made it a point to look up this
engineer. I found him recuperating in the hospital but he felt well
enough to chat about the shells. I learned that he had collected the
rare Strombus taurus specimens (26 of them!).

000000000000000000000

The U. S. military records tersely state that "landing" on Kwajalein
Island commenced on 1 February, 1944 and that operations were "'com-
pleted" on 4 February, 1944. When I first walked the reefs of Kwajalein
Island 14 years later, I still found much evidence of the war - live
machine gun and rifle ammunition as well as spent bullets in the depres-
sions on the reefs. I have shelled these reefs each time I hit Kwajalein.
i find that I had made the following notes after one of those shelling
activities.

"2-5-67. Sunday. Much better day. . Slightly cloudy but no

rain. Tide 0.1 at 12:00 noon. Went out at 10:30. Number

of people already out (estimate 50 to 60). Reef edge 100-

150 yards out. 6 inches to 12 inches of water rushing from

ocean across reef to lagoon. Striking number of Tridacnas

embedded among corals somewhat to lagoon side. Beautiful

blue, purple, green mantles. Shells 5 inches to 7 inches;

the lips irregular and sinuous. Clam embedded deeply. Unable

to dig them out. Need chisel and hammer. Hermit crab running

around in beautiful houses. Helmet species prize find. Live

cones of the lividus-flavidus and musicus types. Not many

ebraeus types. Many Cypraea moneta, mostly porcelain white.

Yellow ones uncommon. Looked for Cypraea cribraria and Strombus

heili. No luck. Even Cypraea poraria and helvola not seen

during daylight."

The above notes are of personal interest to me since no one can ever

go shelling in the area just described above. The reef where we shelled
has now been filled in. A half-mile spit (man-made) extending toward
Ebeye Island now supports many trailer houses.

000000000000000000000

Mrs. Wilbur C. Woods (Margie) talked to over 200 school children in

June at the Bellaire Library. The subject, of course, was shells. She
has done several programs for schools for the Houston Conchology Society,
and she now has her "talk" shells arranged in wooden Coca-Cola boxes so
that she has the displays ready to carry to schools. Several other mem-
bers of the club have made talks to garden clubs, schools and libraries,
as well as to other clubs interested in shells. This will continue to be
part of the services afforded by the Society.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance E. Boone

I can't call what follows as "pearls of wisdom" but I like to think of
the bits and pieces of information learned this summer as items of in-
terest to members.

The joint meeting of the American Malacological Union and the Western
Society of Malacologists held in June in San Diego, California, was a
very interesting one. Club members will be able to read all about it

in the huge joint Bulletin that will be published around the first of
1976. Dr. Dee Dundee of the University of New Orleans is the new AMU
Bulletin Editor, succeeding Dr. Arthur Clarke. Dr. Dundee thinks the
1975 Bulletin, report of this year's joint meeting, will total some

150 pages. During the editorship of Dr. Clarke, the AMU Bulletin rose
in stature as a scientific publication. Many full papers and photographs
have been published. This policy will continue.

Anyone joining this year as a member of AMU will receive this 1975
Bulletin. A new schedule of dues was voted for 1976. As added incen-
tive to becoming a member now, Dr. R. Tucker Abbott will send a gift
copy of a paperback version of American Malacologists.

I shall not attempt to report the papers given because of the planned
publication of the Bulletin early in 1976. I shall give you brief items
gleaned from reports.

For instance: Dr. Abbott is already talking about a supplement or Third
Edition of American Seashells. He reported that his Second Edition
lacked complete coverage, as explained in the Edition. Much still needs
to be checked and reported from South America. He also did not cover
some of the material already published in Keen's Sea Shells of Tropical
West America, Second Edition. The question now is what is to be done,
to attempt to work out plans with the West Coast professionals for a
supplement or to have a Third Edition, possibly requiring two volumes.
Dr. A. Myra Keen said that it is already evident that another check list
plan may be necessary for the Pacific area. At this meeting, the West-
ern Society of Malacologists distributed for sale its first Occasional
Paper, labelled "Additions and Corrections to 1975 to Sea Shells of
Tropical West America” by A. Myra Keen and Eugene Coan. This Occasional
Paper is available from WSM Treasurer, Bertram C. Draper, 8511 Bleriot
Ave., Los Angeles, Calif., 90045, for $2.50.

The Symposium cf Eastern Pacific and Western Atlantic faunal affinities,
led by Dr. Emily H. Vokes of Tulane University, was especially interest-
ing. I have more compiete notes on this session but hope the coming
Bulletin will ceport this more fully and in better form than I can.

Some brief remarks here, however, may be appropriate since I'd like to
alert you to read the Bulletin when it arrives in our Library and to
invite you to go back and reread Dr. Helmer Oddé's remarks about the
faunal affinities of our area and the Eastern Pacific and worldwide.

Dr, Harold E. Vokes of Tulane University set the stage for the discus-
sion of mollusks by talking about the Atlantic ancestors of the Eastern
Pacific fauna. We had received a lesson in geology of the Panamanic re-
gion from Dr. Emily Vokes. Dr. Harold Vokes pointed out that the story
is far from understood. Dr. Myra Keen said the Pacific side has retained

the rich fauna of Tertiary fauna while the Caribbean has shallowed and cool-
ed. There is no complete record for the Atlantic.

Of the 3,400 species on the Pacific side, including Cephlapods, there are

60 species common to the two coasts, of which 30 are tropical and worldwide.
There are 112 similar species but with recognizable differences. Dr. Keen
said the fossil record is meager. Differences of opinion arise in which
manner a professional interprets the "look alikes". Some workers lump the
species in question. Some prefer to make them cognates.

A PICTURE PUZZLE

NAME THIS SHELL

(Read to the end of
this column for the
answer.)

Photo by Constance E. Boone

“Most of the species moved from the rich faunal background of the Caribbean
to the Eastern Pacific. It was reported that only Anadara tuberculata,
the food mollusk of Central America, moved from the West to the East. It
has been found as a fossil at Fort Pierce, Florida.

There were many other papers of great significance. And there were
lighter moments, too. Know what “turning of the head" came from? Dr.
Clyde F.E. Roper talked about Octopus. It seems that this phrase is well
know to the Mediterranean fishermen who grab the mantle of an Octopus in
one hand, take the head in the other hand and pull the animal inside out.
An Octopus is dangerous to death, so a "coup de grace" act by the fisher-
men is to bite the Octopus between the eyes to kill it. And also, Dr.
Roper informed us that one of the problems with a species of Octopus has
arisen because Rafinesque once ate his holotype.

The banquet speaker, a former Texan, Sam Hinton, of the University of
California at San Diego, would have delighted most Houston Conchology
Society members. Titled 'The Taxonomy of Common Names", he gave many
examples of the derivation of common names and pointed out once again
that the common names used in one area can lead to problems of under-
standing in another part of the world where the names mean entirely
something else. Once again it was very clear why shellers had better
learn the Latin names and struggle through pronunciation even if you
are like me and never had any Latin study.

Fresh from all the reports on geology of the world at this meeting, I
came home to read in the papers that scientists at the University of
Miami now claim they have found the first real proof that a continent
sank millions of years ago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It is
claimed that the mystery was unraveled by studying fossils of crab
excrement and limestone dredged up from 1,700 to 3,000 feet below the
sea surface. This was done by a group of international oceanographers
who have been studying the material brought up in a dredging expedition
several years ago. A recent scientific paper published the results.

O00000000000009000000

Have you decided what you want to name the Murex pictured in this colum?

It is Phyllonotus peratus Keen, 1960, collected July, 1973, in 15 fms.,
mud and sand, off the NE end of Saboga Island, Perlas Islands, Panama
(Pacific). From the collection of Constance Boone.

If you thought it was Phyllonotus pomum Gmelin, 1791,you were in the
ball park anyway. Dr. Abbott's Second Edition of American Seashells
comments that this might possibly be pomum, introduced some time ago
to the Pacific side through the Panama Canal, possibly in the form of
an eggmass.

P. pomum is certainly one of the most common Murex on the Atlantic side,
but P. peratus is not at all common on the Pacific side. It took me a
long time to see one.

The two species could eventually become the same named shell. The
present designation is for our pictured Murex to be a cognate of pomum
with its own name,

C00000000000000000000

Word from Mrs. &. Thacher Gary of San Marcos informs us that additions
to the Shel: Show schedule have been made to include another division

of five ciasses concerning photography. The show is set for October ll
and 12, Anyone interested in application forms should contact Mrs. Gary,
Route i, Box 327 C, San Marcos, Texas, 78666. Judges selected are Tom
Rice, Kirk Anders, Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Yeargin, and Charles B. Lawrence.

BOOK REVIEW by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

COMMON MARINE INVERTEBRATES OF THE NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST by Nick
Fotherington and Susan Brunenmeister. Houston. Gulf Publishing Co.
1975. 197 pages. $6.95. (Paperback. 6x9 inches).

This soft cover handbook in a horizontal format is intended to serve

as an introductory field guide to the marine life (invertebrate) of the
northwest coast of the Gulf of Mexico. it is stated that about 150
animals that inhabit the beaches and bays of this area are discussed.

Starting with comments of the general shore and faunal features, the

animal life is related to several major habitats: jetties and groins;
sandy beaches; flotsam and jetsam; salt marshes; mud flats; amd, shell
habitats. Plankton and nekton are covered in a separate short chapter.

The common representatives of a number of phyla are described for the
various habitats. These include sponges, hydroids, jelly-fish, sea
anemones, sea pansies, gorgonians, comb-jellies, flatworms, crustaceans

( barnacles, copepods, amphipods, isopods, crabs and shrimps), echinoderms
(sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sand dollars, sea stars), arrow worms,
bryozoans, sea squirts and others.

As a field guide the authors have selected the organisms most commonly
noted by the beachcomber. No effort was made to be all-inclusive or

to provide the detailed data for a taxonomic reference. Consequently,
only a handful of mollusks are described. As an example, the molluscan
fauna mentioned for the mud flats include: Tagelus plebius, Ensis minor,
-Cyrtopleura costata, Rangia cuneata, Mulinia lateralis, Macoma con: constricta,
Mercenaria campechiensis texana, Sinum perspectivum, Nassarius vibex,
Terebra dislocata, Phacoides pectinatus, Chione cancellata, Aequipecten
amp licostatus, Neritina virginia, Busycon spiratum, Busycon contrarium, ~
Dentalium texasiana and Bulla striata. The WEES Gre are line draw-
ings, in black and white; the magnification scale is given for each
figure.

The book is inexpensive. It should be a useful and handy field guide
for the sheil collector - not necessarily for information on moilusks
but rather to identify many of the other marine creatures that one en-
counters during shell collecting forays. The emphasis on descriptions
of the "lifestyle'' of the animals makes the book most interesting to
read.

Can you recognize, for example, the rock louse, the porcelain crab, the
peppermint shrimp, the beach flea, the fan worm, the mole crab, the sea
pansy, the parchment worm, the sea cucumber? These are all pictured and
described. Can you differentiate the acorn barnacle from the gooseneck
barnacle? What kind of worm build the tubular structures so commonly
seen on the sandy beaches? What are the favorite victims of the Scotch
Bonnet? Do all fiddler crabs have one large and one small claw? The
answers are found in these pages. Sufficient information is given for
each organism mentioned to provide even the casual reader with enough
data to react knowledgeably to the "tease of the beach creatures"

The senior author is an assistant professor of biology at the University
of Houston. His colleague is a doctoral candidate in biology. The
bibliographic material is particularly noteworthy since they consist most-
ly of very specific journal references.

Volume 3 of GRZIMEK'S ANIMAL LIFE ENCYCLOPEDIA is subtitled ''Mollusks
and Echinoderns''. This volume was edited by Bernhard Grzimek, Otto
Kraus, Rupert Riedl and Erich Thenius. The book consists of 541 pages,
the first 225 pages of which are concerned with mollusks. Only this
portion will be reviewed.

The table of contents indicates that the individual chapters on mollusks
were written by L.V. Salvini-Plawen and R. Tucker Abbott. The two have
compiled six of the seven chapters jointly. The remaining chapter (on
cephalopods) was prepared by Dr. Salvini-Plawen. Dr. Salvini-Plawen is
at the First Zoological Institute in the University of Vienna. Dr.
Abbott is the well-known American malacologist.

As can be anticipated, the style of presentation is somewhat academic.
By the same token, a broad perspective is maintained - a point-of-view
that cannot be gained from the usual detailed conchological descriptions
that characterize taxonomic references. The text in this volume empha-
sizes the distinguishing malacological characteristics at the level of
subclass, order and family.

The book contains many full page color prints. About half are photc-
graphs and the others are drawings. In nearly every case, however, the

animal is depicted as well as the shell. In addition there are small
black and white illustrations along the inside margins of the pages.

CONCHOLOGICAL FOOTNOTES (1)
Monoplacophora (gastroverm) is the most primitive living shelled mol-
lusk because the entire animal is covered by a mantle.

The suction force of the foot of the abalone is more than 4000 times
the weight of the animal.

The tun (Tonna galea) produces a solution containing 2% to 4% sulfuric
acid which it injects into its prey.

-From Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Volume 3.
CONCHOLOGICAL FOOTNOTES (2)
What is the largest pearl in the world? A "pearl" measuring 23 X 15 X 14
cms. anc weighting 7 kg. (15 lbs) was found in a tridacna clam in the

Philippine Islands in the 1930s.

The "classical piddocks" (Adesmacea)do not have hinge teeth or hinge
ligaments. The valves are held together only by muscles.

Europe appears to be the mussel-eating center of the world, consuming
ase ge 100,000 tons of mussels annually (about half of it in France
alone).

-From Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Volume 3.

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) by H. Ode

PART I -- CRASSATELLACEA - POROMYACEA

SUPERFAMILY CARDIACEA (Continued)

30. Microcardium peramabile Dall, 1881.
Cardium (Fulvia) peramabile Dall, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool.,
ero 1Svse
This is a difficult species to identify because in my opinion
there exist two species which have been confused with each
other. One was figured by Dall in 1886 (B.M.C.Z., 12, p. 269,
pl. 4, fig. 7); the other form which is consistently different
in our material was figured as M. peramabile Dall, by Clench
and Smith. in Johnsonia, Vol. 1, (13), p. 29, pl. 13, ftes. -u-2.
Clench and Smith do not state whether they figured a specimen
identified by Dall as M. peramabile, or the lectotype. This
would indicate that no holotype is available.

There are at this moment not sufficient grounds to make a
clear distinction into two different species within our material,
because the differences could have been induced by environment.

For the time being, we shall report those specimens con-
forming with Dali's original description and figure as M.
peramabile and those resembling Clench and Smith's figure
as M. spec. indet. A.

The differences between the two "species" are as follows:

M. peramabile Dall is ovate in outline with a slight shoulder
on the posterior part of the hinge line, quite inflated, and

the sculpture on the anterior half is rather flattened. The

other form is much more truncated posteriorly. Its anterior

sculpture is much more nodulose and at least in our material

is a much smaller shell.

Clench and Smith have figured a specimen of 16 mm., but our
material does not exceed 10 mm. It is remarkable that though
we have no live collected material the dead valves of both
forms clearly are different in color. Those of M. peramabile
are a dull brownish-white, those of the other form are white
without a brownish hue. Both forms vary considerably in
spinosity. Some have no spines at all, some are heavily
spinose. Also the pattern of the sculpture on the posterior
half can vary considerably in that the radial rows from which
the spines arise and which look like ladders, may be separated
from each other by a variable number of normal radial ribs.
The separation of both fields of sculpture appears to be dif-

10

ferent in both forms. In M. peramabile the posterior field
is smaller than the anterior one so that the dividing rib
reaches the ventral margin considerably towards the posterior
side of the shell. In the other form, both fields tend to

be of equal size. We have only one lot in which both forms
occurred mixed. One record of M. peramabile for Galveston
West Bay is extremely puzzling. This single valve must be
assumed to be adventitious. Normally the species lives in
deep water, far below the range of M. transversum Rehder and
Abbott, all along the Texas-Louisiana coast.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 144, re-
ported from offshore locations 540, 550, 1096; 170, deep shelf
assemblage; 175, listed for upper continental slope, 65-100
fms., common mud bottoms, whole coast; 206, Tex. Conch., Vol.
Op ope COs 214) -ficureds, 2515) Yucatan shelf:

Records H.M.N.S.: 20 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 50-152 fms. (excluding Galveston Bay)

Geographical Range: Rhode Island - Lesser Antilles

Maximum Size: 16.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Nemocardium (Microcardium) panamense
Dall, 1908, "Panama, 33 m." (Keen, 1971).

31. Microcardium spec. indet. A
We have already stated under the previous species, what its
characteristics are. It is considerably smaller (maximum size
10 m.), is strongly truncated and makes a more compact im-
pression. We have no references to this species.

Records H.M.N.S.: 7 lots, of which 2 contain live collected
material (small juveniles).

Depth Range: 50-150 fms., alive 140-150 fms.

Geographical Range: Cannot be given until this species is
understood.

Maximum Size: 10 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Remarks: The following references are either in error or adven-
titious shells: 170, Cerastoderma pinnulatum, listed for deep
shelf off East Texas, pl. 16, fig. 6, (is Carditamera floridana
Conrad); 110, Tcachycardium egmontianum, two rather fresh dead
shells were found at Galveston, Pl. 10, figs. 11-12.

SUPERFAMILY MACTRACEA
FAMILY MACTRIDAE

ia the N.w. Gulf of Mexico, represented by the subfamilies Mactrinae
with genera Mactra, Spisula, Mulinia, Rangianella and Rangia and
Pteropseiiinae with genera Raeta and Anatina. The Mactridae are re-
markabie for the large number of species of rather limited geographical
extent.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Part N.
WOMG) 5 5 ee I 07/5

Genus Mactra Linne, 1767.

Two differently shaped species, both reported as Mactra fragilis Gmelin,
1790 live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico in quite different environments.

ll

One a rather small, but relatively inflated form inhabits the sand bot-
toms of the more saline South Texas bays. Another, mich larger, flatter
and more regularly lined one, lives in the open Gulf in a depth range
from 6-40 fms. and optimally between 15-25 fms. Although it is pos-
sible that the bay form, here labelled M. spec. indet., is merely an
ecovariant of the large offshore form, we report here both forms as
different species.

32%

33%

Mactra (Mactrotoma) spec. indet.

It is probably that this species received a name long ago.
Inspection of the types of M. brasiliana Lamarck, Mactra
oblonga Say, 1822 and Mactra anserina Guppy, 1875 and others,
which Dall has synonymized with M. fragilis Gmelin, 1791 is
necessary.

This small species is restricted to the coastal bays where it
inhabits the sandy portions. It is rare along the East Texas
Coast (not seen in Louisiana), but becomes increasingly com-
mon towards the south, becoming abundant south of Corpus
Christi. It has never been dredged in the open Gulf and
appears confined to the inlets and bays.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: (most as
M. fragilis, Gmelin) 7 (Mactra braziliana Lamarck), listed: 15
(Mactra braziliana Lam.) single valves are common at Corpus
Christi; 18 (M. braziliana Lam.), Corpus Christi; 19 (Mactra
braziliana Lam.) common in Carancahua Bay, Matagorda Bay and
Espiritu Santo Bay; 21 (Mactra braziliana Lam.), listed; 45,
repeats above references; 67, Port Isabel; 98, bays; 110, dead
shells on St. Joseph, Mustang and Padre Islands, found living
in Aransas Bay, pl. 12, figs. 1, 2; 135, dead in Gulf, alive
in bay; 145, listed; 160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 167, alive in
Rockport area and in Laguna Madre; 175, listed; 178, northern
Laguna Madre; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (3),
1964; 225; Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on p. 185.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots of which 3 contain live collected material
(Galveston West Bay, Aransas Bay, South Padre Island).

Depth Range: 0-1 fms., often found in beachdrift.

Geographical Range: Restricted to Texas faunal province?

Maximum Size: 55 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None close.

Mactra (Mactrotoma) fragilis Gmelin, 1791.
Mactra fragilis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 13th Ed., p. 3261, No.
D2 TOM
This large Mactra is restricted to the open Gulf and is sepa-
rated from the previous species by a depth zone in which the
genus is missing. Occasionally large live specimens are dredged
from sandy mud bottoms, mainly in a depth range of 15-25 fms.
This species is flatter and more triangular in outline than the
previous one and reaches a much larger size (over 90 mm.) .
Beach specimens have been taken: one on Matagorda Beach, and
another at the jetty of South Padre Island (trawler shell?).
Previous students of the Texas fauna have recognized this species

12

as different but have reported it several times as Spisula
solidissima raveneli Conrad, 1831. This confusion started with
Maury (1944) who reported both Sp. solidissima similis and Sp.
solidissima raveneli Conrad for Galveston. We have not seen
this species in the bays.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 45 (Sp. s.
raveneli Conrad), Galveston; 135 (Sp. s. raveneli), dead in Gulf;
136, dead on Heald Bank, Pl. 9, fig. 3; 175 (Sp. sol. raveneli),
inner shelf, 2-12 fms. sand bottom.

Records H.M.N.S.: 18 lots, of which 2 contain live collected ma-
terial.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms.; alive: 9-24 fms, in sandy shelly mud.

Geographical Range: North Carolina - Florida, Texas; "West Indies".

Maximum Size: 94 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Possibly Mactra (Mactrotoma) nastuta
Gould, 1851. ''San Pedro, California to Colombia''. (Keen, 1971).

Genus Spisula Gray, SSW

Only a single species, restricted to the inlets and shore front (rarely),
in the subgenus Hemimactra.

34. Spisula (Hemimactra) solidissima similis Say, 1822.
Macitra similis Say, J. ,Acad.) Natwisets bhalac, 2 5eap. 309. 1822:

This large bivalve is restricted to the sandy flats of the inlets
where it often lives in large populations. Its dentition separates
it easily from the previous species. Very few valves (only worn
juvenile ones) have been dredged in the open Gulf and are probably
fossil. Reported from all along the Texas coast and localities
along the Louisiana coast (Isles Dernieres) to South Padre Island
and into Mexico.

Previous references to the Texas faunal province are: 1 (Mactra
solidissima Chemnitz), Galveston; 7 (Mactra similis Say), listed;
15 (Mactra similis Say), single valves at Galveston and Corpus
Christi; 19 (Mactra similis Say), Corpus Christi Bay, alive at
Matagorda Bay; 21 (Mactra similis Say), listed; 45, Cameron, La.,
Galveston, Matagorda and Corpus Christi Bay; 65, listed; 69,
listed; 110, alive at Galveston, pl. 12, figs. 14-15; 123, dead
shells not common from 5-6 fms. off Sabine, Tex.; 136, listed,
but not in text; 139, listed for beach and surf zone; 145, shallow
shelf; 160, alive in Matagorda Bay; 174, listed; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1, (3), 1964; 208, listed for several
environments; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston ; 267, Marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 269, figured on p. 187.

Records H.M.N.S.: 19 lots of which 9 contain live collected material
(all Galveston Island, in sandy mud flats and inlets).

Depth Range: 0-27 fms.; alive: O-1 fms.

Geographical Range: Cape Cod - Florida - Texas (Abbott 1974).

Maximum Size: 99 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The only small species of Spisula in
the Panamanian province is not close to Sp. s. similis (Panama
to Peru).

Genus Rangia Desmoulins, 1832.

Only a single species of this genus lives along the N.W. coast of the
Gulf of Mexico. We do not believe that Rangianella is close to Rangia,
and have allied Rangianella to Mulinia on the basis of the close

13

similarity of the hinge. Inspection of the hinge structure in Rangia,
Rangianella and Mulinia, especially of juvenile specimens , shows some
significant differences. The long laterals in Rangia are always minutely
ribbed, a characteristic missing in Mulinia and Rangianella. Rangia has

a pallial sinus resembling that of Mulinia, but the depth of this

feature appears to us of less importance than the structure of the hinge.

35. Rangia cuneata Gray, 1831.
Gnathodon cuneatus Gray in Sowerby, Gen. Shells, No. 36, figs.
1-7, Syn. Rangia nastula Dall, 1894.
This highly variable bivalve is widespread throughout the coastal
marshes and shallow bays. One of the forms was described as
Gnathodon cuneatus var nasutus Dall, 1894 (Proc. U.S. no. M., 17,
p. 98-99, pl. 7, fig. 8; and elevated to specific rank by Olsson
and Harbison (Monograph 8, Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., p. 142, pl. 13,
figs. 2, 4, 4a, 1953). Dead shells can form huge accumulations
and are dredged for use as road material. An attempt to market
these clams for human consumption proved a failure (ref. 15).
Very old valves are often dredged in offshore waters, even with
their ligament intact (Stetson Bank), but these are drowned
Pleistocene shells. Dead shells are abundant on all outer beaches
along the Texas-Louisiana coast, where the species lives in the
upper parts of practically all coastal bays, where the salinity
is below normal. Very large live specimens were taken from Caney
Creek at Sargent (over 80 m.).

Previous references to the Texas faunal province are: 1, very common
in brackish water at New Washington on Galveston Bay; 7, listed;
15, common all along the coast in brackish water, Nueces Bay, also
as Pleistocene fossil; 16, (Gnathodon, nearest cuneatus), well
at Galveston, 305-315 feet; 18, listed; 19, plentiful in small
bays, which empty in Matagorda Bay, largest sizes in slightly
brackish water, smaller in water that is salt all the time.
Pleistocene in Victoria County; 21, listed; 26, listed, Matagorda
Bay, Nueces River, etc., well at Beaumont, 600 feet, Port Lavaca,
type locality (R. cuneata nasuta Dall); 55, mentioned; 56, Port
Lavaca, Texas; 58, Carancahua Bay, Matagorda Bay; 66, Marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 69, listed; 93, numerous dead Rangia shells
along bay shores, no live colonies; 98, alive in Mission Lake,
Hynes Bay, San Antonio Bay; 110, common in all bays of low
salinity, . pli, 12, ,ftes. 7, 83 1265 listed) 135esdeadhan
bays; 136, dead valves on East Texas beaches; 139, bays
near rivers; 145, delta front, marsh; 146, interdistributary
bays; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 164, alive in Rockport area;
170, shallow shelf off East Texas; 174, listed; 175, river in-
fluenced low salinity assemblage; 188, Pleistocene;® 189,
Pleistocene; 206, beach records Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (4), 1964;
225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 267, Pleistocene, Chambers
County; 268, Pleistocene off Freeport, 5 8,000 B.P.; 269, figured
on page 186.

Records H.M.N.S.: 52 lots, of which 10 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-37 fms.; alive: 0-1 fms. in soft, organic rich mud.
Fossil offshore material usually from sandy mud bottoms. Beach
material more common east of Matagorda than south of there.

Geographical range: Chesapeake Bay to Texas.

Maximum Size: 86 mm. (dead beach valve); alive 80 mm. (Caney Creek)

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Rangia is missing in the Panamanic province.

le

Genera Mulinia Gray, 1837 and Rangianella Conrad, 1868.

At the present time, we will distinguish Mulinia Gray, 1837 and Rangianella
Conrad, 1868 by the shape of the pallial sinus. The structure of the

hinge is so similar that material outside our area should be compared

with the Texas species. In Mulinia Gray, 1837, the sinus is short and
small according to the Treat. Invert. Paleont. (p. N. 601), but in M.
lateralis of our coast it is fairly deep and pointed. Im Rangianella
Conrad, 1868, the sinus is inconspicuous or obsolete, (ibid, p. N. 601).
R. flexuosa of Texas shows a well rounded, very small sinus, and a sim-
ilar one is shown by Mulinia pontchartrainensis Morrison, 1965, a species
which we would rather refer to Rangianella.

Mulinia along the Louisiana and Texas coastline forms a poorly studied
complex of forms and shapes, and may be a mixture of two little under-
stood species. Apart from a recent study by Morrison, who described
M. pontchartrainensis from just outside our region, no recent work on
this group of bivalves is known to me.

The variability of the species so far called M. lateralis Say, is par-
ticularly noticeable in the development of the hinge line, not so much
in shape and arrangement of the teeth as in strength and develop-

ment. Over and over, one finds specimens with strongly developed and
broad teeth, whereas others show a thin and slender development of the
entire hinge plate. In paired valves, the distance between the umbo's
can be quite different: in some they almost touch, in others they are
wide apart. Finally, the amount of inflation of the valves is as varia-
ble as the other characteristics. Most Mullinia start out in the juven-
ile stage (up to 1/10 inch) as quite flat and thin shells but some then
develop considerable curvature and become inflated, whereas others re-
main relatively flat throughout their entire life.

Juveniles do not show any appreciable periostracum, but in the adult
stage they develop a regularly ridged periostracum covering the shell
below the umbos and which becomes more or less bearded on the posterior
Side of the shell. Here they have a posterior ridge, but some specimens
have two such ridges where the periostracum becomes frilly. The thick-
ness of the calcareous cress section of the shell is also subject to
enormous variation. On the whole, it is true that specimens collected
along the beaches and sandbars of the inlets are thin, lightly developed,
while those collected in the bays from organic rich mud bottoms have a
dense periostracum and heavy hinge line. The species thus reflects a
general character of the genus.

The distribution is remarkable throughout the area: Mulinia lives in
great profusion in all coastal bays in any type of environment, but least
in the oyster reef. For this reason, we have called the two principal
types of environment of the East Texas bays, the Mulinia bottom and the

as)

Dead shells have been taken offshore to a depth of 40 fms., often in
great profusion, but live material is seldom dredged in offshore waters
except at certain locations: Ship Shoal off Louisiana and off Freeport,
Texas. Both locations are close to river mouths. Pulley (ref. 110) re-
ports the species living in 12 fms. off Port Aransas, a depth at which
we have never encountered live material off Galveston and Freeport. Most
of the deep offshore dredge-material must be Pleistocene, but why it is
so common remains an unsolved problem.

In summary then: I believe that the two forms of Mulinia lateralis

living on the coast are a single species (ecovariants). A thin, lightly
developed form lives offshore, along the beaches and in the inlets. A
heavier, more inflated, thicker form, for which the name Mulinia
corbuloides Deshayes is available, inhabits the mud bottoms of the coastal
bays.

36. Mulinia lateralis (Say, 1822).

Mactra lateralis Say, J. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 2, p. 309,

1822. ie:
This species lives abundantly in those parts of the coastal bays
which are not covered by oyster reefs (Mulinia bottoms). It is
also found alive on the more sandy mudflats of the inlets, along
the tide line of the outer beaches and at a few locations off-
shore in the company of typical bay fauna (Ship Shoal and off
Freeport). Most offshore samples contain many dead valves of
this species but never live ones. Thus it must be considered a
bay species in spite of the fact that it is often the most
abundant bivalve in offshore samples (up to a depth of 40 fms.).
It is also by far the most numerous component of beachdrift near
the inlets (up to 90% at Galveston, somewhat less south of
Matagorda). Mulinia corbuloides Deshayes, 1854 is here considered
a synonym.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: 1, Galveston; 7,
listed; 15, Galveston and Corpus Christi, Sabine Pass, very
abundant; 16, well at Galveston 390-315, 400-458 feet; 18,
Corpus Christi and Galveston, abundant; 19, (M. lateralis,
southern variety), common in all the bays; 21, listed; 26,
Pleistocene and recent; 45, well at Beaumont, 600 feet, well
at Galveston. Recent, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Sabine Pass;
56, listed; 58, Matagorda Bay; 66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas;
67, Port Isabel; 69, listed: 98, alive in bays and Laguna Madre;
99, alive in San Antonio Bay; 110, abundant on all Texas beaches,
pl. 12, figs. 5-6; 126, listed; 135, alive in Gulf and bays; 136,
off East Texas, common dead offshore, alive in intertidal zone;
139, open bays; 143, listed; 145, Delta front, abundant; 146,
Delta front platform; 148, Baffin Bay; 151, Laguna Madre; 156,
Stetson Bank; 160, alive in Matagorda Bay; 164, alive at Rock-
port, alive in Laguna Madre; 170, sheif off East Texas; 174,
listed; 175, listed for various environments in N.W. Gulf of
Mexico; 178, Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay; 188, Pleistocene; 191,
marine Pleistocene; 193, food item of Black Drum (fish), Laguna
Madre; 194, food item of Black Drum (fish); 206, beach records
Tex. Conch., Vol. 7 (3), 1964; 208, listed for bay environments;
217, listed; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston, 253, rare on reef
off Padre. Island; 261, dominant form shallow offshore, Galveston;
oyster bottom (Tex. Conch., Vol. 1U, p. 63-67, 75-83).

37/6

267, Pleistocene Chambers County; 269, figured on page 185.

Records H.M.N.S.: 154 lots, of which 34 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms.; alive: 0-6 fms.

Geographical Range: Maine - Florida - Texas, Mexico.

Maximum Size: 16.2 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Of the two species in the Panamanic fauna,
none appears close.

Rangianella flexuosa (Conrad, 1839).

Gnathodon flexuosus Conrad, Am. Journ. Sci., 38, p. 92, 1839.
A similar difficulty as for Mulinia exists for the genus
Rangianella. It is possible that two species live along the Texas
coast, but in spite of extensive material, I am unable to make
a convincing case for this interpretation. There can be no doubt
that Rangianella pontchartrainensis Morrison, 1965 is specifically
different, but so far this species has not been found, although
it probably will some day, west of the Mississippi River. The
evidence for two species in Texas is indirect: At many locations
in the bays (Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay), only live juvenile
specimens are found, without a trace of full grown material. For
the time being, we have labelled this material Rangianella
flexuosa, but further study might show this to be incorrect. R.
flexuosa, full-grown, reaches a size of about 2.5 inches (60 mm.) ~
and is thick shelled. Apparently for that reason it has been -
incorrectly as we believe - aligned with Rangia, but in our opinion,
it is much closer to Mulinia. Juvenile R. cuneata and R. flexuosa
are separated at a glance - totally different hinges - but mix-
tures of juvenile M. lateralis and Rangianella flexuosa require
careful inspection. Rangianella flexuosa, as defined here, is
far less common than R. cuneata but sometimes lives with it in
mixed populations, On the outer beaches of Texas and Louisiana
(Isles Derniéres),old valves are abundant, but they are rare in
offshore samples. Live material is present from Lavaca Bay, Red
Fish Bayou; Chocolate Bayou, Clear Lake; Seadrift; Swan Lake,
Red Fish Lake; Caney Creek (all Texas). Dead shelis are known
also as far south as the Port Mansfield cut on Padre Island.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed; 15,
dead valves at Galveston; 18, dead valves at Galveston; 21,
listed; 45, Galveston; 67, dead valves at Port Isabel; 110,
living in Clear Lake, Galveston Bay; 145, marsh areas; 146,
"levee" assemblage; 174, listed; 175, river influenced low
salinity assemblage; 206, beach records, Tex. Conch., Vol. 1
(4), 1964; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 267, Pleistocene of
Chambers County, Texas; 269, figured on page 186.

Records H.M.N.S.: 47 lots of which 11 contain live collected mate-
rial.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive O-1 fms., in soft black mud. More
common in Matagorda and Galveston Bay than other coastal bays,
which is possibly due to more intensive collecting.

Geographical Range: Restricted to Texas faunal province (South to
Vera Cruz).

Maximum Size: 60 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Rangianella mendica Gould, 1851. "Gulf
of California, as far south as Mazatlan, Mexico" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Anatina Schumacher, 1817.
Large, thin shelled bivalves. Only a single species in the open Gulf,
confined to the surf zone. Recently reviewed by Harry (see ref. 245).

17

38.

Anatina anatina (Spengler, 1802).

Mactra anatina Spengler, Skrift. Naturh. Selskabet.
Copenhagen, 5 (2), p. 92-128, 1802.
Syn. Labiosa lineata Say, 1822.
A somewhat uncommon species, only found on the outer beaches.
It has never been dredged alive, neither in the open bays, nor
in offshore waters. From the open Gulf, only a small number of
fragmental shells is known. It must be concluded that this is
a typical surf zone species. Live shells are rarely thrown upon
the beaches; when they are it is usually after a cold spell, but
loose valves are found the year round in small numbers along
all Texas outer beaches. We have no material from Louisiana but
presumably the species also lives there. In most references
reported as Labiosa lineata Say, 1822.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed; 21,
listed; 45, listed; 56, listed; 58, Matagorda Bay; 69, listed;
110, rare on all Gulf beaches, somewhat more common to the south,
plate 12, fig 4; 135, alive in Gulf, dead in bays; 145, shallow
shelf (dead); 160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 174, listed; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (4), 1964; 225, Galveston; 236,
Galveston; 245, Galveston, figs. 7, 8, 9, 10; 269, figured on
page 184.

Records H.M.N.S.: 14 lots of which two contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms.; alive: O-1 fms.,beach only.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida; Texas, Brazil.
(Abbott, 1974)

Maximum Size: 66 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Anatina cyprinus Wood, 1828. "Off Bahia
San Luis, Guaymas, to Ecuador and possibly Peru" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Raeta Gray, 1853.
Large, thin shelled bivalves, having a peculiar vermiculate sculpture
when viewed under magnification.

39%

Raeta plicatella (Lamarck, 1818).
Lutraria plicatella Lam., Anim. s. Vert., 5, p. 470, 1818.
Syn. Labiosa canaliculata Say, 1822. This is the name
under which this species has been most often reported.
More common than the previous species, but apparently of quite
similar habits. It is restricted to the surf zone and is missing
in the bays and deeper offshore waters. Live specimens are un-
commonly found along the beaches and then only after a cold

spell. Dead vaives are fairly common the year round along
Louisiana and Texas beaches; never found alive in the coastal
bays although a few rare d2ad valves are occasionally dredged
there.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: 1, Galveston,
common; 7, listed: 15, abundant at Gaiveston, less so at Corpus
Christi; 16, well at Galveston, 46-63 feet; 19, Matagorda Bay
and Corpus Christi Bay, Gulf beach, Matagorda Peninsula and
Matagorda Island, not alive; 21, listed; 45, Galveston, Matagorda
Bay, Corpus Christi, Galveston well, 46-2, 871 feet; 58, Padre
island; 61, listed; 62, Mustang Island, Padre Isiand; 65, list-
ed; 66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel; 69, list-
ed; 98, Padre Island; 110, sometimes common on all Gulf beaches,

ened
a

pl. 12, fig. 3; 135, dead in Gulf, 136, dead on East Texas beach;
145, shallow shelf, dead; 160, Matagorda Bay, dead; 164, dead in
Rockport area; 170, shallow shelf off East Texas; 174, listed; 175,
inner shelf, 2-12 fms., few along whole coast; 206, beach notes
Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (4), 1964; 208, barrier-face and bars environ-
ment; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 245, Louisiana and Texas;
267, Pleistocene of Chambers County, Tex.; 269, figured page 184.

Records H.M.N.S.: 25 lots, of which 2 contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 0-26 fms.; alive O-1l fms., beach only.

Geographical Range: Carolinas, Texas, Surinam (Altena, 1971).

Maximum Size: 73 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Raeta undulata Gould, 1851. "San Pedro,
California to Peru" (Keen, 1971).

FAMILY MESODESMAT IDAE

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the subfamily Erviliinae
Dall, 1895, with the genus Ervilia.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N, part 2,
p- 608-610.
Genus Ervilia Turton, 1822.
Small shells, concentrically striate, although some show traces of
faint radial lines.

40. Ervilia concentrica (Holmes, 1860).

Ervilia concentrica Gould, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat.

Hist., 8, p. 280 (off N. Carolina).
When large numbers of this species are seen together, it is
clear that the species is quite variable. It seldom reaches
the size of 8 mm., but most specimens are about half that size.
The ribbing or grooving is quite variable. Some specimens start
out quite smooth and only later develop the typical concentric
ribs. In others, the ribbing starts early. In many specimens,
microscopic striae between the ribs can be seen and some speci-
mens possess posteriorly a vague radial pattern. The umbo is
always quite prominent. Sometimes it is placed centrally, other
times considerably off center. Specimens are rarely pinkish
in color. Beach specimens are quite rare at Galveston but be-
come more common towards the south (St. Joseph Island - South
Padre Island). Fresh pairs, mostly juveniles, have been taken
from drift. Widespread offshore, mostly in the shell bank
environment (Heald Bank), together with Semelina nuculoides
and Strigilla mirabilis, (Ship Shoal, La., to S. Padre Island).
Not in the bays.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: 136, reported
from 12 stations in 33-56 feet off East Texas, alive; 164,
Note: (probably an incorrect report. Figure shows (pl. 2, fig.
22) Mysella sp.); 170, off East Texas; 206, beach records in
Tex. Conch., Vol. 1, (3), 1964; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston;
269, figured on page 188.

Records H.M.N.S.: 37 lots of which two contain live collected
material from sandy bottom.

Depth Range: 0-32 fms; alive 7-9 fms.

Geographical Range: N.W. Gulf of Mexico, off the Carolinas and
West Indies.

Maximum Size: 8 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Mesodesmatidae do not live in the
Panamanic fauna.

30S)

41. Ervilia nitens (Montagu, 1806).

This much rarer species is only known from two lots taken in
deep water off Louisiana. It lacks the concentric striations
of the previous species and also its shape is different.
Previous records in the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots of dead shells, which are immature.
Depth Range: 55 fms.
Geographical Range: Florida, Bermuda, West Indies.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Mesodesmatidae do not live in the
Panamanic fauna.

SUPERFAMILY SOLENACEA
FAMILY SOLENIDAE

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the single genus Solen.

Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N, part 2,

p- 610-611.

Genus Solen Linne, 1758.

Elongate bivalves, gaping at both ends. Beaks terminal. Straight
dorsal margin. These animals live in sandy bottoms in which
they can dig very rapidly (although I have not seen S. viridis
do this trick).

42. Solen viridis Say, 1822.
Solen viridis Say, 1822; Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Philadelphia, 2, p. 316.
This species reaches its most western distribution at San Luis
Pass, Galveston Island. Occasionally large numbers of live
specimens are cast upon the beaches along the East Texas and
Louisiana coast. Fragmental shells have been dredged in depths
to 25 fms., but the animal probably does not live beyond 10 fms.
Not living in the bays and apparently restricted to the beach
zone and the inlets.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 69, listed;
136, listed “alive'' in final list; 170, shallow shelf assemblage,
175, inner shelf 2-12 fms., common, only off western Louisiana;
206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2, (2), 1965; 225, Gal-
veston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 188.

Records H.M.N.S.: 13 lots of which 5 contain live collected material.
Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive 0-8 fms.

Geographical Range: Rhode Island to Florida; reaches the extreme
Western limit of its range at Galveston.

Maximum Size: 38 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

FAMILY CULTELLIDAE

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by a single genus Ensis.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N, part 2,
p. 611-613.
Genus Ensis Schumacher, 1817.
Quite different hinge structure as compared to Solen. Dorsal margin
curved.

20

43. Ensis minor Dall, 1900.

Ensis minor Dall, 1900, Trans. Wagner Inst. Free. Sci.,

Sn) lS Dg, ODSe
This is a widespread and common species along the Louisiana
and Texas (Timbalier Bay, La. to South Padre Island) coasts,
occasionally found living in clay or sandy clay. Fragments are
often found on the shallow shelf to a depth of 35 fms. but in
the collection of the H.M.N.S., the deepest live record is 1.5 fms ;
presumably the species lives deeper than that. Early records
refer to this species as Solen americanus, but express some
doubt about the correctness of this identification. The latter
is a synonym of Ensis directus Conrad, 1843, a species not known
from the NW. Gulf of Mexico.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 28, original
description; 45, Matagorda and Corpus Christi Bays (based on
earlier references of Solen Americanus 56, listed; 69, listed;
93 (as Solen sp.), in bird droppings on refuge. ''Probably Solen
viridis". (Note: This is quite unlikely and Ensis minor seems
more probable) 98, alive in many bays; 99, living in San Antonio
Bay; 110, lives in all bays of higher salinity. Plate 13, figs.
16, 17; 126, listed; 135, dead in Gulf, alive in bays; 136, alive
on clay (East Texas); dead on beach; 145, upper sound, shallow
shelf (Mississippi delta); 160, alive in Matagorda Bay; 164,
Rockport area; alive; Laguna Madre, alive, 170, alive on shallow
shelf; 174, listed; 175, common along bay margins; 178, upper
extremity Laguna Madre; 193, south Laguna Madre; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2 (2), 1965; 208, bay margin and
grass flats environment; 225, Galveston, 236, Galveston; 269,
figured on page 188.

Records H.M.N.S.: 33 lots, of which 11 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-30 fms.; alive: 0-1.5 fms.

Geographical Range: "New Jersey to Florida to Texas" (Abbott, 1974)

Maximum Size: 81 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not clear. 2 species of Ensis live inthe
Panamanic province.

Remarks: References to Ensis directus Conrad, 1843 all predate Dali's
description of Ensis minor and sometimes express doubt as to the
correctness of the name. They are: ref. 15, (as Solen Americanus
Gould?), Corpus Christi Bay and Laguna Madre, common; 18, (as
Solen directus) Corpus Christi, young shells abundant; 19, Solen
americanus Gould), living in all bays from Matagorda to Corpus
Christi except Mud Bay; 21, listed as Solen americanus.

SUPERFAMILY TELLINACEA
FAMILY TELLINIDAE

This world wide family of often pink colored shells is represented in the
NW. Gulf of Mexico by the subfamilies Tellininae with genera Tellina,
Angulus, Tellidora and Strigilla ; and Macominae with genera Macoma,
Psammotreta and Cymatoica.

Sources: M. Keen in Treatise of Invert. Paleont., Part N, Vol. 2,

p. 613-628.
K. J. Boss, Johnsonia, Vol. 4, 45, 46, 47, 1966, 1968 and
1969.

21

Genus Tellina Linne, 1758.

44,

45.

Revision ot this genus should result in splitting the numerous
species classified as Tellina in a number of separate genera, but

at present it is not clear how this can be done without incon-
sistencies (M. Keen). On the other hand, it is equally incon-
sistent to classify all members in the single genus Tellina, even
though we may not be sure of generic relationship, when it is
customary to split other families (f.i. Veneridae) in a large number
of separate genera. Even in the Tellinidae, the argument is not
fully adhered to (f.i. Macoma-Psammotreta). The statement appears
to imply that the generic relations are understood when generic
distinctions are made, which obviously is not true. For that reason,
I will report some of the smaller Tellins under the full genus
Angulus, of which Scissula is considered here a subgenus.

Tellina (Eurytellina) angulosa Gmelin, 1791.
Teliina angulosa Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 13th Ed.,
p. 3244.
A single valve was dredged together with both IT. alternata and
T. tayloriana in 4 fathoms off Padre Island. It is our only
record (trawler shell?). This species has so far not been re-
ported from the NW. Gulf of Mexico, and is a typical South American

species.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single valve from 4 fms. off Padre Island.

Geographical Range: Southern Florida, South America to Uruguay.
Maximum Size:
Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Tellina (Eurytellina) alternata Say, 1822.

Tellina alternata Say, 1822, Acad. Nat. Sci.,

Phitas 25) ps 275%
Old valves are often dredged on the shallow coastal shelf to a
depth of 26 fms. The species is often found alive in beach drift
along the entire coast line, where however, the next species (?)
appears to be more common. Boss has enumerated a number of dis-
tinctive differences between T. alternata and T. tayloriana but
in many instances, dealing with Texas material, the distinction is
difficult. The pink T. tayloriana is the common Texas beach shell.
It is practically impossible to separate worn, old material obtain-
ed from dredgings. We are doubtful whether T. tayloriana con-
stitutes a valid species and in our opinion it appears more plausible
that T. tayloriana is merely an ecological variant of IT. alternatay
Some of our observations are contrary to statements by. Boss in
Jchnsonia. We invariably find that the yellow T. aiternata is
smaller than the pink Tf. tayioriana and our records clearly in-
dicate that T. alternata on the average lives in deeper water
than T. tayloriana, which appears aimost completely restricted \
to the surf zone. T. alternata is only occasionally obtained from
the bays.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: (early references _

did not distinguish between T. alternata and T. tayloriana) 1, Wt
very common, Galveston Island; 7, listed; 15, Galveston and We
Corpus Christi, abundant, the pink variety being the most common
(=I. tayloriana); 18, listed; 19, Matagorda Island (both T.
alternata and T. tayloriana, alive); 21, listed; 45, Galveston,
Corpus Christi, Matagorda Island; 58, Padre Island; 61, listed; 62
Shamrock Island, Corpus Christi Bay; 65, St. Joseph Island; 66,

Lan
md

46.

47.

marine Pleistocene of Texas; 69, listed; 98, beach Padre Is-
land; 110, shallow water, all along Texas beaches, pl. 13, figs.
10-11; 126, listed; 135, alive in Gulf, alive in bays; 136,
intertidal zone off East Texas; 145, upper sound, shallow shelf,
Mississippi delta; 156, Stetson Bank; 160, Matagorda Bay; 164,
Rockport area, alive in open bay margins; 170, shelf assemblage;
174, listed; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 11,
1968; 225, Galveston;235, listed; 236, Galveston; 253, rare off
reef, Padre Island; 261, shallow offshore waters, Galveston; 269,
figured on page 196.

Records, H.M.N.S.: 32 lots of which 11 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-26 fms.; alive: 0-5 fms. on sandy bottoms,

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Mexico.

Maximum Size: 56.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellina (Eurytellina) laceridens Hanley,
1844, "Corinto, Nicaragua, to Tumbes, Peru, on mud flats at lowest
tide". (Keen, 1971).

Tellina (Eurytellina) tayloriana Sowerby, 1867.
Tellina tayloriana Sowerby, in Reeve, Conch. Icon., 17,

teltinas ipl. 30s tie.) 168%.
It is at present somewhat uncertain whether the pink T. tayloriana
is conspecific or not with T. alternata, Differences in shell
shape are stated to be as follows: T. tayloriana has: 1) a
flatter shell, resulting in a narrower internal cavity; 2) its
right valve is noticeably more flat than that of T. alternata;
3) the hinge plate of the right valve is broader and flattened.
It appears probable to us, that the pink tayloriana is merely
an ecovariant of alternata, restricted to the surf zone. Only
a single fragmental shell was dredged from 25 fms. (fossil?).
Otherwise all our material derives from depths less than 4 fms.
T. tayloriana is often thrown upon the beaches along the entire
coastline of Louisiana and Texas to the Rio Grande. Parker
states (ref. 175) that T. alternata replaces T. tayloriana east
of the Mississippi delta.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 164, Rockport
area, alive in inlet influence; 175, abundant along Texas beaches;
206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 11, 1968; 208,
listed; 235, listed; 269, figured on page 197.

Records H.M.N.S.: 13 lots, of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive: beach only.

Geographical Range: Texas - Mexico.

Maximum Size: 64 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Tellina (Eurytellina) nitens C.B. Adams, 1845.
Bs Do LO,

Synonym: TI. georgiana Dall, 1900.
This Eurytellina is the most widespread species on the deeper

sandy bottoms of the offshore shelf. The few beach specimens
known (South Padre Island, Mustang Island and between the
Freeport jetties, the latter probably a trawler sheil) are
mostly adventitious on Gorgonia root masses.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, (I.
georgiana Dall), deep shelf; 170 (I. georgiana Dall) transitional
shelf assemblage; 174, (I. georgiana Dall), listed; 175,

23

48.

49.

(I. georgiana Dall), intermediate shelf, common along whole
coast; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 22, 1968;
235, about 68 miles S.E. of Freeport in 48 fms., about 80 miles
S. of Port Isabel in 40 fms.

Records H.M.N.S.: 51 lots of which 2 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms.; alive 11-23 fms. on sandy mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Brazil, Gulf of
Mexico.

Maximum Size: 35 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellina (Eurytellina) inaequistriata
Donovan, 1802, "Gulf of California to Guayaquil, Ecuador, mainly
offshore at depths of 18 to 33 m". (Keen, 1971).

Tellina (ZEurytellina) lineata Turton, 1819.

Tellina linaeta Turton, 1819, Conch. Dict., p. 168, pl.4,

fig. 16.

Synonym: T. decussatula C.B. Adams, 1845.
So far, no live material of this species is known from the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico. Loose valves are often obtained from "spoil"
material (mud piled up from dredgings of canals) in the south
Texas bays. Beach shells are known from Galveston (quite rare)
and south of St. Joseph Island (more common). In the Galveston
area it is only:rarely dredged. It appears plausible that the
only place where T. lineata survives in the Texas fauna is on
the offshore coral reefs (one lot). All specimens obtained from
"spoil" material are probably Pleistocene fossils.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 110, St. Joseph,
Mustang and Padre Islands; pl. 13, figs. 12-13; 160, Matagorda
Bay; 174, listed; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5,

p- ll, 1968; 235, Port Aransas, probably Pleistocene; 269, figured
on page 146.

Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; dredged at 4-and-25 fms.; valve from coral
reefs.

Geographical Range: Florida - Texas - Brazil.

Maximum Size: 27 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Telilina (Phyllodina) squamifera Deshayes, 1855.

Tellina squamifera Deshayes, Proc. Zool. Soc.,

London, 22, p. 365, 1853.
This species widely known as Phylloda squamifera Deshayes, is
quite common over the sandy portions of the offshore shelf in
a depth range of 6-57 fms.. with an optimum at about 20-30 fms.
It seidom reaches the beach and is cnly known from Sabine Beach
and from between the Freeport jetties (trawler shell?). When
fresh, the shell is often tinged by a faint yellow color, which
rarely has a pinkish streak in it.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 139, outer
shelf; 145, deep shelf, alive; 156, Stetson Bank; 170, shelf
assemblage; 175, intermediate shelf, common along whole coast;
201, mudlump fauna, Mississippi delta; 206, beach records, Tex.
Conch., Vol. 5, p. 10, 1968; 221, off Port Isabel in 50 fms.;
236, Galveston; 251, Yucatan Shelf.

Records H.M.N.S.: 50 lots, of which 7 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-57 fms.; alive: 11-50 fms.

-

24

50.

SES

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Texas.

Maximum Size: 27.7 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellina (Phyllodina) pristiphora Dall,
1900.
"Santa Inez Bay, Gulf of California, to Puntarenas, Costa Rica,
offshore in 22 to 155m. " (Keen, 1971).

Tellina (Merisca) aequistriata Say, 1824.
Tellina aequistriata Say, 1824, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Pha Wa rpenlia Ske
Synonym: Quadrans lintea Conrad, 1837.
This common and widespread species used to be known as Quadrans
lintea Conrad, 1837. It lives on sandy bottoms in a depth range
of 9-28 fms. along the entire Louisiana and Texas coast. Known
from beachdrift only at Sabine beach, east Texas, and south of
St. Joseph Island in south Texas. Not in the bays but one lot
taken in channels to Timbalier Island, La., in 1-3 fms. of water,
and one in between jetties at Freeport (trawler shells?).
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: (almost all as
Quadrans lintea Conrad). 136, Sabine Bank at a depth of 7 fms.;
139, "open" shelf; 145, inlets, shallow shelf, deep shelf; 146,
levee assemblage; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 160, Matagorda
Bay; 164, Rockport area; 170, transitional shelf assemblage; 175,
intermediate shelf; common along whole coast, on sand bottoms
12-35 fms.; 201, Mudlump fauna, Mississippi delta; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 10, 1968; 214, figured; 221,
Pass Caballo; 225, Galveston; 253, Offshore reef, Padre Island;
269, figured on page 197.
Records H.M.N.S.: 76 lots of which 5 contain live collected material.
Depth Range: 0-50 fms.; alive: 9-28 fms.
Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Brazil.
Maximum Size: 21.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellina (Merisca) reclusa Dall, 1900.
"San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja Caiifornia, to Panama, mostly off-
shore in depths of 5-70 m." (Keen, 1971).

Tellina (Laciolina) magna Spengler, 1798.
Tellina magna Spengler, 1798. Skriv. Natur. Selskabet,

GAG) ION Fic y2 5

A rather rare species in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Our largest
single valve (76 mm.) was taken by divers from an octopus den.
Some fragments and shells have been found on the beaches of Padre
Island. The color of Texas material is a uniform light orange.
Boss states that Ardeamya columbiensis Hanley, 1844, is super-
ficially close to it in the Pacific fauna but this species lacks
lateral dentition and for that reason he assumes that both species
cannot be closely related. Further investigations will have to
establish the significance for classification of the hinge
characteristics in the Tellinidae.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 10, 1968.

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots (no live material and mostly fragmental).

Depth Range: 5-12 fms. on sand bottom.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, West Indies.

Maximum Size: 76 mm. (far below maximum size of 122 mm. cited by
Boss).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None close.

25

52. Tellina (Tellina) radiata Linne, 1758.
Tellina radiata Linne, 1758. Syst. Nat., 10th Ed., p. 675.

Only a single valve from Hospital Rock, offshore Port Aransas,
dredged from algal community. The species appears to be rare
in Texas and so far no material has been found on the reefs off
Galveston and Louisiana, but it is not impossible that the species
will be found there. Some early references have cited this
species for the beach, but this was before Dall had described
Macoma tageliformis, which we believe was mistaken for this species

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 15, a single
valve on the beach of Galveston; 45, repeated above reference; ]
56, listed (based on above references?); 61, listed; 62, Shamrock
Island, Mustang Island, Corpus Christi Bay. All these references
are undoubtedly in error. The following are possibly correct:
147, dead on Big Southern Bank; 192, Campeche Bank; figured.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of one immature valve from Hospital Rock.

Depth Range: Approximately 30 fms.

Geographical Range: South Carolina, Florida, Bermuda, Guianas
(Abbott, 1974). The subgenus Tellina does not occur in the
Panamanic Province.

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

WEST COAST SHELLS by Josiah Keep. Revised by Joshua L. Bailey, Jr.
Stanford University Press. 1935. 350 pages.

The book describes "in familiar terms . . . the principal marine, fresh-
water and land mollusks of the United States, British Columbia, and ;
Alaska, found west of the Sierra". Josiah Keep was curator of conchology
at the California Academy of Sciences and Professor of Geology at Millis
College (California).

Most comprehensive bibliographies will include this publication among
the kev references covering the Pacific Coast mollusks. The book is
illustrated by 332 black and white drawings.

The first edition of WEST COAST SHELLS appeared in 1887. This actually
followed an earlier book COMMON SEA-SHELLS OF CALIFORNIA (1881). The
book was updated in 1904 as WEST AMERICAN SHELLS.

Little personal anecdotes interspersed among the scientific descriptions —
make interesting reading. Listed as the "aristocracy’’ among the West
Coast shells are the Cypraeidae, the Ovulidae, the Volutidae, the Margi-

pnellidae, and the Olividae. i

26

CONCHOLOGICAL PHILATELY by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Editor, Tom Rice, has devoted considerable space in the Summer, 1975,
issue of OF SEA AND SHORE to the subject of conchological philately.

He has reproduced in color beautiful arrays of seashell stamps on the
front cover, the back cover and in between. There are additional

black and white photographs. The seashell stamps are shown in color

and emphasize the impressive array of stamps that are currently available.

Tom has included 16 pages of checklists to identify the various stamps.
He has also included in the lists other stamps that depict various types
of aquatic life such as birds, fish, plants, mammals, crustaceans,
echinoderms, reptiles, coelentrates and the like. More checklists can
be anticipated since the arrangement seems to be alphabetical and the
list goes only through Gabon. Many of the stamps that have been in-
cluded in the continuing lists that have been published in the TEXAS
CONCHOLOGIST can be seen in the Tom Rice magazine. These include (among
others) stamps from Grenadines of St. Vincent (17), Cook Islands (17),
Papua and New Guinea (15), Maldives (8), Comores (6), Philippine Islands
(4), Seychelles (4) and the like.

Over the years, it has been the policy of SCOTT'S CATALOG to list on
its pages only those items that are truly philatelic. Thus, "stamps"
issued by some countries are not included in the catalog. These are
stamps issued primarily for commercial reasons - to exploit the demands
of the stamp collectors. One example might be the issuance of airmail
stamps by a country that does not have such service. Another example
is the printing of stamps in numbers that obviously exceed the postal
requirements for that country. Among the countries that fail to meet
the SCOTT standards is Fujeira. Of interest to the philatelic conchol-
ogist is the issuance (in 1972) by that country of six seashell stamps
along with a souvenir sheet. To keep the tabulations as complete as
possible, these stamps have been included in the current list.

When collecting seashells, one might desire to collect variants and ‘
subspecies of a given mollusk. Something of an analogy exists in
philately. For example, Fiji, in 1968, issued a 2-pence stamp show-
ing a Nautilus pompilius (Scott No. 242) and a 3-shilling stamp pictur-
ing Cypraea aurantium (Scott No. 252). In the following year, there
occurred a currency change. New stamps were issued, The 2¢ stamps now
showed the same Nautilus (Scott No. 261) and the 30¢ stamp the Golden
Cowry (Scott No. 272). The 2¢ stamp was then overprinted in 1970
("Royal Visit/1970") to commemorate the occasion (Scott No. 286). Then
in 1972, the 30¢ stamps with the Golden Cowry was overprinted ''Hurricane
Relief" to raise funds for hurricane relief work (Scott No. B6). Thus,
the collector will need to obtain 3 issues of the nautilus stamp and

3 issues of the cowry stamp, although the basic pictures of the mol-
lusks remained the same.

What do the stamps cost? Fortunately, most sets can be obtained at
modest costs when they are released. However, a few sets are on the
expensive side. The current "store price" for the Angola set ranges
from $17.00 to $19.00. The high value, Cook Island stamps catalog at
$10.40, $15.60, $20.80 and $26.00 each.

27

LISTING OF SEASHELL STAMPS (Continued)

Face Scott

—___Gountry Values Number! is. __Molllusk<Depiet ea
351. Angola ZINC a/3 Harpa doris
3D 30 c 574 Murex melananathos
353) 50 c 575 Venus foliaceo lemallosa
Si5yhe 70 ¢ 576 Lathyrus filosus
355. ise 577; Cymbium cisium
3 516% 1.50 e 578 Cassis tesselata
3)5)7) Ome 579 Cypraea stercoraria
SI5X3}6 2.50 e 580 Conus prometheus
359 3 e 581 Strombus latus
360. 3.50 e 582 Tympanotonis fuscatus
361. 4e 583 Cardium costatum
362% 5e 584 Natica fulmines
3163%5 6e 585 Lyropecten nodosus
364. 7 e 586 Tonna galea
365. 10 e 587 Donax rugosus
366. 2 ae 588 Cymatium trigonum
367. 30 e 589 Olivancaris acuminata
368. 35 e 590 Semifusus morio
369. 40 e 591 Clavatula lineata
370. 50 e a3)22 Solarium granulatum
371. Gilbert & Lae 241 Cypraea argus
His Ellice 10 ¢ 242 Cypraea cribraria
BWBie 255¢ 243 Cypraea talpa
374. 35) 244 Cypraea mappa
3\7/3yr 244a Souvenir sheet 4 values
376. CGook Islands $4 399 Various shells
Sy/7/6 $6 400 Various shells
378. $8 401 Various shells
379. $10 402 Various sheils
380. Grenada 5 ¢ Chama macerophylla
3S: in¢ Arca zebra ’
382. A) Xo Trachycardium muricatum
383% 3. ¢ Strombus pugilis
384. 753) 2 Janthina janthina
385. 50 ¢ Smaragdia viridis
386. Sil Sthnorytis pernobilis
387. $2 Voluta musica
388. Fujeira 5d Strombus gigas
389. 10 d Strombus pugilis
390. 255d Murex troscheli
3910. 20 d Pecten species
392% 25 d Charonia species
393. 20 Dh Hermit crab in shell
394. 10 r Souvenir sheet
395). Shaya 2 261 Nautilus pompilius
396. 30 ¢ 2/92 Cypraea aurantium
SIS fe 2c 286 Overprint
398. Australia $1 L34 Giant squid

Antarctic Terr.
399) Bsr.0.L- 1 OR 28 Hermit crab/sheil
400. Br. Solomon Isd. 3 ¢ ASR Lambis lambis

28

CONCHOLOGIST

IP A

VOLUME XII, NO. 2 DECEMBER, 1975

NOTES & NEWS

SHELL AUCTION WAS A SUCCESS ; by Barbara Hudson

The marvelous cooperation of ail our Club members made our November
19th auction a huge success. The gross total was $1,248.23. There
was $90.60 spent on shells, so the net profit was $1,157.63.

I want to extend a special "thank you" to my committee members, Ruby
Ray, who typed labels and helped with all the planning; Merle Kleb,
who worked many hours and did such a good job with the silent auction.
Also Constance Boone, an unofficial committee member, who gave gener-
ously of her time, advice, ideas, and shells. She also helped with
the Santa's grab bag and the sale table. Lloyd Meister and Frank
Petway kept things running smoothly at the cashier's table.

Our contributors were Ruth Goodson, Cynthia Biasca, Lloyd Meister,
Margaret Baldwin, Carole Courtade, Merle Kleb, Laura Montgomery,

Tina and Frank Petway, Dr. Sutow, Ruby Ray, Charlie Doh, Frank Von
Markhoven, Barbara Hudson, Kaye and Herschel Sands, Fannie and Sam
Miron, Fritz Lang, Leola Glass, Mary Knapp, Constance Boone, Mrs.
Montgomery Skidmore, an anonymous donor from California, Walter Kurtz,
Hugo and Laura Baur, Bob Morrison, and Kirk Anders and Elsie Malone.

Thanks all, for without you there could not have been such a pleasant
and profitable evening.

(8)

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.
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The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

Thais haemastoma floridana (Conrad), forma haysae Clench.
Two paratype specimens from Grand Bayou, Louisiana. Both
79 mm. in length. Delaware Museum of Natural History

No. 1489.
30

NOTE ON THAIS HAEMASTOMA by R. Tucker Abbott

Many workers have commented on the variability of this common, wide-
spread littoral species whose range extends from the Mediterranean
and West Africa to the Western Atlantic and the Eastern Pacific. De-
spite a great deal of overlapping in certain characters, there are
three fairly well-defined subspecies: 1) haemastoma (Linne, 1767),
occurring in the Eastern Atlantic and parts of Brazil and Uruguary;
2) floridana (Conrad, 1837) occurring from North Carolina, through
the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies to parts of Brazil; 3)

i ialis (Blainville, 1832) which extends from Baja California to
Chile and the Galapagos.

Within the subspecies floridana there are several morphological forms
believed to be ecological or minor genetic differences (Butler, 1954,
p. 67; Moore, 1961, p. 25). These include various degrees of channeling
of the suture; production of fluted knobs and rows of tubercles on

the body whorl; relative height of spire; spiral beading; depth of
spiral incised lines; and coloration. The most extreme form to be
described first was canaliculata (Gray, 1839), an 83 mm. long specimen
erroneously thought to be from China (see T.C. Yen, 1942, Proc. Mal.
Soc. London, vol. 24, p. 224, pl. 21, fig. 140, holotype). Its suture
is deeply channeled, bordered below by a fluted, spiral cord, and its
body whorl bears weak nodules. This forma occurs in Cardenas Bay,
Cuba, rarely in Lake Worth, Florida, and commonly from northwest
Florida to Texas (Boone, 1975). A second extreme form was named haysae
Clench, 1927. It is similar to canaliculata but additionally has two
rows of fluted knobs on the last whorl. Intergrades occur in many
areas. These two large forms occur in protected, brackish water in
the areas of oyster reefs and man-made structures. The smaller, less-
knobbed, and less-channeled, typical floridana occurs in waters closer
to the open ocean where the water is cooler and more saline. Biolog-
ically the various forms appear to belong to the same subspecies --
floridana. The form names canaliculata and haysae may be used for
extreme and readily recognized ecologic variations, but collectors
must realize that intergrades occur in the same small geographical
areas.

LITERATURE CITED

Boone, Constance E. 1975. Search and Seizure. Texas Conchologist,
Volvo dle. NOt eapen LOO!
Butler, Philip A. 1954. The Southern Oyster Drill. 1953 Convention
Papers, Nat. Shellfisheries Assoc., Vol. 44,
PDise OM 7 Dre
Clench, William J. 1927. A New Subspecies of Thais from Louisiana.
The Nautilus, Vol. 41, p. 6; ibid, Vol. 44,
Due ee io nla (bub mnOtpetl omen O)) ye
Clench, William J. 1947. The Genera Purpura and Thais in the Western
Atlantic. Johnsonia, Vol. 2, No. 23,
PAG, ll Sike
Moore, Donald R. 1961. The Marine and Brackish Water Mollusca of the
State of Mississippi. Gulf Research Reports,
Voll Now. DOupp.

ou!

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

My New Year's Resolution -- to be more careful and to fully re-
cord all pertinent data on my self-collected shells -- was born
from concern about what can be forgotten or missed or carelessly
omitted from the records to go with the shells I so joyfully col-
lect. My resolve to do the best I can to tell the story of what
I see was also born from experiences with sparsely-written la-
bels sent to me with exchanged shells, from seeing museum labels
that bore less-than-adequate facts, from noting as I catalogue
my own material that I knew a lot more from a day's collecting
than I took the time to write down to store with the lot of shells.
I hope to encourage you to resolve to do a better job of keeping
your labels. To this end, I pose a series of questions that can
be answered. Not everything will fit the collection you make
every time, but each piece of information you add to your labels
wiil help to make your collection more valuable.

For instance: Do you note the weather conditions? Not just the
tidal reading but the weather factors that can cause you to have
the luck you have in collecting. We know that here on the upper
Texas coast, that disturbances that boil up the surf before a
strong norther can trigger the big deposits of shells we get on
the sandy beaches. A hurricane often brings in mounds of. shells,
but with this condition we sometimes note that the day after the
hurricane is not the best -- it seems to take several days for
the shells to get tossed up from bars offshore and to stay on
the beaches with lesser tides. In our area we long for strong
winter northers and learn to wait a day or so for the lowest and
best tides for collecting when the surf is calm and the bays
flat and clear. Yet, strong winter northers are exactly the
wrong weather to long for at South Padre Island where the north
winds hit differently and cause rolling surf and muddy bays.
So--note the weather on your label.

Do you note if you collected the mollusks live? Bivalves are
often tossed up paired but empty. They make just as good speci-
mens, but the label should say in what condition the shells were
collected. If you got the mollusks live, do you then go on to
say if you dug them from the sand, or from trails and what kind
of trails, or how deep you dug, etc.? Did you get the mollusks
from a piling, under a rock, from a crevice in the rocks, from
high up at the splash zone of jetties, how far out on the jetties,
from under grasses, from stems of grasses, attached to debris
washed in? I know you aren't going to write everything, always,
but do at least note what you considered the norm, or very dif-
ferent, or your first time to see the shells. I recently cata-
logued a lot where the only different note to the usual Texas
faunal material therein was the statement that it was the first
time I had ever collected Tellidora cristata live on a Galveston,
Texas, beach. It is not a common shell alive here.

It is well known that the collector picks the best specimens if

S52

there are many to choose from. If you do this, at least tell the
story complete enough to note if there were "hundreds", ''dozens",
etc., that day on the beach.

It can be important for the records to relate what other mollusks
you found when you make the label for a specimen you catalogue.
The nursery ground area on the bay flats at Galveston, San Luis
Pass is especially interesting to me because there are so many
young shells there for other species to feed on. Polinices lay
egg collars on the grasses there and the young find all sizes of
Mulinia and Tellina to eat, and Busycons hatch and find all sizes
of Mercenarias.

The exact locality information is most important. It isn't suf-
ficient to say San Luis Pass. That Pass has two sides, one Gal-
veston Island and one Follett's Island (no one ever seems to know
this and I usually end up saying the ''Freeport" side of the Pass).
You need to say if you collect the specimens on the Gulf side or
the bay side; maybe both.

You already know to add the full date and your name. Perhaps

you do not know that you are to add the names of others if they
helped you add to your day's collection of shells. A museum label
often has several names when several collectors were part of the
museum collecting trip.

I have been part of fresh water collecting excursions and have
learned that many of the professionals use county road maps to
pinpoint stops at streams. They write complete labels with di-
rections giving mileage from a nearby town, names of streams and
drainage system, discussion of substrate, abundance of mollusks,
type of water flow. I have sent collections of fresh water mollusks
and labored on adding everything I could think of concerning the
habitat and the mollusks and later learned that the museum field
sheet quoted my ramblings.

I feel that it is of the utmost importance to make notes about

the animal. If the mollusk is new to you, taking the specimen

home in water and making observations under a lens is not only
important but it is fun. The method of locomotion, the color,

the design, the animal's reactions --- all these can be observed
and written down. It will help to make your study of mollusks

more interesting. I think of Pedipes we have here in Texas,
usually farther south than our area of Galveston. Once you watched
this tiny snail hop along you would surely understand why it was
named Pedipes mirabilis. Sometimes you can learn something you
don't see in print in most of the books available to you. I think
Solen viridis, a small razor-type bivalve which we find tossed up
in drift and which we dig in the passes and bays, has a beautiful
animal seen under the microscope -- chartreuse with red veining

-- but this is not evident to the naked eye. And once Solen is
cleaned, you have a fragile shell that loses its shiny periostracum
after a while and becomes a bland bivalve that tends to break at
the slightest provocation.

33

Make your own additions to my suggestions on information for your
labels. You may not make any great discoveries for science, but
you may make some discoveries for yourself and make your collection
a very good one. The Texas Conchologist is a good outlet for your
exciting observations. We hope you'll share information on the
shells you find and what you learn about them. It can be very
important for faunal records and to help refine the range or the
known records of live material. It can help sort out the differences
of our species from the same species in other areas. The word
"entire'' for the range of a species in Texas does not seem correct.
The Texas coastline is a long one, the Gulf beach hosts species

not living in the bays and vice versa. This was brought home to

me recently when members Betty and Larry Allen of Port Isabel spent
a few days in our area collecting. They had a ball collecting live
Oliva sayana, taking some home for their aquariums. We think this
is a common Texas shell, and we find it every year live in our
area. Yet it is not a commonly-found live mollusk in the South
Padre area. I have never found one live there. Can some of our
members from that area report to us about live Olivas from that
area, giving us facts and dates and conditions?

On the other hand, we haven't found many live Argopecten irradians
amplicostatus in our area in recent years. We have little grass
left in the bays. This species seems, however, to be making a
great comeback at South Padre Island in Laguna Madre after a
scarcity since Hurricane Beulah. While the Allens were up here,
our members Carol and Eugene Courtade were at South Padre dis-
covering live Argopecten. Conditions change. Your labels can
help keep the records through the years.

MORE ABOUT NATICA CANRENA by Laura M. Bauer

Reference is made to the last paragraph of Mrs. Boone's article "Search
and Seizure'', Page 100 of Volume XI, No. 4, June, 1975,

The Natica canrena found by me at San Luis was not "live-taken". It
was freshly dead and it took a good deal of cleaning before it was fit
to put in my case because of the odor of the body left inside of the
shell. It is definitely a Natica canrena (the third I have found in
Galveston since 1965) and it is definitely from the San Luis area and
is not a related species from the Caribbean fauna. It is typical in
form and color and in no way different from the Natica canrena found by
me in 1965, the identification of which was confirmed by Dr. Harold W.
Harry, Professor of the Marine Invertebrate course which I was taking
at the time at Texas A. and M. University, Fort Crockett, Galveston,
Texas.

34

OYSTERS AND HEPATITIS by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

The medical report is titled: '"Oyster-Associated Hepatitis -- Fail-
ure of Shellfish Certification Program to Prevert Outbreaks". The
authors are Drs. B.L. Portnoy, P.A. Mackowiak, C.T. Caraway, J.A.
Walker, T.W. McKinney, and C.A. Klein, Jr. It appears in The Journal
of the American Medical Association, issue of September 8, 1975 (Volume
233, pages 1065-1068).

The report describes the outbreaks of infectious hepatitis (type A)
that occurred during October and November, 1973 in Houston and in
Georgia. Oysters harvested from two bays in Louisiana were implicated
in both outbreaks. The bay waters were contaminated by Mississippi
River flooding (between April and July, 1973) some two months before
the harvesting. At the time the oysters were gathered commercially,
the national sanitation standards for growing and harvesting of oysters
had been met satisfactorily.

In Houston, 263 persons were identified as having developed hepatitis
associated with these oysters. In Georgia, 15 persons eating oysters
at a private club came down with hepatitis. Those who developed the
disease had ingested raw oysters two to eight weeks before the symp-
toms became noticeable.

The "follow-through" on the epidemic represents good, effective,
epidemiological public health "sleuthing". It was established that
the oysters were eaten at nine different restaurants in Houston, all
of whom, however, had obtained the oysters from a single seafood
supplier. This supplier had purchased all his oysters from a single
oyster shipper in Louisiana. The contaminated oysters were eaten
between September 20, 1973 and October 6, 1973.

Bay Crabe and Black Bay in the East Delta marshes of Plaquemines

Parish in Louisiana were identified as the areas from which the oysters
were obtained. Ten different oyster boats were implicated in. four
shipments of oysters to Houston. Investigations showed no "bootleg"
sources for the oysters that came to Houston.

Several major epidemics of this type had been reported previously -

the first in Sweden (629 cases) in 1956, 459 cases in New Jersey (1961),
200 cases in Mississippi and Louisiana (in 1961), 200 cases in Phila-
delphia (September 1963 to April 1964) and 123 cases in Connecticut
(November 1963 to May 1964). Ingestion of raw oysters or clams were
implicated.

The current report gives rise to some disturbing and serious questions
in respect to the adequacy of sanitation monitoring techniques now
being used. (Obvious are the real risks of major health hazards faced
by those who like their molluscan delights "on the half shell".)

It is suggested that the hepatitis virus remains viable for long periods
and that clams and oysters filter, accumulate, concentrate and retain
the virus. Unfortunately, at present, there is no practical laboratory
test to identify quickly the presence of virus in the mollusks.

35

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Guayaquil, Ecuador. The air terminal here is hot, noisy and full
of people, even well after midnight. While I waited for Braniff
Flight #974 to take me home, I am preparing these notes for our
publication.

My trip to this country at the Equator, as usual, was not for pleas-
ure. The Pan American Medical Association was holding its XVIIth
Congress. My two colleagues and I had been invited to provide a
3-day "International Postgraduate Course on Cancer". This was the
sixth day here.

On the trip into this country, the route had taken us first to Miami
via Continental Airlines. From Miami we loaded onto an Ecuatorian
DC-8 at 3 AM. The first three hours were routine flying, smooth
under clear skies. Then, somewhere over the Andes, we hit the clouds
and the winds. We bounced around considerably but by dawn we were
flying relatively smoothly again. But we could see nothing except
the top surface of the clouds below.

Eventually, we began to spot mountain peaks jutting up through the
clauds. When the peaks seemed to get higher and more numerous, we
began our descent. The plane maneuvered among the peaks - and final-
ly headed for the cloud bank that filled the gap between two tower-
ing mountains. The pilot knew what he was doing. We zoomed through
the cloud layer, skimmed across the tops of the buildings at Quito
and bounced onto the runway of the airport there, our intermediate
stop, some 9200 feet high.

The takeoff was almost as exciting. The runway seemed short but we
got off the ground and headed for the mountains and clouds. One was
reminded of San Francisco when the planes headed in the northwest
direction. But the mountains here were much higher and it was evident
when we could see through the clouds that we were not going to fly
over the top. However, the pilot banked to the right and we climbed
through the rifts and gaps. We finally emerged above the clouds -

and the 40 minute flight from Quito and Guayaquil was again routine.

Although my professional commitments at Guayaquil tied up my time
pretty severely, I managed to get in some malacological activities
of sorts. One of these was at the New Continental Hotel Cafeteria.
The menu listed a "Cebiche de Concha". In small print, the English
version said something about a "black shell". So I ordered it.

The waiter returned a bit later and said they were out of it. IL
squinted at him and decided that it must be so. I changed the order
to "Cebiche de Camarone" which contained shrimp. A day later I was
to learn what the "Black shell" was.

Among other things gastronomical (though not strictly molluscan) the
langusta (crayfish) here was something. It was huge and fat and
tasty. We also had a feast on "Congrejo" boiled in beer. These
were large crabs and we sat in front of a mound of them steaming

hot from the pot. A small wooden mallet and a board were provided
to crack the shells. We piled in without any instructions. Then

36

there were the fried calamares (squids). For those that go for the
cephalapods,this dish was out of this world - the squids were cut
bite size and fried quickly, tempura-style,with crust.

On the next to the last day at Guayaquil, I finally made contact with
Dr. Jose Canon at the Instituto Oceanografico de la Armada del Ecuador.
He spoke excellent English. He graciously informed me over the phone
that he would come to the meeting and pick me up after my lecture. An
automobile tour through this ancient city was something else again.
The cars here were small for the most part but there were busses and
trucks in the heavy traffic. The pedestrians crossed the streets
wherever they happen to be. I concluded that the requirements for a
driver here were a good horn, good brakes and lots of guts. The roads
even within the city seemed bouncy but eventually we left the city

and headed south on a nice, smooth highway.

When we turned off through high metal gates into a fenced area, I
learned that the word "armada" meant "navy". We were on naval military
grounds, The Institute was a Navy activity and the impressive build-
ings were put up in 1973, New construction going on indicated a start
on future plans which include a planetarium.

The malacological work was conducted in a three-room, single floor
building (new construction) within the military grounds. Dr. Canon
functioned in the capacity of an "Expert in Marined Biology" and was
salaried by UNESCO. All the other staff as well as the research
budget were financed by the Ecuadorian Navy. Dr. Roberto Jiminez

was Chief of Biological Branch. Dr. Manuel Cruz held the post as the
malacologist and Professor of Malacology and Invertebrate Zoology

at the University. Seven scientists and three technicians constituted
the scientific personnel. None of them was in the Navy.

As usual, I was much interested in finding out what kind of literature
on marine mollusks existed in Ecuator. I was disappointed to learn
that there was practically none. Dr. Cruz utilized as references the
well-known volume by Myra Keen and the publications from the Hancock
Foundation such as Rost on Arcidae, Olsson on Pelecypoda and Grau on
Pectinidae. The report of the "E.W. Scripps Cruise" by Emerson and
Puffer was also being used. A checklist of mollusks of Ecuador was
being prepared by Dr. Cruz but was not yet in print.

Dr. Canon outlined some areas in which he and Dr. Cruz were engaged

at present. They included the cataloging the phytoplanktons catalog-
ing the zooplanktons, and studies of the fish and longusta. Dr. Canon
himself was conducting research on the benthic ecology of Guayaquil
Bay.

I received the impression that commercial shellfish industry was
practically non-existent. The only mollusk of any commercial im-
portance appeared to be Anadara tuberculata. This was the "Concha"
that I had seen on the cafeteria menu. In browsing through the
museum specimens (which were just now being assembled) I noted (among
species usually harvested for food purposes) a few pecten species,
some Protothaca species, one Pinna species but no oysters. Some truly

giant specimens of Anadara grandis as well as a heavy and big Spondylus
species were impressive.

37

Dr. Canon informed me that there was no museum of natural science in
this city. He knew of a few amateur shell collectors but unfortunately
I did not have the time to look up any of them. For couple of months
prior to my trip I had tried desperately in the States (even contacting
the Ecuadorian Embassy in Washington) to obtain hard information on

how to get to the Galapagos Islands. I finally gave up.

Although I obtained various unofficial statements here and there I
sense various problems. If anyone wants to travel to Darwin's islands,
my suggestion would be to sign up with a tour. Even with the restrict-
ed time schedule and regimented activity, one should stand a better
chance of at least seeing the islands. The mail service, I am told,

is generally slow and sometimes undependable. Any correspondence
should be planned well in advance (even a year or more). It may also
be wise to be aware of the rainy season, too.

O000D0000000D0000000000

Homeward-bound from Ecuador, a series of problems caused a delay in
my flight plans and left me with several hours in Miami. I purchased
a copy of the newspaper Miami Herald (of December 2, 1975). Some-
where in the inside pages, I saw the article with the title "It's

All in Hands, Says New Champion of Oyster Shellers". This was a re-
port of the world's oyster-shelling championship for 1975 held in
Paris, France.

Apparently, the contest featured eight of France's top oyster openers.
Flat knives and no gloves were used. Time required to open 100 live
oysters was measured. The news item states that the match was spon-
sored by the French Interprofessional Oyster Growers Committee and
Club Prosper Montagne (thus both producers and consumers were repre-
sented). The large "Breton oysters" used in the contest were four
years old.

Gilbert Devilaine was the winner in four minutes and eight seconds.
The world's record for opening 100 oysters is said to be three minutes
and 37 seconds.

oo00000000000000000000

In the March, 1975 issue of Texas Conchologist, the book titled "The
Shell Makers" by Alan Solem was reviewed. Since then, I have had
occasion to read sections of the book more critically. The book be-
comes more impressive on rereading. The volume looks thin but there
is a world of fascinating information crammed into its pages. Do get
it for your own library. There is no other publication like it.

Chapter V of the book, for example, discusses bivalves which filter
food from the surrounding waters. In doing so, the bivalves pass
great amounts of water through their system. A single Crassostrea
virginica is said to filter 4 to 15 liters of water each hour
(roughly 1 to 4 gallons). Mytilus edulis filters up to 1.4 liters
per hour. When one considers that millions of these clams are fil-
tering continuously while under water, the cumulative effect must be
staggeringly enormous.

38

SHELLING VACATION IN WINTER
AT BAJA CALIFORNIA by Margaret Baldwin

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following was taken from a letter to Cynthia
Biasca and has been edited to delete certain
family references, It was not intended to be an
article in the Texas Conchologist.

Excerpts from a letter received by Cynthia Biasca from Margaret
Baldwin vacationing in Baja California with her family. This was
written from Punta Chivato and Coyote Bay.

We've just had a lunch of delectable lions paw scallops! The
fishermen came in this morning with about four dozen. We
bought eight plus three young Strombus galeatus and two
Pinctada mazgatlantica. They have depleted the pecten beds

so badly that they're hard to find now. It's such a shame.
The lions paws are 4-6"! and will be a job to clean, but
they're certainly nice to have.

At Puerto Penasco we stayed in a motel overlooking its nice
little harbor and searched the rocky beach till the moon
came up, in mild pleasant weather. That day we bundled up
because of a stiff wind and went out on the tidal flats to
the north - had to walk a quarter mile to reach the water.

It was interesting, though we found no live shells, strange
in all these flats. Lots of variety in beach shells, though.

At Guaymas we couldn't reach Soldado Bay on roads the map
shows, but found that a new development had opened up San
Francisco Beach, so we went in there and walked about half
a mile to the estuary. Had a delightful afternoon sloshing
about at low tide and digging. Found quite a variety of
live clams, olives, cones, tiny bubble shells and a big pen
shell.

Becochibampo Bay is beautiful - found some nerites and

turbos there. North of San Carlos is: not good - over shelled,
as is the whole area. There were twenty Americans out the
first day we were at Soldado Bay. We drove aroung Guaymas
Harbor and did find lots of cup and saucer sheils on the
rocks and some live clams.

On Baja, spent two days at an island where the kids snorkeled
and found live olives, egg cockles, large glycymeris, Conus
princeps and pink murex. On the rocks I found jewel boxes,
nerita of several kinds I don't know.

We're having a lot of fun as you can tell.

39

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO
(A Continuing Monograph)

PART I by H. Ode’

SUPERFAMILY TELLINACEA

FAMILY TELLINIDAE

Genus Tellina, Linne, 1758 (continued)

53. Tellina (Arcopella) spec. indet. A.
Of this interesting rare and small species, only two lots are
present in the collection of the H.M.N.S. It is the first
time that this particular subgenus has been found in the west-

ern Atlantic. Our species is characterized by stronger dentition

in the right valve than in the left and the distally remote
position of the laterals from the cardinal complex. The sub-

dued dentition in the left valve is the reason that this species

has been previously reported as Macoma sp. A. (Tex. Conch.,
Vols 9s ps Bla. L979. 952.

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: t 25 fms. - 51 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown

Maximum Size: Not precisely measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Angulus Muhlfeld, 1811.

Small, somewhat elongate tellins, with reduced laterals and small car-
dinals. The subgenus Scissula has oblique scissulations over the disc
of the shell.

54. Angulus (Angulus) probrinus Boss, 1964.
Tellina (Angulus) probrinus Boss, 1964, Occ. Pap. Dept. Moll.
Harvard nay. Vol. 2..- prs) oe opis) = 4.

Rather common on sandy mud bottoms on the off

ffshore shelf area
Oo exas and Louisiana in a depth range of 9-50 fms., with
SpEaual range from 18 to 25 fms. Alive at 30 fms. The record
includes one specimen from the beach at San Luis Pass (Galveston
Island). Never in the bays
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206, beach
records Tex. Conch., Vol. 7, p. 100, 1971; 209, off Freeport,
original description; 235, off Freeport.
Records H.M.N.S.: 30 lots, of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 9-50 fms.; alive at 30 fms. on sandy mud bottom.
Geographical Range: North Carolina, Texas to Tobago.

Maximum Size: 23.5 mm. (usually smaller).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

55. Angulus (Angulus) versicolor (DeKay, 1843).
Tellina versicolor "Cozzens'' DeKay, Nat. Hist., New York,
Pt. 1, Zool. p. 20, pl. 26, fig. 17/2. Gynt 2e-paupenara
Orb., 1842 (momen. oblitum).

40

56.

iis

This, the most common of the small tellins of the Texas faunal
province, is widespread throughout all coastal bays of Texas
and Louisiana and the offshore shelf areas along the coast. It
lives in mud and sandy mud bottoms in a depth range of 0-11
fms., but dead valves have been taken from as deep as 40 fms.
Some of these may be Pleistocene fossils. It is common in beach-
drift along the entire coastline. In the coastal bays only
Tellina texana and Macoma mitchelli tolerate lower salinity.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 15, Corpus
Christi; 21, listed; 45, Corpus Christi; 98, bays; 110, live
specimens taken in 12 fms. off Port Isabel; 126, listed; 136,
alive in Gulf, alive in bays; 145, Mississippi delta; 146,
shallow shelf; 147, dead on Baker Bank; 150, Stetson Bank; 160,
Matagorda Bay; 164, Rockport area (alive}, Laguna Madre (alive);
206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 22, 1968; 261, off-
shore Galveston; 253, off Padre Island; 269, listed in text,
but figure on p. 195 is a mislabelled juvenile of T. tayloriana.

Records H.M.N.S.: 99 lots, of which 17 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms.; alive: 0-11 fms. in sandy mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: Rhode Island-Florida, Texas and West Indies.

Maximum Size: 13.8 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Angulus (Angulus) sybariticus (Dall, 1881).
Tellina sybaritica Dall, 1881, B.M.C.Z., 9, p. 134; ibid.

12 (6), pl. 6, fig. 11. (Syn. I. rubricata L.M. Perry, 1940.)
Rather common on sandy mud bottoms in a depth range of 0-50 fms.
(optimal at 15-30 fms.). In shallow water it is largely re-
placed by the previous species, but ranges overlap. The few
beach specimens known (at South Padre Island) have been rafted
ashore attached to whipcoral. It is smaller, has a different
sculpture and is colored a different shade of red ("wine red")
or yellow, when compared to A. versicolor. In view of its
common occurrence it has been surprisingly seldom mentioned
in faunal lists. Also in mudlump fauna, but rare.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 145, deep
sheif; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 7, p. 99, 1971;
236, Galveston; 251, Yucatan shelf; 253, off Padre Island (as
yapeSipi-y)

Records H.M.N.S.: 52 lots, of which 11 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-50 fms.; alive 7%-25 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Brazil.

Maximum Size: Not precisely measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Angulus (Angulus) texanus Dall, 1900.
Tellina (Angulus) texana Dall, 1900, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 23,
peop
A strictly coastal bay species living both in the East Texas
bays of variable salinity and the South Texas hypersaline bays,,.
but which is missing in offshore waters. Only Macoma mitchelli
tolerates lower salinities. Synonyms are Tellina polita Say,
1822 and Tellina sayi Dall, 1900, used in early Texas reports.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 15, Corpus
Christi (as T. polita Say); 18, Corpus Christi (as T. Polita
Say); 45, Corpus Christi Bay, 3-4 feet of water. Also lists
T. sayi Deshayes for Corpus Christi, Tex.; 56, listed; 66,

41

58.

59).

Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 98, listed for bays, alive in
Hynes Bay; 99, numerous specimens near Austwell and 3% miles
east of Austwell (Hynes Bay); 110, "Tellina sayi Dall, 1900",
described by Dall from Corpus Christi Bay; 160, Matagorda
Bay; 175, listed; 206, Beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5,
p- 22, 1968; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 195.

Records H.M.N.S.: 16 lots, of which 4 contain live collected
material,

Depth Range: O-1 fms. in mud bottoms (Galveston Bay, Christmas
Bay, Matagorda Bay, Aransas Bay, Laguna Madre).

Geographical Range: N. Carolina to Texas, Mexico and Bahamas.

Maximum Size: Not previously measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Angulus (Angulus) C.F. tenellus Verrill, 1874.

Angulus tenellus Verrill, 1874, Rep. Inv. An. Vineyard Sound

etc. mpie SOS) ples ORmetioe: 2240
A single, somewhat doubtful, specimen was obtained at one
location offshore Galveston in 40 fms., together with many
specimens of T. sybaritica. It is possible that it is a large
senile and somewhat aberrant form of this species, but in
general, it agrees so well with Boss' figure and description
that we list it here as A. tenellus.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed
(according to Pulley); 15, as Tellina modesta Verrill, re-
listed under this name by Singley who credits the reference to
Dall. None of these references is direct.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of a single valve in 40 fms. offshore
Galveston in shelly mud.

Geographical Range: Massachusetts, Florida, Mississippi.

Maximum Size: Not precisely measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Angulus (Angulus) tampaensis (Conrad, 1866).

Tellina tampaensis Conrad, A Jour. Conch., 2, p. 281,

Pile alo) ekaiosrisy
This is a strictly coastal bay species, preferring the hyper-
saline environment of the South Texas Bays, where it is
occasionally dredged alive. Much rarer at Galveston, but also
here a few live specimens. As far as we know, not collected
in Western Louisiana waters, nor in offshore waters in our
entire range. In Texas this species does not reach the large
size quoted by Boss (24 mm.) and the cited diameter of 1l-inch
by Andrews (ref. 269) is unjustified.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
15, (as Macoma tampaensis) Corpus Christi Bay; 19, (as Macoma
tampaensis) Espiritu Santo Bay; 21, listed (as Macoma tampaensis) ;
45, (as Macoma tampaensis) above references repeated; 56,
listed; 67, (as Macoma tampaensis), "Port Isabel"; 151, listed;
160, Matagorda Bay; 164, Laguna Madre in hypersaline environ-
ments; 174, listed; 175, hypersaline lagoon assemblage "most
abundant 6 inches of water close to shore''; 178, Northern
Laguna Madre; 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 22,
1968; 208, listed for "grass flats"; 235, listed; 236,
Galveston; 269, figured on page 193.

Records H.M.N.S.: 20 lots, of which 3 contain live collected
material. (San Luis Pass, Matagorda Bay and south).

Depth Range: 0-25 fms. (alive 0-i fms.). One valve from 25 fms.

is probably a Pleistocene fossil.

42

Geographical Range: Florida to Texas, West Indies.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellina (Angulus) suffusa Dall, 1900.
"San Ignacio lagoon, Baja California to Corinto, Nicaragua,
no habitat records available" (Keen, 1971).

60. Angulus (Scissula) iris (Say, 1882).
Tellina iris Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., Vol. 2,
Do SOA, Le22o
This is the most common, but least noticed tellin of the sandy
outer beaches and inlet mud flats. Along the Texas coast, it
is strictly confined to the narrow strip along the beaches and
inlets, because we have never seen it in the bays nor in off-
shore dredgings. The very thin, glassy valves, irridescent
when fresh, are easily broken in the surf, but fragments are
practically always present in fine beachdrift along the entire
Louisiana and Texas coasts.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 40, (as
Cirsula irrus (Sic!), Louisiana; 174, listed; 206, Beach Records
in Tex. Conch., Vol 5, p. 23, 1968; 235, listed for Sabine and
Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251, listed for shallow offshore
Galveston, dominant form on sand bottoms; 269, figured on p. 198.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots, of which 6 contain live collected
material (Galveston, Freeport, St. Joseph Island, Port Aransas).

Depth Range: Beach only.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, Texas.

Maximum Size: Not precisely measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellina (Scissula) virgo Hanley, 1844.
"Magdalena Bay, Baja California to Peru, intertidally and to a
depth of 15 meter" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Tellidora H. Adams and A. Adams, 1856.

Only a single species lives in the western Atlantic. The valves are
surprisingly flat, leaving hardly any internal cavity for the animal
and are easily recognized by their shape.

61. Tellidora cristata (Recluz, 1842).
Lucina cristata Recluz, 1842, Rev. Zool. Soc. Cuvier, 5,
p- 270. (Syn: T. lunulata "Holmes", H. and A. Adams, 1860
(fossil).
Widespread but never common, over sand bottoms of the inlets
and shallow coastal shelf. It is occasionally found living
on the sandy flats of the inlets near Galveston, Port Aransas
and other places along the Texas-Louisiana coast. Fragments
are fairly common in beachdrift on the outer beaches along the
entire coastline between the Mississippi delta and the Rio
Grande. It does not penetrate in the upper bays, but has been
taken in the open part of Matagorda Bay.

Previous records to the Texas faunal province are: 21, listed;
45, Texas; 98, listed for the bays; 110, dead shells, rare on
St. Joseph, Mustang, and Padre Islands, Pl. 13, figs. 8, 9;
135, dead in Gulf, alive in bays; 136, listed "alive" in final
list (not in text); 139, listed for the inlets; 143, Matagorda
Bay; 145, upper sound and inlets, Mississippi delta; 160,
Matagorda Bay; 164, Rockport area, alive, Laguna Madre, dead;
170, shelf assemblage; 174, listed; 206, Beach Records in Tex.
Conch., Vol. 5, p. 23, 1968, 208, tidal flats; 225, Galveston;
235, Pass Caballo and Port Aransas; 234, Galveston; 269, figured
on page 199.

435

Records H.M.N.S.: 24 lots, of which two contain live collected
material. Among the locations are: Timbalier Bay, La.; Isles
Dernieres, La.; Galveston, Matagorda Bay and Stetson Bank
(fossil?). :

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive: 0-11 fms. A very aberrant juvenile
specimen which probably is not this species, was dredged at
56% fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Texas.

Maximum Size: 30 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tellidora burneti Broderip and Sowerby,
1829. "Baja California and throughout the Gulf of California
to Salango, Ecuador in depths to 29 meter" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Strigiila Turton, 1822.

Only two species of this genus, one belonging to the nominate subgenus
Strigilla and one in Pisostrigilla, have been collected in the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico. They can immediately be recognized by the incised
scissulations over the surface of the shell.

62.

63.

Strigiila (Strigilla) gabbi Olsson and McGinty, 1958.

Strigilla gabbi, Olsson and McGinty, Bull. Amer. Paleont.,

39,5617,7,))5..peeD05, (pls 15,081es.e9-3a-
Only a few times have valves of this recently described species
been collected along the Texas coast. Once a large number of
valves was taken from an excavation pit close to the beach at
Rockport. These are supposed to be Pleistocene or older in
age. Occasionally beach worn specimens can be collected at
Port Aransas and South Padre Island and it is probable that
some references to S. carnaria Linne for Texas are this species.
We have never seen it alive and presumably the species is no
longer living along the Texas coast.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Beach
Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 23, 1968; 244, Rockport,
Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, only known from beach worn specimens,
hence no depth record can be given.

Geographical Range: Key West, Surinam (Altena, 1971) and Brazil.

Maximum Size: 19.5 mm. which is considerably smaller than the
maximum size cited by Boss.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Strigilla (Strigilla) disjuncta
Carpenter, 1856.. From Nicaragua to Peru, intertidally and to
depths of 15 m., (Keen, 1971).

Strigilla (Pisostrigilla) mirabilis (Philippi, 1841). |
Tellina mirabilis Philippi, 1841. Wiepm. Arch. fur Naturgin
Up e260:
A common species in the somewhat specialized community of
mollusks now living in exposed Pleiocene and Pleistocene shell
banks such as Heald and Sabine Bank. It can be found sparingly
in drift all along the Louisiana and Texas coasts on the outer
beaches. The shell is somewhat variable in outline, some shells
being almost circular in outline, others being rather skewed.
Old shells, especially, become thickened. Most live collected
material of the H.M.N.S. collection consists of juveniles, which
are thin and surprisingly flat and are less round but somewhat
triangular in shape. Strigilla flexuosa Say, 1822, the name
applied to this species by early collectors, is preoccupied.

44

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45, Gaiveston,
Texas and in well Saratoga, Texas at 940 ft.; 66, Marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 98, listed for bays; 110. Port Aransas;
136, many stations off East Texas; 145, inlets and shallow shelf,
Mississippi delta; 160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 170, shallow
shelf assemblage; 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5,

p. 23, 1968; 236, Galveston, 269, figured on page 193.

Records H.M.N.S.: 46 lots of which 5 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-33 fms. (alive at 0-12 fms.) in sandy mud, shale
outcrops and coral reef debris (rare).

Geographical Range: Bermuda, North Carolina to Brazil.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Boss (ref. 224) cites S. lenticula
"Philippi" Hertlein and Strong, but true S. lenticula is closer
to S. rombergi of the Carribean. (See also Keen, 1971.)

Genus Macoma Leach, 1819.

The macomas are tellins without lateral hinge teeth. Psammotreta, be-
cause of some differences in hinge structure, is by most authorities,
considered a full genus. On the basis of completely different appear-
ance of juvenile material we consider here Cymatoica as a full genus.

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, Macoma is represented by several subgenera
of which Psammacoma is the most diversified. In our opinion, some of
these species classified as Psammacoma are probably not closely related.
It is not immediately obvious that the Macominae form a significant
group, since it is based on a negative character (lack of laterals).
Such a trend could exist in several lineages of tellins. For instance,
some small Psammacomas (tenta, mitchelli) remind one of Angulus, while
Cymatoica presents points of resemblance with Merisca and large
Psammacomas resemble Eurytellina. In Texas, the subgenera Austromacoma,
Psammacoma and Macoma.

64. Macoma (Macoma) pseudomera, Dall and Simpson, 1901.
Macoma pseudomera, Dall & Simpson, 1901. Proc. U.S. Nat.

Muss) Vol.= 20 5eptz. 15 p. 4815 pls S0,otie.45.
This common and widespread species has been dredged in depths

of 3-50 fathoms. It is unknown from the bays or from the
beaches.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 156, common
on Stetson Bank; 206, listed in Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 381
(as #925).

Records H.M.N.S.: 27 lots, of which two contain live collected
material

Depth Range: 8-50 fms. on shelly and sandy mud bottoms and on
shale outcrops (alive at 10-17 fms.)

Pe gles Range: Bermuda, Porto Rico, Jamaica.

Maximum Size: 29 mm.

fastern Pacific Analogue: — None

65. Macoma (Austromacoma) constricta (Bruguiere, 1792).
Solen constrictus Bruguiere, 1792; Mem. Soc. Hist. Nat. i,
126). ONOw. 1S)
Dead valves of this large Macoma are often found on the outer
beaches, but are almost never dredged offshore. Two lots,
obtained in 25 and 26 fms. depth, are almost certainly Pleisto-
cene fossils. It is a typical bay species, living in the sandy

45

66.

mud flats in shallow water along bay shores of Louisiana and
Texas coastal bays. Live specimens are not common and un-
explained is why minute juvenile material is so rarely col-
lected in dredge samples and in beachdrift.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed
(as Tellina lateralis, Say) Galveston; 15, Galveston, Sabine
Pass; 18 Galveston and Corpus Christi, not common; 19, Galveston,
Matagorda Bay and Carancahua Bay; dead in Lavaca Bay and Turtle
Bay; 21, listed; 45, repeats records of 15 and 18; 66, Marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel; 98, dead in bays; 110,
found living in Galveston and Aransas Bay, figured, Plate 13,
figs. 6-7; 135, dead in Gulf, dead in bays; 145, shallow shelf;
164, alive at Rockport, dead in Laguna Madre; 174, listed;

206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 34, 1968; 225,
Galveston; 236, Galveston; 267, Pleistocene; 269, discussed
on page 190, figure erroneous.

Records H.M.N.S.: 21 lots, of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-26 fms. (alive 0-2 fms.) (Deep offshore samples
probabiy fossil). Some locations are Timbalier Island, Isles
Dernieres (La), Galveston Bay, Rockport.

Geographical Range: Florida, Texas to Brazil. Reported by Altena
for Surinam.

Maximum Size: 62 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Macoma (Psammacoma) tageliformis Dall, 1900.

Macoma (Psammacoma) tageliformis Dall, 1900. Trans. W. Free.

inst) Sci. Vol. 3), part, 53 pages!'055..
Dead shells are not uncommonly dredged over sandy mud bottoms
of the shelf area, but so far no live specimens have been seen.
Worn beach material is surprisingly common along the entire
Louisiana and Texas coast and it is surmised here that this
species is a rather deeply buried surfzone form. Perhaps this
explains the absence of juvenile material in beachdrift.
Seldom in the bays (Aransas Bay, fossil?). It is here assumed
that Macoma pulleyi is a different, but closely related species.
Both are easily separated by the following characters: the
shape of tageliformis is rounder anteriorly, whereas pulleyi
is somewhat blunted. The anterior slope of pulleyi is steeper
and in consequence, its oblique top angle is smaller. Most
diognostic is the pallial sinus, which is more slender and
deeper in the pulleyi. Finally, pulleyi is a smaller shell
and usually thinner. In spite of those consistant differences,
it is not impossible that both form single species. M. pulleyi
is known to live in extremely tough clay whereas no live
specimens of M. tageliformis are known to us. It is possible
that M. tageliformis is a shallower sandy bottom form of the
complex.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 28, Pleisto-
cene of Texas coast at Corpus Christi and recent in same
region; 45, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Pleistocene Corpus
Christi; 56, Corpus Christi Bay; 67, Port Isabel; 69, listed;
110, dead shells on beaches, taken alive offshore by shrimpers
(error for M. pulleyi?); 123, most abundant bivalve on brown
shrimp grounds, one live clam in 24 fms. off Padre Island,

46

67.

68.

dead from Sabine to Obregon, Mexico (error for M. pulleyi?);
145, Delta front, (Mississippi) (error for M. pulleyi); 146,
Delta front platform (Mississippi) (error for M. pulleyi); 170,
M. tegeliformis, shelf assemblage; 175, listed for prodelta

slope (error for M. pulleyi); 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 5, p. 23, 1968; 225 and 218, Galveston; 269, figured on

page 192.

Records H.M.N.S.: 32 lots, none alive, on sandy mud bottoms.

Depth Range: 0-27 fms. (one poor lot from 40 fms.)

Geographical Range: Louisiana, Texas, Greater Antilles, Surinam,
Brazil.

Maximum Size: 62 mm. X 34.0 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Macoma (?Psammacoma) lamproleuca Pilsbry
& Lowe, 1932 comes closest. Gulf of California to Peru, mostly
offshore in depth to 90 meters.

Macoma (Psammacoma) pulleyi Boyer, 1969.

Macoma (Psammacoma) pulleyi Boyer, 1969, Veliger 12. (1),

p. 40-42 text figures.
Above we have stated some differences with M. tageliformis Dall.
This form is often dredged alive in muddy shelf bottoms along
the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico in heavy and tough
mud where it is,on occasion, the only live mollusk found. Al-
though it constantly differs in shape from M. tageliformis, it
could be an ecological variant. It also does not reach the
size of M. tageliformis. We have two aberrant locality records:
one in 8 feet near Timbalier Island (La.) and one in 3 feet in
Churchill Bayou (Galveston Bay system). In view of extensive
shrimping operations in the Gulf such incidental records need
further confirmation. This species is farily common.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 146 and 175
(all as M. tageliformis); 206, Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 81, 1971,
(ex parte); 246, (original description).

Records H.M.N.S.: 23 lots, of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 2.5 ft.? -70 fms. (alive 15-40 fms.), mostly in tough
dark-blue clay or sandy mud (rarely).

Geographical Range: N.W. Gulf of Mexico, off Louisiana and Texas.

Maximum Size: 54 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: See M. tageliformis Dall.

Macoma (Psammacoma) tenta (Say 1834).

Tellina tenta Say, 1834; Am. Conch., pl. 62, fig. 3.
Fairly widespread throughout most of the coastal bays, but
seldom in large concentrations as M. mitchelli Dall. Not in
offshore waters and quite rarely in the inlets and along the
beaches. Not as far in the brackish portions of the bays as
M. mitchelli Dall.

M. souleyetiana Recluz, 1852 is a synonym. In offshore waters
replaced by M. extenuata Dall, 1900, which is not irridescent.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 143, Matagorda
Bay; 145, upper sound, shallow shelf (Mississippi delta); 146,

Open lagoon; 156, common on Stetson Bank (in error for M.
extenuata Dall); 160, Matagorda Bay; 164, Rockport area (alive),
Laguna Madre (dead); 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5,
p. 34, 1968; 225 and 228, Galveston; 269, figured on page 192.
Records H.M.N.S.: 12 lots of which 4 contain live collected
material.

47

69.

70.

Depth Range: 0-6.5 fms.; alive 0-5 fms. Locations from Timbalier.
Bay to South Padre Island.

Geographical Range: Cape Cod to Brazil, Bermuda.

Maximum Size: 23 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None )

Macoma (Psammacoma) extenuata Dall, 1900.

Macoma Psammacoma) extenuata Dall, 1900. Proc. U.S.N.M., 23
(AIO) 5 ds SOO, SUAS Gils Qo stihe, eo

This is a common offshore species on sand bottoms in a depth
range of 15-40 fathoms. It replaces M. tenta offshore. M.
extenuata, M. tenta and M. limula form a closely related group.
M. limula differs from M. tenta mainly by its granular surface,
although Abbott states that it is somewhat longer and more
slender. M. tenta and M. extenuata differ by several characters,
but old shells equal in size of both species are difficult to
separate. M. tenta can reach a much larger size (up to 25 m.)
than M, extenuata (up to 17 mm.) and is, when fresh, often
quite irridescentand never colored. It lives in the bays and
very shallow offshore water less than 8 feet deep. Beyond this
it is replaced by M. extenuata (average size 12 mm.) which is
smoother, somewhat shiny but never irridescent when fresh and
which is often tinged with a faint brownish color below the
umbo. Below a depth of 50 fathoms, specimens have been obtain-
ed which could very well pass for small specimens of M. tenta
which lost their irridescence. Whether this is still another
form in this complex, only further study can tell. So far,
only a single beach specimen of M. extenuata (from Port Aransas)
is known.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 147, dead
on Baker Bank and Big Southern Bank; 160, Matagorda Bay (this
is a puzzling reference because also M. tenta and M. mitchelli
are listed; they possibly are old valves of M. tenta, which
lost their irridescence); 170, (as Tellina sybaritica)
transitional shelf assemblage; 206, listed in Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 9, p. 81, 1971; 214, (as Macoma tenta) Campeche Bank.

Records H.M.N.S.: 50 lots of which 5 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-70 fms. (alive 12-25 fms. in sandy mud).

Geographical Range: Gulf of Mexico only?

Maximum Size: 17.2 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Macoma (Psammacoma) siliqua siliqua
(C.B. Adams, 1852). Southern Mexico to Panama in depths to
110 meters.

Macoma (Psammacoma) limula Dall, 1895.

Macoma limula Dall, 1895. Nautilus, Vol. 9 (3), p. 32-34.

Only fragmental shells were obtained from Heald Bank, a shell
bank known for its Pleistocene and older fossil content. These
fragments show the characteristic surface granulations of the
species. Only once before reported (ref. 164) alive in open
bay margin assemblage at Rockport, but since then never con-
firmed. We doubt that the species still lives in the N.W. Gulf
of Mexico.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 164, alive
at Rockport.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of a few fragmentary shells (Heald Bank),
depth 6-7 fms., probably fossil.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

48

71. Macoma (Psammacoma) mitchelli Dall, 1895.
Macoma mitchelli Dall, 1895. Nautilus, Vol. 9 (3), p. 33,
1900; Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., Vol. 24 (1210), p. 314, p. 2,
figs. 4, 5.
Widespread, alive in organic rich muds of the upper coastal
bays of Texas, especially Matagorda and Galveston Bay, living
sometimes in huge populations. Other bays have been less well
sampled and possibly the species is also common there. Unusual
in beachdrift except locally on the Louisiana coast (Isles
Derniéres). Of all tellins in the bays of the Gulf of Mexico,
this species tolerates the lowest salinity. In Galveston Bay
specimens have been taken with a faint pink coloration near
the ventral margins.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 19,
Carancahua Bay; 21, listed; 23, described by Dall from Matagorda
Bay; 45, above references repeated; 56, listed; 110, found
living in Clear Lake, Galveston Bay; 134, large numbers are
eaten by the croaker (fish) in East Galveston Bay; 135, alive
in bay ; 139, bays near rivers; 143, Matagorda Bay; 145, Delta
front, Mississippi River; 146, river channel assemblage; 160,
alive in Matagorda Bay; 164, alive at Rockport (river influence),
dead in open bay center; 165, listed; 175, low salinity assem-
blage; 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 34, 1968;
236, Galveston, 237, (as Tellina alternata) for Pleistocene of
Chambers County, Tex.; 269, figured on page 191.

Records H.M.N.S.: 46 lots of which 16 contain live collected
material. 2 lots have been obtained from offshore dredging,
one from Stetson Bank (t 20 fms-) and one from 7% fms. Both
are probably Pleistocene fossils.

Depth Range: 0-20 fms., alive O-1 fms.

Geographical Range: South Carolina to Texas.

Maximum Size: 29 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Genus Cymatoica Dall, 1890.
Characterized by undulating, oblique sculpture.

72. Cymatoica orientalis Dall, 1890.
Cymatoica orientalis Dall, 1890; Proc. U.S.N.M., 12 (773),
Dg ALS. soihege AO). Macatee ile
On the basis of the shape of juveniles which is quite different
from that of other Psammacomas, we consider Cymatoica a full
genus. The western Atlantic species is widespread in our
region over muddy sand bottoms. Also, it has been taken on
Miocene shale outcrops and in the algal reef assemblage.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, listed
inehex. ‘Gonch. Vol. (9 ap olsy LO7s
Records H.M.N.S.: 21 lots of which one contains live collected
material.
Depth Range: 12-29 fms. (alive at 14 fms.)
Geographical Range: Florida to Brazil.
Maximum Size: 9 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Cymatoica undulata Henley, 1844.
Gulf of California to Ecuador, offshore in 7 to 38 meter,
(Keen, 1971).

49

Genus Psammotreta Dall, 1900.
Hinge slightly different from Macoma (see Keen).

13-2

74.

Psammotreta (Psammotreta) breviforns (Say, 1834).

Tellina breviforns Say, 1834, Am. Conch., F, pl. 64, fig. 1.
This widespread species has been found along the entire Louisiana
and Texas coastline on the shallow shelf. Beach specimens are
known from Galveston, St. Joseph Island, Port Aransas and South
Padre Island. Although reported from the bays (ref. 164), such
occurrences are unknown to us.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 6, listed; 7,
listed; 15, Galveston; 18, Galveston; 45, as Macoma (Cydippina)
brevifrons Say, Galveston, Tex.; 151, listed; 164, Rockport
area: abundantly alive in open bay margin, Laguna Madre: abun-
dantly alive in open hypersaline. (Note: both these statements
require confirmation); 170, shallow shelf assemblage; 178,
Baffin Bay (Note: requires confirmation); 206, Beach Records
in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 34, 1968; 208, bay margin, deeper
portions of the bays; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 191.

Records H.M.N.S.: 22 lots of which 1 contains live collected
material at 12 fms. in sandy mud.

Depth Range: 0-23 fms.

Geographical Range: South Carolina to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 25.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Psammotreta (Psammotreta) aurora,
Hanley, 1844, Gulf of California to Boca de Pan, Peru, mostly
offshore in depths to 33 m., (Keen 1971).

Psammotreta sp. indet. A.
Two lots of a small Psammotreta were obtained offshore, one
alive in 45 feet at Heald Bank, the other in 12 fathoms at the
Seven Sisters off Galveston, also alive. This small shell
differs from the previous species in shape in that it is more
truncated than the more rounded P. brevifrons. Its anterior
portion appears suddenly cut-off.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots (both alive) at 7% and 12 fms.

Maximum Size:

Pacific Analogue: None

Remarks: A large number of species has been reported of which we
have either not found a trace, or which are obvious misidenti-
fications. They are: Tellina (Laciolina) laevigata Linne,
1758. Undoubtedly misidentifications of Macoma tageliformis
(ref. 15, 45).; Tellina (Tellinella) listeri, Roding, 1798
(reported as Tellina interrupta, Wood). Reported in reference
192, Campeche Bank which is outside our range; Apolymetis
intastriata Say, 1827. Listed in 28, 45 (as Metis interstriata
Say) for Texas. Probably in error. Also in ref. 192 for
Campeche Bank; Tellina agilis Stimpson. Reported (probably mis-
identified) as Tellina tenera Say for the marine Pleistocene
of Texas (ref. 66) and for Port Isabel (ref. 67), the latter
probably erroneous for T. versicolor; Tellina (Angulus) mera
Say. Reported in ref. 66 for the marine Pleistocene of Texas
(possibly an error for T. tampaensis) for Baker Bank; offshore
ref. 147 (as T. promera Dall) and for the deep shelf assemblage
(ref. 170) which figures Abra sp. and hence is certainly in
error; Tellina (Merisca) martinicensis Orb. listed in ref. 206,

50

Vol. 9, p. 81, 1973, is in error (worn T. lineata). Reference
66 lists Stringilla carnaria for the marine Pleistocene, which
is almost certainly in error. Arcopagia fausta Pulteney and
Tellina (Scissula) candeana Orbigny are reported for the
Campeche Bank in ref. 192. Tellina (Tellina) guildingi Hanley,
1844, is listed in ref. 236 amd must be considered doubtful.
Macoma leptonoidea Dall, 1895 reported in refs. 23, 45, and 56
is probably not a valid species, but at this time its identity
is unknown to me. The only report to which some credence must
be given, although there remains some ground for uncertainty,
is the report by Boss concerning Tellina (Eurytellina)
vespuciana Orbigny, mentioned in ref. 235 in 50 fathoms off
Port Isabel.

FAMILY SEMELIDAE

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, represented by the genera Semele, Semelina,

Cumingia and Abra.

Sources: M. Keen (in) Treat. Invert. Pal., Part N; Vol. 2, p. 636-637,
1969ca Kes. Boss. jJohnsonias, VOL. 55, (49)), yp. 1-32, 1972).

Genus Semele, Schumacher, 1817.

Three fairly common species live in shallow water along the coast in
the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Except for size, these species agree very
well with the description given by Boss (1972). Neither S. bellastriata
Conrad nor S. proficua Pulteney along the Texas coast ever reach the
maximum size cited by Boss (21 mm. versus 26 mm. for bellastriata and
34 mm. versus 42 mm. for proficua). On the other hand, S. purpurascens
Gmelin and S. nuculoides Conrad grow somewhat larger here than Boss
indicates (40 m. versus 34 mm. for purpurascens and 8 versus 6 m.

for nuculoides). Semelina is essentially a small Semele, which how-
ever, is quite different in shape and sculpture in minute juvenile
material when compared to equal size juvenile material of Semele. For
this reason, we consider Semelina a full genus.

75. Semele proficua (Pulteney, 1799).

Tellina proficua Pulteney, 1799, Catalogues ... of Dorset-

shire (in) Hutchins, History of Dorset, p. 29, pl. 5, fig. 4.
A fairly common species in the open bays, mainly in the sandy
portions, inlets and shallow offshore areas. Worn valves are
common in beachdrift along the entire Texas coast. Specimens
collected far offshore in coral reef environment and on shale
uplifts (Stetson Bank) present a slightly different surface
sculpture. It is coarser and more irregular than that of bay
specimens. Synonyms are Amphidesma orbiculata Say, 1822,
Tellina reticulata "Linné" Spengler, 1798 and Amphidesma
jayanum, C.B. Adams, 1845.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, Amphidesma
orbiculata Say, Galveston Island; 7, Semele reticulata Gm.,
Galveston; 18, Semele reticulata Gmelin, Galveston; 21, Semele
orbiculata and Semele reticulata, listed; 45, Galveston; 67,
"Point" Isabel; 69, Padre Island; 98, in coastal bays; 110,
dead shells common on all Gulf beaches. Living in Aransas Bay.
Pl. 13, figs. 4-5; 136, alive in bays; 145, upper sound
Mississippi Delta; 160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 164, dead in
bays at Rockport; 175, listed; 206, Beach Records are given in
Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (2), 1964; 225 and 236, Galveston; 253, one
fresh pair off Padre Island reef; 267, Pleistocene of Chambers

Sl

76.

thihes

County; 269, figured on page 203. Note: these records confirm |
the fact that this is primarily a bay species.
Maximum Size: 32.8 x 30 mm. (beach valve San Luis Pass).
Records H.M.N.S.: 31 lots of which one contain live collected
material. Beaches: Isles Dernieres (La.), San Luis Pass, Port
Aransas, South Padre Island; bays: Timbalier Bay (La.), Gal-
veston Bay, East Matagorda Bay, Matagorda Bay. Also, on coral i]
reefs and miocene shale uplifts. |
Depth Range: 0-27 fms. (optimal 0-15 fms.). Alive at 3 feet.
One lot dredged at 27 fms. could be fossil. (Pleistocene?).
Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, West Indies, Bermuda, ©
(Abbott, 1974).
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Semele lenticularis Sowerby, 1833.
"Mexico to Peru" (Keen, 1971).

Venus purpurascens Gmelin, 1791. Syst. Nat., Ed. 13, pt. 6,

DasSZOo5 (Non ole
This colorful species is occasionally dredged alive in shallow
muddy sand bottoms in the open Gulf. Along the Texas coast
exists two color forms: the usual purplish rayed one and a
rare deep orange one. This species does not invade the bays
and consequently valves are rare in beachdrift. Synonyms:
Tellina obliqua Wood, 1815.

Previous Records for the Texas faunal province are: 15, Semele
obliqua Wood, Galveston; 19, Semele obliqua Wood, Matagorda
Peninsula; 21, Semele obliqua Wood, listed; 45, Galveston,
Matagorda Peninsula; 110, Fresh shell from St. Joseph Island
and one from Port Isabel, Pl. 13, Fig. 3; 135, dead in bays
(almost certainly S. proficua); 136, off East Texas (Sabine
Bank) in 40 and 42 feet; 145, listed; 156, common on Stetson
Bank; 160, dead in Matagorda Bay (questionable); 164, inlets
in Rockport area; 170, shelf assemblage off East Texas; 175,
shelf 12-35 fms. sand bottom, common; 206, Beach Records are
given in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (2), 1964; 225, Galveston; 236,
Galveston; 253, two fresh pairs from reef off Padre Island,
269, figured on page 203.

Records H.M.N.S.: 38 lots of which 2 contain live collected
material. Beaches: San Luis Pass, Matagorda, South Padre
Island.

Depth Range: 0-30 fms. (live material 12-24 fms.) Bottom: sandy
mud, Miocene shale uplifts, algal reef.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, West Indies, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 38 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Semele sparsilineata Dall, 1915. ''Guymas
and Barra de Navidad, Mexico, to Panama on mud flats and off-
shore (Keen, 1971).

Semele purpurascens (Gmelin, 1791).
{

Semele bellastriata (Conrad 1837).

Amphidesma bellastriata Conrad, 1837, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Phida. 7 (2). p. 239 pla 0s tte met
This species is common on sandy bottoms along the entire N.W.
Gulf of Mexico shoreline in a depth range of 0-32 fms. It never
enters the bays but loose valves and a few live specimens have ~
been taken from beachdrift (Galveston, Port Aransas, South Padre
Island). Its surface sculpture shows all variations from almost

32

exclusively concentric ribbing with just a few anterior and
posterior radials to strongly cancellate sculpture over the
entire shell. For this reason S. bellastriata donovani McGinty,
1955 should not be recognized as a valid subspecies. This form
is quite common off Texas and is probably merely an ecological
variant, characteristic of shallow water. Synonym: Amphidesma
cancellata Orbigny, 1842.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136, off East
Texas, pl. 6, fig. 1; 145, listed; 156, common on Stetson Bank;
162, off East Texas; 206, Beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1
(2), 1964; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on
page 202.

Records H.M.N.S.: 49 lots of which 8 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-32 fms. (0-26 fms. for live material), mainly in
sandy mud bottoms. Also on Miocene shale outcrops and from
mudlumps in Mississippi delta. Beach material from South Padre
Island and Mustang Island.

Maximum Size: 21 mm.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas, West Indies, Bermuda,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974). ;

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Semele pacifica Dall 1915: Gulf of
California to Panama intertidally and to a depth of 38 m. (Keen,
1971).

Genus Semelina Dall, 1900.
Essentially a small Semele, which however, is quite differently shaped
and sculptured in minute juvenile material.

78. Semelina nuculoides (Conrad, 1841).

Amphidesma nuculoides Conrad, 1841. Amer. Journ. Sci., list.
Sere nals ip tS 47s
This small species is characteristic for the offshore Pleistocene
(?) shell bank environment in a depth range of 6-15 fms. Rare
beach specimens are rafted ashore by Gorgonia (South Padre Island,
St. Joseph Island). Its color is mostly white, but some popu-
lations produce specimens which are on the inside, colored by
an orange spot in the center of the shell. Some of these colored
specimens show on the outside, colored radiae (from lirulata
Dall which has no particular significance). On the basis of
minute juvenile material we believe it is best to consider
Semelina as a separate genus. These juvenile shells are very
skewed in outline and are heavily and densely ribbed by con-
centric ridges.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136, (at 13
stations off East Texas, some alive, 33 ft. - 55 ft.); 170, off
East Texas; 206, beach records, Tex. Conch., Vol. 1 (2), 1964;
225, Galveston; 236, Galveston.

Records H.M.N.S.: 29 lot of which 8 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-32 fms. (alive 6-10 fms.)

Maximum Size: 8.2 m.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Gulf of Mexico, West Indies,
(Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Semelina subquadrata Carpenter 1857,

Gulf of California to Colombia.

53

Genus Abra, Lamarck, 1818.
Three species, each a different depth range, of these small white or
yellow unadorned shells live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

We

80.

Abra (Abra) aequalis (Say, 1822).
Amphidesma aequalis Say, 1822. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Bhiialtay wi 2epep aes Ose
This common beachdrift species is often dredged on the shallow
offshore shelf. It lives in the open bays, inlets, along the
beaches and in shallow water to a depth of 10 fathoms, all
along the coastline of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Two forms seem
to be present, a thick shelled one-and a thinner, somewhat
more shiny one, which we believe are identical.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, Amphidesma
aequalis Say, Galveston; 7, listed; 15, Galveston Island; 16,
Syndosmia aequalis well at Galveston at depth of 305-315 ft.
and 440-458 ft.; 18, Galveston, not common; 21, listed; 44,
Galveston; 56, listed; 66, Pleistocene; 67, Port Isabel; 69,
listed; 98, alive in Redfish Bay; 110, dead shells on all Gulf
beaches. Pl. 13, figs. 1-2; 126, Carolinian Province; 135,
alive in Gulf and in bay; 136, alive in surfzone off East
Texas; 143, listed; 145, upper sound, inlets; Mississippi delta;
153, coastal bays and inlets mid Texas coast; 156, Stetson Bank;
160, alive in Matagorda Bay; 164, Rockport and Laguna Madre,
both alive; 170, off East Texas; 174, listed; 175, open sound
or open lagoon center assemblage; 202,-Pl. 2, fig. 5; 206, Beach
Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1, (2), 1964; 208, tidal inlet
and influence assemblage; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 253,
common off Padre Island; 261, offshore Galveston; 269, figured
on page 201. This is the second most common bivalve of the
Texas coastal beaches, living in a great variety of environments.

Records H.M.N.S.: 95 lots of which 21 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms. (alive 0-10 fms., 25 fms?). Some of the
deepest material is probably Pleistocene in age.

Maximum Size: 14.6 m.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas, West Indies, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Closest to Abra aequalis Say is Abra
tepocana Dall, 1915 off Puerto Penasco to Cape Tepoca, Sonora,
Mexico in 26 meters. Some of the larger material resembles
Abra palmeri Dall, 1915, Baja, California to Panama Bay, 30-165 m.,
a depth range incompatible with that of A. aequalis Say.

Abra (Abra) lioica (Dall, 1881).
Syndosmia lioica Dall, 1881. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 9,
pe LSS
This thinner and slightly differently shaped species has been
dredged often in a depth range of 40-167 fms. Its vertical
range appears thus to be completely separated from that of A.
aequalis.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45, Galveston,
Texas; 145, lower and upper sound of Mississippi delta, shallow
and deep shelf; 146, shallow shelf, recent delta influence;

147, dead on Big Southern Bank; 175, Prodelta slope 2-11 fms. ;
abundant in silty clay sediments; 206, Tex. Conch., Vol. 9,
p- 81, 1973; I suspect that several of the above identifications

o4

are in error and that rather immature specimens of A. aequalis
in which the lateral tooth is poorly developed, have been mis-
taken for A. lioica.

Records H.M.N.S.: 15 lots (none alive), mud bottoms.

Depth Range: 40-167 fms.

Maximum Size: 7.7 mm.

Geographical Range: Cape Cod to Florida, West Indies (Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

81. Abra (Syndosmia) longicallis americana Verrill and Bush, 1898.
Abra longicallis americana Verrill & Bush. Proc. U.S.N.M.,
20 (1139), p. 778, pl. 83, figs. 6, 7.
This much more elongate, straw colored species is not uncommon
in very deep water on mud bottoms, from the Mississippi delta
to the Freeport area. \
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Vol. 9,
p- 81, 1973, Tex. Conch.
Records H.M.N.S.: 14 lots (none alive, but some quite fresh).
Depth Range: 60-450 fms. in mud bottoms.
Geographical Range: Arctic Ocean to the West Indies (Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 23.7 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Cumingia Sowerby, 1833.
Two species in our area. They are characterized by having a spoon-
like chondrophore in the hinge structure.

82. Cumingia tellinoides (Conrad, 1831). d
Mactra tellinoides Conrad, 1831. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.,

Phila., 6, p. 258, pl. 9, figs. 2-3.
This species is fairly common to the coastal bays bet does ust
occur in offshore waters. It lives between roots of vegetation
and has rarely been found in abandoned bore holes in oysters
(H. Ode) giving the shells a misshapen exterior outline. ‘The
density of the concentric ribbing is somewhat variable. It
reaches a much larger size than the next species. The sub-
species vanhyningi Rehder (Nautilus, Vol. 53.(1), p- 19, pl. 6,
figs. 13, 14) is probably the same.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provwice are: 15, Shamreck
Cove, Corpus Christi Bay; 18, Corpus Christi (mot common); 21,
listed; 44, Shamrock Cove, in Corpus Christi Bay, Tex.; 58,
Matagorda Bay; 63, subspecies vanhyningi Rehder, listed for
coastal bays; 110, a few dead shells have been taken at Port
Aransas; 153, listed; 160, Matagorda Bay; 174, listed; 206,
Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2, (2), 1964; 225,
Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 202.

Records H.M.N.S.: 22 lost of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-1 fms. (also alive). Two lots dredged at 74 and
25 fms. must be considered Pleistocene fossils. Most of this
material except above mentioned two lots comes from Galveston
West Bay (alive), East Matagorda Bay, Matagorda Bay and Aransas
Bay.

Maximum Size: 21 mm.

Geographical Range: Nova Scotia to Florida to Texas.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Cumingia mutica Sowerby, 1833, "Ecuador
to Chile" (Keen, 1971).

55

83. Cumingia antillarum (Orbigny, 1842).
Lavignon antillarum Orbigny, 1842. Moll. Cubana, Atlas,
DL 255 Seless GSS. visio IGS, Vola 2. ps: 2315.

Only a single valve is known from the offshore reef off Padre
Island. This is the species which lives normally in abandoned
bore holes.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Tex.
Goreins, Wolls 95 jos tila Wyss

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot (25-50 ft., limestone outcrop), no live
material.

Geographical Range: South Florida, Caribbean, Bermuda, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: Not measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Cumingia lamellosa Sowerby, 1833. "Baja
California to Peru, intertidally and to a depth of 24m." (Keen 1971)

Remarks: It is possible that this species has been reported as
Amphidesma deforme Philippi by Roemer in ref. 1, (Galveston).
There appears to be some uncertainty about the trivial name.
Abbott names the species C. coaretata Sowerby, 1833. Other
workers consider this name as a synonym of C. lamellosa
Sowerby, 1833.

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

HANDBOOK FOR SHELL COLLECTORS. By Walter Freeman Webb. 1935. Revised
1948.
UNITED STATES MOLLUSCA. By Walter Freeman Webb. 1942.

For generations of shell collectors, these two books served as "bibles".
They filled the needs of those who took up the hobby in the 1940s and
the 1950s, before Abbott's books and the Japanese publications became
available. The HANDBOOK illustrated and described over 2000 marine
species foreign to the United States. The UNITED STATES MOLLUSCA was
intended to be "a descriptive manual of many of the marine, land and
fresh water shells of North America, north of Mexico".

The illustrations are all in black and white, either photographs or line
drawings. Details are blurred in many of them and the absence of color
detracts from the usefulness of the book in shell identification (by
modern standards). However, these volumes were among the few readily
available during the war years and immediately afterwards.

At the time the books appeared, the author was the largest shell

dealer in America. He bought and sold a number of outstanding shell
collections. He was the co-founder of the St. Petersburg Shell Club.

56

CONCHOLOGIS

ha 1j
fe l,

VOLUME XII, NO. 3 MARCH, 1976
NOTES & NEWS

*
Wow

eet
€

wa

ALLMOUN! 4»,
fy

MAY 31 1989
LIBRARIES

REPORT ON FEBRUARY FIELD TRIP

In lovely mild weather 22 people gathered last Saturday at the Texas
City dike and discovered there were three kinds of environment to
explore. On the sandy beach they found live Polinices duplicatus,
Sinum perspectivum and ?Acteocin candei. The rocks yielded live
Congeria leucophaeta, Brachidontes and Crassostrea virginica, some
of the latter with unusually nice frills. In the clay banks there
were live Cyrtopleura costata but these proved impossible to get be-
cause water kept filling in the holes dug by eager collectors. Dead
ones were found complete, though, along with dead Petricola pholadiformis,
Tagelus divisus, Tellina iris and Nassarius vibex. To everyone's
pleasure, several flights of snow geese passed over during the day.

MARCH FIELD TRIP

Our last field trip this year will be held Sunday March 7. We'll
meet at 10:00AM at the fishing camp near the intersection of S.H. 87
and 124. You may take either Interstate 10 to Winnie and turn south
on 124 or take Interstate 45 to Galveston-Bolivar ferry and then 87
east.

This area of our coastline does not have a wide driveable beach if
the tide is high, so we'll probably have to park roadside and do some
walking. Neither does it offer an abundant of live mollusks, but it
does have those very large Thais with the beautiful orange apertures
(remember the ones we added to the shell packages last year?), large
Polinices, driftwood, some very interesting rocks (some people collect
these to paint with designs), and occasionally, Janthinas and Murex
fulvescens. The time I went, I saw a dead Natica canrena collected.
Fossils also show up there. I highly recommend rereading Constance
Boone's account of our trip to High Island last March. (Tex. Conch.,
Wolenislee Noe 4) opi, (99)))-

it rainea,

37

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The Society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additianal postage
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

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EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
William R. Keeler Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
729-6958 723-3628
5827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street
Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Ode W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233

3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 ’ Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

|
Thou shell not steal |

The shell game is an honest affair on the coast. Beach
houses are robbed, other crimes occur, but shells are
generally left where their owners put them. What is so
precious about a shell? One home owner still has a fine
collection sitting almost on the road outside his house.
It’s been there for months. A beachcomber found a
massive conch in the surf and set it on top of an old I
fishing pier post while he sorted through some other
shells. He inadvertently left it there on his way back to
Houston. Returning to the beach the next weekend, he
found the shell exactly where he had placed it.

People feel a personal pleasure in collecting their
own shells. Persons who might be prone to thievery
seem to respect this feeling. Perhaps if we listened
more closely to the shell, we’d hear more than the
sound of the sea.

The above clipping was published on the editorial page in the
Houston Post during December, 1975. While I would like to be-
lieve that shell collectors are more honest than others, I sus-
pect that few people, including shell collectors, know enough of
shell values and shell markets to make stealing worthwhile. For
the time being, we will steal cameras, color TV sets and citizen
band radios where we know the resale value.

38

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

-Back in the marsh area at San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, on
February 23, 1976, when the tide was very, very low after a howling
norther, recovery was made of one specimen of a tiny-like animal
which is an Elysia. This mollusk is a Sacoglossan. I had not col-
lected one in Texas before, but there are reports of specimens from
this Genus collected in Galveston and Corpus Christi area.

At this time, I have no specific name to offer for my specimen, nor
do I have specific names for those I have been told were collected
elsewhere in Texas. I also do not know if what I collected is a
juvenile or if it is like the others collected.

My Elysia is typically green, with other pigment colors. It is 12 m.
long extended swimming in seawater. Observed under magnification

of up to 30 power, it has an overall color of emerald green spotting,
these spots being inner pigmentation zones. Sacoglossans prefer
feeding on filamentous algae and there are several of these green
algaes. The animals absorb the coloration of the algaes they feed

on.

The wing-like expansions which help this animal swim are somewhat
undulate in my specimen. Around the edge of the parapodia the color
is made lighter by pigment cells of deep pink and sprinkling of
white "sugar-crystal-like" pigments. All over the body this crystal
spotting seems to overlay the animal. The rhinophores roll inward,
are rather long, and are whitish. Around the mouth there is dusting
of black pigment.

My animal was not recovered on algae. It was picked out of what
seemed a trail in the muddy pool. This may simply mean that it
landed there after having been blown in from the bay. There are
patches of filamentous green algae on jetty rocks and concrete
pilings and other areas of Galveston Bay.

I remembered that Dr. Harold Harry of A. & M. University had talked
to Jim Lance and me several years ago and told of the recovery of
an Elysia from some filamentous green algae near Offats Bayou. I
do not know whether it has been determined what species this was.

A message relayed to me from Dr. Harry by his wife confirms my
memory of this collection and also adds the information that Dr.
Harry talked about this specimen at the Galveston Shell Club's
banquet and that he told that club that he believed there were

two Elysias in Texas waters, another species reported from the
Corpus waters. His Galveston species was one inch in length, the
report from Corpus was of a one-fourth inch animal. My specimen
could be either. Without animal study and extraction of the radula
teeth it would be difficult to know if mine is a juvenile or adult.
I report it here with drawings from the living animal to put this
animal on record and to hope that it will add another bit of in-
formation about our fauna.

39

Drs.

No.

Eveline and Ernst Marcus in Studies in Tropical Oceanography,
6, of the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Miami,

1967, present Elysia in the Superfamily ELYSIANCEA, Family

Elysiidae. In this report, no Elysia is listed for Texas.
Dr. R. Tucker Abbott's Second Edition of American Seashells, 1974,

presents the Genus Elysia under the Superfamily PLAKOBRANCHIACEA and

the Family Plakobranchidae.

There is no record here of an Elysia

in Texas waters directly, but there are several species which could

range in this area. I did collect Elysia on green algae at Isla
Mujeres, Mexico, several years ago.

The specimen I have will be eventually preserved. I hope to be

able to present more about the Genus in the future. Anyone wishing

to offer more information or records is urged to write to me.
and Seizure is always ready to publish your material.

—e ROLLED
INWARD -
WHiTISH

RoRvER
OF (BLACK
PIEMENT
EDGE LiGkhTER
LIGHTER Zone
wit pEEYP
PInix< SPOTS
Like
SEAR
FROSTING
SPOTTED
EMERALD
_ Un OULATE GREEN
PARAPODIA

Lighter 20NE
ON EOGE eF
Feor

Moort

DORSAL

VENTRAL

12 mm, rene anima|

Elysia <p.

Elysia sp., 12 mm., collected by Constance Boone
February 23, 1976, in marsh area at San Luis Pass,
Galveston Island. Drawing by collector.

60

Search

MORE COLLECTING NOTES: Ruby Ray recovered several juvenile specimens
of Rangia this winter from the mud flats near Tiki Island, approach
area to Galveston Island from Houston, when the tides were subnormal.
There has been some discussion about which species she did get, and
there will have to be examination under lens to confirm identification.
Please reread Dr. Odé's report of Rangia in Texas Conchologist, ©

Vol. XII, No. 1, Sept., 1975, and check Abbott's Second Edition of
American Seashells. At the February meeting of the Houston Conchology
Society, Leola Glass brought a tray of both Rangia cuneata and

Rangia (Raniganella) flexuosa she had collected at Clear Lake near
her home some years ago. Several professionals have confirmed the
identification of these specimens. Although these species may
certainly still live there in the mud, Leola reports that the lake
has risen several feet in the last years and winter low tides now

do not uncover the ooze area.

One note is made here that the description of Rangia (Rangianella)
flexuosa in Abbott always states that this is a rare and elusive
species and that it is colored light brown inside. None of the
specimens seen in the Northwest Survey housed at the Museum of
Natural Science here and none of the specimens in other collections
I have seen are light brown inside. They are whitish and in color
little different from Rangia cunmeata. Maybe we need to know about
this.

From member Linda Serrill from Matagorda, Texas, has come a note
about collecting three young specimens of the hard-to-find
Agriopoma texasiana (see Abbott, Second Edition on this change from
Callocardia texasiana). There are plenty of old large valves of
this species on our beaches, but it is an uncommonly collected
bivalve live or paired.

The Courtades were at San Luis Pass, Galveston side, on Feb. 22
when the sand bars on the bay side were well exposed. They were
able to collect a growth series ot Sinum and collected Epitoniuns,
Busycons, and Tellina alternata, the yellow, whitish, and pale pink
ones that are true alternata.

Ruth Goodson also collected at San Luis Pass on a winter low tide
and recovered Epitoniums, much to her delight.

My day at San Luis Pass, in addition to the Elysia, yielded a
number of very nice Epitonium humphreysi. My interest in Epitoniums
has not dimmed. Each time I try to study the material, this series
of E. humphreysi confirms my earlier statements that the operculums
are not dark but are pale amber. The species seems to have much
more purple dye than other local Epitoniums and they flood the animal
with color when handled. The operculums finally are stained dark.
Having these humphreysi on hand and able to put them under the lens,
it is noted that the costae are not only thicker than E. angulatum
but also twist strongly when joining the upper whorl's costae. I
find E. humphreysi has whorls that are more globose than those of

E. angulatum and the aperture more rounded oval. The shells of

E. humphreysi are like dull silk fabric while those of E. angulatum
are more like milk glass.

61

ANGEL WINGS, TRUE AND FALSE, DEAD AND ALIVE by Cynthia Biaska

In mid-January, Bill Keeler, my husband and I decided to check out
Sargent Beach, where none of us had been before. The tide had al-
ready reached its low point and was beginning to rise when we arriv-
ed. The beach area close to the water had large patches of sticky
clay, with sand higher up. Walking on the clay was difficult be-
cause great gobs of it stuck to our sneakers.

At first we thought there was nothing of interest on the beach, not
even good beach shells, but on closer observation, I saw a narrow

trail in the clay, at the end of which was a false angel wing, Petricola
phaladiformi not more than % inch long. We soon found others in

the area, as well as a series of small round holes. In many of these
were live false angel wings, all small, perhaps % inch in length. We
put a few into a pill bottle to examine later. We had no idea from

the literature that false angel wings tracked in the clay like snails.
They are referred to as borers only.

After finding nothing more in this area, we moved a few hundred yards
east and here we saw an astonishing sight-hundreds of round holes, in
each one a dead angel wing (Cyrtopleura costada) with its two valves
sticking out the top like a flower. They were an inch or two long
and they must have been there for several days, because the tops were
broken in almost every case. There had been a freeze ten days before
and apparently that had killed them.

While examining this angel wing graveyard, my husband noticed some-
thing in one of the "empty" holes. Sure enough, here and there

among the skeletons was the siphon of a still live but sluggish angel
wing. Although we had no tools with us at this point, by using pieces
of clam shell and a strong stick we were able to dig out several
whole ones. Since these were the first pairs that I had ever seen
live, much less collected myself, I was delighted.

An epilogue of this incident, showing it never rains but it pours, is
that in early February Margaret Baldwin, Janet Williams and I took
advantage of a -.7 tide and a beautiful sunny day to shell at San
Luis Pass. After a brief, unproductive search on the Galveston side,
we drove over the bridge and walked along the shore, away from the
Gulf. Believe it or not, we found and successfully dug out 5 angel
wings, (Cyrtopleura costada) up to 4 inches long. Margaret also
found a live Sinum perspectivum popping out of the sand and we gather-
ed several olives, 2 large Mercenaria, a large Thais, a busycon and
some interesting beach shells. But angel wings twice in a row?

These two experiences provided a real education in the life and death
of angel wings.

62

THE GENUS STROMBUS: by Lloyd Meister

A LIST OF RECOGNIZED TAXA WITH ABBREVIATED SYNONYMY

For the past ten years or so, I have been studying and building a
collection of Strombus shells. I am called by some an "expert" on
the subject. While it is true that I have read everything on
Strombus that was available to me, have studied the 50 species and
12 subspecies in my own collection and specimens from others which

I do not have, and, as a result, I have learned to tell one species
from another and to give each a name. I hardly think this qualifies
me as an "expert'', although I must admit it is a little flattering.

I have been asked, from time to time, to provide a list of taxa
(names) of recent Strombus shells, which I have done.

One day I received a call telling me that a person had obtained a
shell labeled Strombus ustulatus Schumacher, 1817 and why was that
mame not on the list. It was not listed because it is considered

to be a synonym of Strombus urceus Linne, 1758 and because ustulatus
refers to a specimen with an all black columella and aperture. It
is sometimes called:

Strombus urceus forma ustulatus Schumacher, 1817

Names become synonyms for a number of reasons, some of which are:
1) Non-binomial, a name that has only the genus or the species but
not both; 2) Nude-name, a name without description and/or illus-
tration; 3) Preoccupied, a species name was already in use within
the genus from an earlier date, although such a name may be used in
another genus; 4) Genuine misidentification, probably due to in-
sufficient research. For those shells which are the bones of con-
tention as to whether they are species or subspecies, the name se-
lection remains largely personal, since one must draw the line some-
where. Iwill discuss some of these as they come up to show why I
used the name that I did.

I will group the species together under their subgeneric name for
those who may wish to use them in their labeling. Remember that the
subgeneric name is capitalized and contained within parentheses and
will appear as:

Strombus (Canarium) urceus Linne, 1758

In some instances you will note that the authors name and the date
are also contained within parentheses. This indicates that the au-
thor placed his species in a genus other than, in this case, Strombus
and was later corrected. In the genus Strombus this author is, with
one exception, Roding and the one exception is Kira. These original
citations will appear in the synonymy.

By "abbreviated synonymy" it is meant that there will reference only

to the author and date but none to the publication in which the ci-
tation appeared. Some citations will be omitted because of repetition
of names. Where the generic name Strombus is used it will appear as: S.
All other generic names will be spelled out.

63

The sources for the synonymy were: Abbott, American Seashells, 2nd
Ed, 1974, Indo-Pacific Mollusca Vol. 1, No. 2, 1960 and Keen, Sea-
shells of Tropical West America, 1971.

For the purpose of this list I am recognizing 56 species and 18 sub-
species for a world total of 74.

If that last statement sounds pretentious, I apologize, it was not
meant to. When a person has read all available material and examined
all available specimens,it follows that conclusions are reached.
These, then,are mine. Some, I am sure, will not agree.

Genus STROMBUS Linne, 1758
Subgenus STROMBUS s.s. Linne, 1758

pugilis Linne, 1758 (Type)
S. sloani Leach, 1814
S. nicarguensis Fluck, 1905
S. peculiaris M. Smith, 1940

alatus Gmelin, 1791
S. undulatus Kuster, 1845
S. pugilis alatus Gmelin, Clench & Abbott, 1941

gracilior Sowerby, 1825
no synonymy known to me.

Subgenus LAEVISTROMBUS Kira, 1955

canarium, Linne, 1758 (Type)
Lambis turturella Roding, 1798
S. isabella Lamarck, 1822
S. vanikorensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1834
S. taeniatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1834
S. gibbus "Martini" Issel & T.-Canefri, 1876

This last name is a homonym for gibbosus (Roding, 1798), see
under Gibberulus.

There are those who say there are two species in this sub-
genus, the second one being S. isabella Lamarck, 1822. I
have seen hundreds of specimens of S. canarium and can

see no evidence to support the contention. There are many
integrades between the two. For two of several discussions
on this matter,see Abbott, Indo-Pacific Mollusca, 1960 and
Romagna-Manoja, La Conchiglia, November-December, 1973.

Subgenus TRICORNIS Jousseaume, 1886

tricornis Humphrey, 1786 (Type)
S. tricornis G. Fischer, 1807 (preoccupied)
S. tricornis Lamarck, 1816 (preoccupied)
S. orientalis 'Jonston' Duclos, 1844
S. pertinax Duclos, 1844

thersites Swainson, 1823

S. thersites Wood, 1828 (preoccupied)
S. ponderosus Philippi, 1842

64

latissimus Linne, 1758
Lambis picta Roding, 1798
Pterocera alata Schumacher, 1817

taurus Reeve, 1857
no synonymy

sinuatus Humphrey, 1786
Lambis lobata Roding, 1798
Pterocera palmata G. Fischer, 1807
S. laciniatus "Chemnitz" Dillwyn, 1817
S. cristatus Lamarck, 1822

oldi Emerson, 1965
no synonymy

raninus Gmelin, 1791
S.°bituberculatus Lamarck, 1822
S. lobatus Swainson, 1822
S. rarimus Bosc., 1801
S. nanus Bales, 1938

peruvianus Swainson, 1823
no synonymy known to me

gallus Linne, 1758
Lambis turrita Roding, 1798

costatus Gmelin, 1791
S. intermis Swainson, 1822
S. accipitrinus Lamarck, 1822
S. leidyi Heilprin, 1887
S. spectabilis A.H. Verrill, 1950

galeatus Swainson, 1823
S. crenatus Sowerby, 1825
S. galea Wood, 1828

goliath Schroter, 1805
no synonymy known to me

gigas Linne, 1758
S. samba Clench, 1937
S. horridus M. Smith, 1940
S. gigas verrilli McGinty, 1946
S. canaliculatus L. Burry, 1949

Subgenus CANARIUM Schumacher, 1817

urceus Linne, 1758 (Type)
Lambis reticulata Link, 1807
Canarium ustulatus Schumacher, 1817
S. incisus Wood, 1828

anatellus Duclos, 1844

. crassilabrum Anton, 1839

. muricatus "Martini" Watson, 1885

. ustulatus forma laevis Dodge, 1946

AnNnNN
e

65

hm

Strombus vittatus forma australis
Schroter, 1805

Size: 102 mn.

about 4 5/8"

Strombus vittatus Linne, 1758
2 - 72 mm. about 2 13/16"
3 - 59 mm. about 2 1/4"

Strcembus campbelli Griffith
& Pelgeon, 1834

4 - 59 mm. about 2 1/4"

5 - 62 mm. about 2 5/16"

66

urceus orrae Abbott, 1960
no synonymy

labiatus (Roding, 1798)
Lambis labiatus Roding, 1798
Lambis reticulatus Link, 1807
S. plicatus Lamarck, 1816
S. dentatus Linne, Reeve, 1850
Camarium otiolum Iredale, 1931

labiatus olydius Duclos, 1844
no synonymy

klineorum Abbott, 1960
S. urceus Linne, Duclos, 1844

microurceus (Kira, 1959)
Camarium microurceum "Kuroda, MS" Kira, 1955 (nude name)
Camarium microurceum "Kurda, MS" Kira, 1959

mutabilis Swainson, 1821
S. floridus Lamarck, 1822
S. epinellus Duclos, 1844
S. flosculosus "Martini" Morch, 1852
S. floridus forma zebriolatus "Daut zenberg"'
Adam & Leloup, 1938

mutabilis ochroglottis Abbott, 1960
no synonymy

maculatus Sowerby, 1842
S. maculatus "Nutali" Jay, 1839 (nude name)
S. maculatus "Nutali"’ Sowerby, 1842
S. floridus var. depauperata Dautzenberg & Borge, 1933

fusiformis Sowerby, 1842
no synonymy

erythrinus Dillwyn, 1817
erythrinus Chemnitz, 1795 (non-binomial)

erythrinus "Chemnitz" Dillwyn, 1817
elegans Sowerby, 1842
- radians Duclos, 1844
- ruppelli Reeve, 1850

MNMNMM 4

rugosus Sowerby, 1817
S. jugosus Wood, 1828
S. corrugatus, A. Adams & Reeve, 1848

haemastoma Sowerby, 1842
no synonymy

scalariformis Duclos, 1833
This is a doubtful species without synonymy known from only
three specimens and possibly is a high spired form of
S. haemastoma.

67

helli Kiener, 1842
S. cancellatus Pease, 1860

dentatus Linne, 1758
S. tridentatus Gmelin, 1791
Lambis dentata Roding, 1798
S. samar "Chemnitz" Dillwyn. 1817

terebellatus Sowerby, 1842
S. dentatus Wood, Kiener, 1843

terebellatus afrobellatus Abbott, 1960
no synonymy

fragilis (Roding, 1798)

Lambis fragilis Roding, 1798

S. samar "Chemnitz" Dillwyn, 1817

S. dubius Swainson, 1823

S. bulbulus Sowerby, 1842

S. (Canarium) terebellatus Sowerby, Abrard, 1946
S. bullatus Dodge, 1946

wilsoni, Abbott, 1967
no synonymy

Subgenus DOLOMENA Iredale, 1931

plicatus (Roding, 1798)
Lambis plicata, Roding, 1798
S. deformis "Gray'' Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834
S. sibbaldi Sowerby, Kiener, 1843

plicatus columba Lamarck, 1822
S. columba Lamarck, 1822
S. tankervillii Swainson, 1823

plicatus sibbaldi Sowerby, 1842
S. sibbaldi Sowerby, 1842
S. kieneri Issel & T. -Canefri, 1876
S. yerburyi E.A. Smith, 1891
S. deformis Gray, Kiener, 1843

plicatus pulchellus Reeve, 1851 (Type)
S. (Gallinula) malekulensis Abrard, 1946

S: (Gallinula) minimus Linne var. minor Abrard, 1946

dilatatus Swainson, 1821
S. orosminus Duclos, 1844

dilatatus swainsoni Reeve, 1850
S. swainsoni Reeve, 1850

labiosus Wood, 1828
S. labiosus Gray, Reeve, 1851

marginatus Linne, 1758
Lambis carinata Roding, 1798

68

1 & 2 Strombus aratrum (Roding, 1798)
1 - 96 mm. about 3 3/4"
2 - 53 mm. about 2 1/16"

3 Strombus vomer (Roding, 1798)
73 mm. about 2 27/32"

4 Strombus aurisdianae Linne, 1758
70 mm. about 2 3/4"

69

marginatus succinctus Linne, 1767
S. succinctus Linne, 1767

marginatus robustus Sowerby, 1874
S. robustus Sowerby, 1874

Labiostrombus succinctus Linne, Kira, 1959

marginatus septimus Duclos, 1844
5. succinctus var. septimus Duclos, Tryon, 1885

variabilis Swainson, 1820
S. lituratus Menke, 1829

variabilis athenius Duclos, 1844
S. variabilis Swainson, Kiener, 1843
S. athenius Duclos, 1844

minimus Linne, 1771
S. minimus Gmelin, Roding, 1798
S. troglodytes Lamarck, 1822

kleckhamae Cernohorsky, 1971
no synonymy known to me

Subgenus LABLIOSTROMBUS Oostingh, 1925

epidromis Linne, 1758
Lambis epidromis Gmelin, Roding, 1798
S. expansa "Martini" Tryon, 1885

Subgenus DOXANDER Iredale, 1931

vittatus Linne, 1758 (Type)
S. sulcatus Holten, 1802
S. australis Schroter, 1805
S. turritus Lamarck, 1822
The last two synonyms refer to a highspired form of vittatus
Linne and while the latter is more commonly used, the former
is correct since turritus is a homonym for turrita Roding
(see gallus Linne) and therefore is not available. Labels
should read: Strombus vittatus forma australis Schroter,
1805, if a form name is used at all.

vittatus japonicus Reeve, 1851
S. japonicus Reeve, 1851

campbelli Griffith & Pidgeon, 1843
Alaba Styliferina) sulcata Watson, 1886
This is another one of those bones of contention. The shell
of campbelli is heavier although, on the average, smaller than
vittatus. The color of vittatus is a very light tan with little
spiral banding, while campbelli has an almost white ground color
overlaid with dark red-brown axial streaks and/or zigzag lines
which may become fairly solid except where they cross the,
usually four, white spiral bands. Both vittatus and campbelli
have rather smooth body whorls except for a few incised spiral
lines toward the base of the shell. There is a low, rounded
but prominent knob at the shoulder in the center of the dorsum

70

of campbelli. The spire of vittatus has very strong shoulders
which are rounded, while campbelli has almost no shoulders at
all. The subsutural band in vittatus and campbelli is prominent
‘and in vittatus seems to be composed of two spiral cords, while
in campbelli it is broad with a few, about three, incised spiral
lines and crossed by numerous low, rounded, axial ribs that
extend down to the next suture. The axial ribs in vittatus are
a little more prominent and extend from below the subsutural.
band down to the next suture but do not cross the bands. In
vittatus these axial ribs begin to disappear in the penultimate
whorl, while in campbelli they continue onto the body whorl and
terminate at the dorsal knob. The spire of vittatus has several
incised spiral lines that generally disappear with the axial
ribs, while in campbelli these lines are confined to the sub-
sutural band. The aperture in both is white. Based on the dif-
ferences I have discussed I would accept Strombus campbelli
Griffith & Pidgeon, 1834 as a distinct species.

I have in my collection a specimen of S. campbelli which is a
pink color form that lacks the white ground color and has the
red-brown markings confined to the subsutural band and down the
dorsal edge of the outer lip. The aperture is also pink. I
can find no reference to such a color form in the literature
nor can I find anyone who has seen such a specimen. It must
therefore be exceedingly rare and as such, would alter little
the description of campbelli, except to say, "rarely a pink
color form".

Subgenus LENTIGO Jousseaume, 1886

lentiginosus Linne, 1758 (Type)
Lambis rana Roding, 1798
S. rana Oken, Isis, 1824

granulatus Swainson, 1822
no synonymy known to me

pipus (Roding, 1798)
Lambis pipa Roding, 1798
S. papilio "Chemnitz" Dillwyn, 1817
S. exustus Swainson, 1822

fasciatus Born, 1778
S. subulata Herbst, 1788
Lambis elegantissima Roding, 1798
S. polyfasciatus Dillwyn, 1817
S. lineatus Lamarck, 1822
S. lineolatus Wood, 1828
S. flavigula Meuschen, Tryon, 1885

latus Gmelin, 1791
S. fasciatus Gmelin, 1791
Strobus auratus Spalowsky, 1795
Lambis carnea Roding, 1798
Lambis carnaria Roding, 1798
S. bubonus Lamarck, 1822

71

S. dilatatus Lamarck, 1822
S. adansoni Defrance, 1827
S. bubo Lamarck, Deshayes, 1833

Subgenus EUPROTOMUS Gill, 1870

aurisdianae Linne, 1758 (Type)
Lambis stiva Roding, 1798
Lambis buris Roding, 1798
S. lamarcki Gray, Sowerby, 1842
S. chrysostomus Kuroda, 1942
S. striatogranosus "Morch" von Martens, 1880

aratrum (Roding, 1798)

Lambis aratrum Roding, 1798

S. aurisdianae var. adusta "Chemnitz" Dillwyn, 1817

S. melastomus Swaineon, 1822

S. aurisasini Dillwyn, 1823

S. melanostomus Sowerby, 1825

S. adusta Gray, 1826
I am accepting S. aratrum as a species for two reasons.
The first is my own comparisons of aratrum and aurisdianae. I
have always felt that they were not subspecies of each other,
I did not have S. vomer to compare with them. Before I got my
specimen of vomer an article appeared in Hawaiian Shell News
Vol. XV, No. 10, p. 5 by W. O. Cernohorsky, 1967, in which he
compared vomer, aurisdianae and aratrum. Since then I have
added vomer to my collection and have compared the three species
on my own and came up with much the same conclusions. I would
amend his article, as to extend the size range of aratrum from
58 to 9lmm. to 49 to 96mm. to include my specimens... I would
suggest that this article be read carefully by those interested.

bulla (Roding, 1798)
Lambis bulla Roding, 1798
S. laevis Perry, 1811
S. lamarckii Gray, 1826
S. lamarckii Swainson, 1840
S. guttatus "Martini" Kiener, 1843

vomer (Roding, 1798)
Aratrum T. Martyn, 1784 (non-binomial)
Lambis vomer Roding, 1798
S. acutus Perry, 1811
S. zelandiae Gray, 1826
S. pacificus Swainson, 1821
S. chemnitzii Pfeiffer, 1840
S. novae-zelandiae Chemnitz, Reeve, 1842
Euprotomus donnellyi Iredale, 1931
S. hirasei Kuroda, 1942
Euprotomus atratum Allan, 1950

vomer hawaiensis Pilsbry, 1917
S. hawaiensis Pilsbry, 1917

72

vomer iredalei Abbott, 1960

S. australis Gray, 1826

S. australis Sowerby, 1842
Both these names are preoccupied by S. australis Schroter,
1805 (see under vittatus Linne).

listeri T. Gray, 1852
S. mirabilis Sowerby, 1870

Subgenus CONOMUREX P. Fischer, 1884

luhuanus Linne, 1758 (Type)
S. luguanus Herbst, 1788
Lambis luhuana Roding, 1798
S. pusillus Anton, 1839

decorus (Roding, 1798)
Lambis decora Roding, 1798
Lambis miniata Link, 1807
Lambis flammea Link, 1807
S. cylindricus Swainson, 1821
S. mauritianus Lamarck, 1822
S. lutruanus Dillwyn, 1823
S. laevilabris Menke, 1828
S. coniformis Sowerby, 1842

decorus persicus Swainson, 1821
S. persicus Swainson, 1821
S. ismarius Duclos, 1844
S. belutschiensis Melvill, 1898
Subgenus GIBBERULUS Jousseaume, 1888

gibberulus Linne, 1758 (Type)
S. labiatus Perry, 1811

gibberulus gibbosus (Roding, 1798)
Lambis gibbosa Roding, 1798

gibberulus albus Morch, 1850
S. gibberulus var. rhodostomus "Morch" von Martens, 1869

This completes the list and I hope that it will be of some value to
other members interested in the Genus Strombus.

73

Pet shells were available this past Christmas season in-some of our
better department stores here in Houston. It is said that the shells
were packaged by mentally handicapped persons; nothing is said or

to be construed concerning customers who would part with $4.00 for a
three inch tiger courie, Cypraea tigris Linne. Abbott in ''Kingdom
of the Sea Shell" has an interesting paragraph or two on tiger
cowries and their place in primative religions and folklore.

There is no evidence to date that people are tiring of their pet
shells and discarding them as has been observed with pet rocks. In
some areas surplus rocks have been a serious problem.

Some day we may be able to buy pet shells year round and not just

at Christmas time. Some stores were selling pet rocks for Valentine's
Day. 1 would prefer to give my wife something softer and not so
likely to be thrown - such as a shell.

Only at Joske’s...
the-Pet Shell

4.00

Wouldn’t it.be swell to have a

pet shell? .Be among the first <. ..
to enjoy the richly rewardin
experience of owning Bie
training a purebred pet shell.

it is clean and undemanding.
Will not ruin carpets. Each
pet shell is packed in its own
travel case with full instruc-
tions for its care and training.

STATIONERY:
ALL JOSKE’S STORES

74

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Ernie Libby was a most unusual man. He had an uncanny ability to
sense one's interest. One can recall many, many instances when
Ernie unselfishly expended his busy time, his energies and even his
money to help others. Here is a story about Ernie - about a chain
of events that only Ernie could have set in motion.

As the result of many trips to the Rongelap atoll in the Marshall
Islands, Ernie built up a stock of Strombus taurus specimens for
trading purposes. He also made trips to Japan and he knew of the
malacological activities of the Emperor of Japan. The Emperor

has an incomparable collection of rare seashell, specimens, but it
was highly probable that he did not have a specimen of Strombus
taurus. Only Ernie could have thought about it. He decided to pre-
sent the Emperor with three specimens of the rare Strombus taurus!
And there begins this tale.

How does one go about presenting something to the Emperor of Japan?
Ingenious Ernie thought that he had found a way. One of his trading
buddies was a Japanese shell collector by the name of Taizo Ninomiya.
Mr. Ninomiya had one of the best shell collections in Japan. Surely,
Mr. Ninomiya would be able to find a way through channels to deliver
the shells safely to the Emperor. So Ernie sent his three best
specimens to Tokyo. That was more than three years before Ernie's
illness.

Mr. Ninomiya's letter recounts the sequence of events that followed.
He states "but this matter was not so simple". At first he was un-
able to find a way that "plain foreign people" could give anything
to the Emperor. It seemed best to route the shells through some-
one who was a member of the Japan Malacological Society. So

Mr. Ninomiya tried this method by turning over one specimen to a
friend who was a conchologist and who served as an assistant of the
Biological Laboratory of the Imperial Household. There was no sub-
sequent word, even after more than a year. So Mr. Ninomiya asked
another gentlemen who was a shell collector and who apparently knew
the Grand Chamberlain well. Again nothing happened. After three
times, Mr. Ninomiya felt that he could not urge his friend any more
lest he be suspected of "self-advertisement".

Finally, Mr. Ninomiya sought out the chief priest of the government
shrine who had frequent contacts with the Emperor. The priest him-
self was a most serious shell collector. This time, the Strombus
taurus safely reached the Emperor. Along with the Strombus taurus
there went from Mr. Ninomiya's collection specimens of Volkita

lyriaeformis exsoptanda and Voluta wisemanii.

Ernie's wishes were realized on August 25, 1975. The Emperor and
the Empress listened to the story and "were very pleased with the
shells". The receipt of the Strombus taurus was acknowledged.
Tragically, in the meantime, Ernie had died.

75

As a footnote, attention is called to the December, 1975 issue of
HAWAIIAN SHELL NEWS. On page 4, Elmer Leehman profiles the Japanese
collector, Taizo Ninomiya. This is the same man that Ernie had asked
to present the Strombus taurus to the Emperor. He was Ernie's good
shelling friend and had supplied Ernie (as well as Elmer) with a

goodly number of rare shells (including Cypraea guttata) from all
over the world.

0000000000000000000000000

It is well known that the Emperor of Japan has a deep interest in
malacology. It is not surprising, therefore, that even during his
recent carefully controlled state visit to the United States, the
Emperor was human enough to remember his hobby. During his stay

in San Francisco, one of the few personal appointments was given to
Dr. Myra Keen who was invited to chat with him about mollusks com-
mon to the countries on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean.

Dr. Keen had written on this subject and the Emperor was well aware
of the publications.

STANFORD OBSERVER (November, 1975) reports this interview under the
heading: ''Sharing Shells with the Emperor of Japan''. Dr. Keen
presented the Emperor with two boxes of shell exhibits including
some rare specimens. The Emperor gave to Dr. Keen five volumes on
invertebrate groups he had collected from Sagami Bay, including
reproductions of paintings by the Empress, and two personal gifts.

0000000000000000000000000

The following short discourse here on writing southpaw-style actually
is a comment stemming from reading a scientific malacological article.
The entirety of No. 53 of the OCCASIONAL PAPERS ON MOLLUSKS (1 October
1975) is a biography and bibliography of Felipe Poey, the famous

Cuban naturalist, by K.J. Boss and M.K. Jacobson. In the article,

the authors quote Charles Wright as saying that "Poey (wrote) with

his left hand and straight down the page like the Chinese, or he
(turned) the paper sidewise to him - the lines running up and down.

Such an observation is indeed astonishing. The description is
accurate but the connotation is erroneous. This is the natural way
for lefties to write. Some of us gray-haired people actually went
to the ancient two and three room grammar schools. We sat at desks
that had ink wells on the upper right hand corner. The teacher very
rigidly instructed all pupils to line the top margin of the paper
slanting upward and pointing to the inkwell. For a right-hander
this is normal.

With the paper in that position, however, the southpaw must turn
his hand completely around and scribble awkwardly upward and back-
ward. The pen and hand must be held above the line he is writing.
Otherwise he cannot see what is being written - the fist will cover

76

the words. All of this can be obviated very easily by turning the
paper around so that the top edge slants from the upper left corner
of the desk toward the lower right corner. It is really quite simple
to turn the paper even further so that the edge is vertical. I do
this all the time and writing straight up and down is no trick at
all. In fact, it is comfortable and it is the truly natural way for
lefties to write.

0000000000000000000000000

The books listed below have been purchased by the Ernie Libby
Memorial Fund and have been added to the library:

THIS LIVING REEF by Douglas Faulkner. Quadrangle/The New York
times Book Company, New York. 1974. 179 pages.

THE COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SHELLS by Peter Dance. McGraw
Hill Book Company, New York - St. Louis - San Francisco - Toronto.
1974. 288 pages.

BIOLOGY AND GEOLOGY OF CORAL REEFS. Edited by 0.A. James & R.
Endean, Volume I. Geology 1. 410 pages.

Volume II. Biology 1. 480 pages.

Academic Press. New York and London. 1973.

0000000000000000000000000

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST
SHELL COLLECTOR'S HANDBOOK by A. Hyatt Verrill. L.C. Page & Company.
Boston. 1936. 211 pages.

This widely distributed book by the well-known naturalist-author
was written ''to serve as a guide and handbook for the beginner, the
amateur conchologist and those who make or contemplate making sea
shells a hobby". Written in popular style (how many can recall
Verrill as a pioneer science-fiction writer?) the pages read easily,
often sensationally, but the scientific precision of present-day
references. Nonetheless, the book was very popular and could be
found in almost every public library.

77

BOOK REVIEW by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

SHELL COLLECTOR'S GUIDE. By Ruth H. Fair. Charles E. Tuttle Company.
Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo, Japan, 1976. 213 pages. $8.50.

This handy sized volume provides the beginning collector with a
variety of hints and suggestions that will save hours of irretriev-
able loss of time and effort from unprepared bungling.

The most valuable section of the book comprises the appendix on
"Shelling Areas around Oahu". For the collectors and vacationers
who head for Honolulu, these 25 pages provide 9 maps and descrip-
tions of shelling sites around the entire island of Oahu. Anyone
intending to do.any shelling from Honolulu will do well to scan in-
formation of this type.

The chapters are short - sometimes too abbreviated - but they present
the type of background knowledge that will be generally required for
a productive collecting venture. Such preparation is especially
beneficial when trips to far away places (such as the South Pacific)
are planned. Laws and regulations do exist in various geographic
areas and they can materially affect the scope and timing of one's
shelling activities. Such aspects are briefly outlined in the book.

The annotated bibliography would have been more usefui had the ref-
erences been more carefully chosen. The book assuredly is not a
manual for identifying the shell species. Yet, the bulk of the
references deal with descriptions of shells arranged by genus or
family or by geographic distribution. Such monographs as "Helpful
Hints for Shell Hunters" published by the Hawaiian Malacological
Society and "How to Study and Collect Shells" put out by the Amer-
ican Malacological Union are not listed. S. Stillman Berry's classic
papers on the handling of chiton specimens are mentioned in the text
in the chapter on Habitats (the word chiton does not appear in the
index). (In the January, 1976 issue of HAWAIIAN SHELL NEWS, it is
stated that this book was an outgrowth of what was undertaken as a
revision of the "Helpful Hints for Shell Hunters").

The chapter headings give a synoptic view of the guidelines the
author wanted to cover: Laws, regulations and protected species;
The shell collector's equipment: The nature of the reef; Danger-
ous shallow-water dwellers; First aid; Some notes on habitats;
Fanning and tracking; Unusual collecting methods; Night shelling; .
Snorkeling and scuba diving for shells; Dredging for shells; The
traveling shell-collector; Cleaning shells - inside and out;
Cataloguing and curating a collection; The cabinet - storing and
display; The saltwater aquarium.

This book should prove helpful to all who are just learning about
collecting seashells. The writing style is non-technical and carries
the flavor of personal experience. It should be an ideal traveling
companion since the chapters can be read very quickly - during the
plane flights or at the airport.

78

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO
(A Continuing Monograph)

PART I by H. Ode’

SUPERFAMILY TELLINACEA

FAMILY SOLECURTIDAE

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the genera Solecurtus
and Tagelus.
Sources: M. Keen (in) Treatise of Invert. Paleont. Part N, Vol. 2,

p. 637-639.
In this family are brought together a number of elongate, somewhat
rectangular bivalves, some of which are becoming estuarine. (Tagelus).

Genus Solecurtus Blainville, 1824. ,
This genus is characterized by oblique grooves crossing the incremental
growth structure.

84. Solecurtus cumingianus (Dunker, 1861).
Macha cumingiana Dunker, 1861. Proc. Zool. Soc., London,
29), (Pea 2 51
A widespread species in a depth range of 0-70 fms. along the
entire coastline but rarely found alive. Does not invade the
bays. Beach specimens have only been found at Freeport and
South Texas beaches (Mustang Island, South Padre Island).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
28, Psammosolen cumingianus Dunker; 45, repeat ref. 27; 56,
Psammosolen cumingianus Dunker, 14-111 fms.; 69, listed; 145,
listed; 156, Stetson Bank; 170, off East Texas; 175, intermediate
shelf, 12-35 fms., sand bottoms; few along whole coast; 201,
mudlumps Mississippi delta; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 2 (2), 1965; 214, Campeche Bank; 225, Galveston; 236,
Galveston; 269, figured on page 200.

Records H.M.N.S.: 42 lots of which one contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-70 fm. (alive at 26 fms.) in sandy mud bottoms.
Excluding specimens from beachdrift, the shallowest depth at
which the species was dredged is 8 fms.

Maximum Size: 68 mm.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida to Texas, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974). 24

Eastern Pacific Analogue: There are two Panamanic species of which
we at the moment cannot judge the closeness to S. cumingianus.

Us)

85. Solecurtus sanctaemarthae (Orbigny, 1842).
Solen sanctaemarthae Orbigny, 1842. Moll. Cub. 2, p. 232,
EE Zs MEMES S Sis Sy.
This is a much smaller and more irregular species, probably
living in a similar depth range as the previous one, but our
records are too scarce; never on the beaches.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 175, "outer
shelf, 40-65 fms., rare, south Texas; not alive, sand bottom;
206, Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 81, 1973.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots (no live material).

Depth Range: 17-25 fms., in sandy mud and on outcrops of Miocene
shale (Stetson Bank).

Maximum Size: 23.1 m.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Bermuda, West Indies,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Genus Tagelus, Gray, 1847.
Tagelus replaces Solecurtus in estuarine environment. Its umbo is more
centrally. located than in Solecurtus. Two subgenera in Texas.

86. Tagelus (Tagelus) plebeius (Lightfoot, 1786).
Solen plebeius Lightfoot, 1786. Portland Mus. Cat., pp. 42,

101, 156. Synonyms are: T. caribaeus Sowerby, 1874 and

T. gibbus Spengler, 1794.
A widespread and common species living along bay margins in the
matted roots of vegetation. More numerous in Louisiana and
East Texas bays than in South Texas bays. We have never
dredged material in offshore waters.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, Solecurtus
caribaeus Blainv., Galveston; 7, listed; 15, Port Isabel, Port
Lavaca, Galveston and Corpus Christi; 18, Corpus Christi;
common; 19, Carancahua Bay, Keller's Bay, Lavaca Bay, Matagorda
Bay, Espiritu Santo Bay, and Corpus Christi Bay. (Good eating
when stewed); listed; 45, repeats earlier references; 56,
listed; 58, dead at Aransas Pass; 61, ''Nueces River Basin and
Islands"; 62, Indian Point and McGloin's Bluff (Corpus Christi);
66, Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel; 69, listed; 93, dead
shells in Aransas wildlife refuge; 98, bays, Cedar Bayou; 110,
dead shells on all Gulf beaches (lives in all bays of higher
salinity) Plate 12, fig. 9; 126, listed; 135, dead in Gulf,
alive in bays; 136, listed; 145, upper sound Mississippi delta;
160, Matagorda Bay; 164, alive at Rockport; dead in Laguna
Madre; 174, common along bay margins; 178, upper extremity of
northern Laguna Madre; 193, alive at Port Isabel; 194, food
item of Black Drum, (fish); 206, Beach records, Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 1, 1965; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 267, Pleistocene
of Chambers County; 269, figured on page 201, mistakenly
assigned to Mesopleura.

Records H.M.N.S.: 26 lots of which 7 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-2 fms. (same for live material).

Maximum Size: 85 m. ¥

Geographical Range: From Cape Cod to Florida and Brazil (Abbott,
1974).

80

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Tagelus (Tagelus) affinis C.B. Adams,
1857; Gulf of California to Panama on mudflats to 73 m. (Keen,
1971). This species is cited as analogue by Keen, but its
depth range appears to be incompatible with that of T. plebeius.
Others also appear close,

87. Tagelus (Mesopleura) divisus (Spengler, 1794).
Solen divisus Spengler, 1794. Skriv. Nat. Selsk., Copenhagen
3(2), p. 96.
Slightly less numerous than the previous species and not so
much preferring bay margins. Often alive in mud environment
in the coastal bays along the entire Texas and Louisiana coasts.
This is a smaller, more colorful species, showing when fresh,
a purplish vertical streak under the umbo. As the name implies,
there is a weak internal ridge halfway the shell. Dead material
is sometimes dredged offshore, but is possibly Pleistocene in
age. A synonym is Solecurtus centralis, Say 1822.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 21, listed;
45, listed; 56, listed; 66, Pleistocene; 110, rare in Galveston
Bay, common in Aransas Bay and Laguna Madre at Port Isabel.

Pl. 12, figs. 12-13; 135, alive in bays; 136, listed; 139,
“open bays"; 145, upper sound and inlets of Mississippi delta;
146, "open lagoons"; 160, alive in Matagorda Bay; 164, alive

at bay margins at Rockport; dead in Laguna Madre; 170, shallow
shelf assemblage (must be considered in error); 174, listed;
175, open sound or lagoon margin assemblage; 206, Beach records
in Tex. Conch., Vol. 1, (7), 1965; 208, listed for several
types of assemblages; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269,
figured on page 200.

Records H.M.N.S.: 25 lots of which 7 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-12 fms. (alive O-1l fms.).

Maximum Size: 30 mm.

Geographical Range: From Cape Cod to Florida and Brazil (Abbott,
1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

FAMILY PSAMMOBIIDAE

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, represented by the subfamilies Psammobiinae
with genera Gobraeus and Asaphis and Sanguinolariinae with genus
Sanguinolaria,
Sources: M. Keen (in) Treatise of Invert. Paleont., Part N, Vol. 2,

p. 629-634.

Virgin Islands, Vol. 17, part 1, p. 101-103.

Genus Gobraeus Brown, 1844.
A single, delicately colored species, lives on the offshore coral reefs
off Galveston and the Louisiana coast.

88. Gobraeus circe (Mérch, 1876).
Psammobia circe Morch, 1876. Jour. de Conchyl., 24, p. 373.
A few live specimens were collected by divers on offshore coral
reefs, and algal reefs, the only environment in which this
species has been found. Fragments are fairly common in coral
rubble. This is a rather flat, and when fresh, delicately pink
colored species. McLean gives white as its color.

81

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 193, Tex.
Conch. , Vol. 9, (4), p. 81, 1973.

Records H.M.N.S.: 5 lots of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 10-28 fms. (alive at 15 fms.).

Maximum Size: over 50 mm. (specimen broken).

Geographical Range: Porto Rico (McLean).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: There are several Panamanic species,
none of which seems close.

Genus Asaphis Modeer, 1793.
The only known western Atlantic species of this genus is quite rare in

our area.

89. Asaphis deflorata (Linne, 1758).
Venus deflorata Linne, 1758, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 687.
On this well known Caribbean species, only a single valve was
once dredged offshore Galveston in 20 fms. (Trawler shell?).
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 174, listed.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot of one valve at 20 fms.
Geographical Range: Fiorida, Bermuda, to Brazil.
Maximum Size: 41 m.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Asaphis does not live in Panamanic
Province.

Genus Sanguinolarja,

Only one, rare species.

90. Sanguinolaria sanguinolenta Gmelin, 1791.

Solen sanguinolenta Gmelin, 1791. Syst. Nat. 13th ed.,

p. 3277. Synonym: S. rosea Lamarck.
The only evidence for this species are a few dead valves from
beachdrift collected at Port Aransas and a fresh pair from
Matagorda Beach. We have never seen it in offshore dredged
samples, but further collecting in south Texas waters may turn
up more material. It has been, in the past, erroneously re-
ported as §. cruenta Lightfoot, a species belonging in the
subgenus Psammotella.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed
(as S. rosea Lamarck); 15, Galveston (as S. rosea Lamarck);
19, fresh shells at Pass Caballo (as S. rosea Lamarck); 45, Pass
Cabello; 69, listed; 110, Padre Island (Pleistocene fossil?) ;
174, listed; 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch, Vol. 1, (7),
1965 (as S. cruenta); 269, figured on page 199 as S. cruenta.

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots of beach shells (Port Aransas and
Mustang Island).

Depth Range: Unknown.

Geographical Range: South Florida, Texas and West Indies, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 48 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: §. tellinoides A. Adams, 1850.
"California to Ecuador". (Keen, 1971).

82

Remarks: The other species with which this species has been confused
has been reported under various synonyms: S. cruenta
Lightfoot, S. operculata Gmelin (Sanguinolaria (Psammatelia)
operculata Gmelin, Gulfcoast - Texas, ref. 45) and as
Soletellina refescens Chemnitz in ref. 7.

FAMILY DONACIDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the genus Donax.
Sources: M. Keen (in) Treatise of Invert. Paleont., Part N,
Vol. 2, p. 628-629,
J.P.E. Morrison, 1971. Proc. Biol. Soc., Washington,
Vol. 83 (48), p. 545-568.

Genus Donax, Linne, I7/5Xs}6

Restricted to the intertidal zone of the beaches, where the animals dig
in pure sand. Recently Morrison has reviewed the species of Donax in

the western Atlantic. According to his interpretation, three species

of Donax live in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The common beach
species in Texas is Donax roemeri roemeri which can reach a size in
excess of 1" (rarely) and which is closely related to the common Florida
species, formerly listed as D. variabilis Say, but corrected by Morrison
to D. roemeri protractus Conrad. The other common Texas species is

D. texasianus Philippi, formerly known as D. tumidus, a more obese,
blunter and less colorful species than D. r. roemeri. Often these two
species live in mixed populations along the Galveston beach, but on the
whole D. texasianus extends to deeper water than does D. r. roemeri.

In the eastern part of our area D. texasianus is replaced by D. dorotheae
Morrison, 1971, which I here consider to be merely a form of D. texasianus.
Occasionally forms which are almost impossible to identify occur along
the beach. Most of these are immature forms of D. r. roemeri having a
strong twist in the ventral outline.

All Texas Donax might be placed in the subgenus Chion, but according to
Keen, Panamanic Donax, which are quite similar to the Gulf of Mexico
species, are difficult to fit into schemes proposed for subgeneric rank-
ing. As Keen remarks, Donax is of masculine gender. (0 0ov%%),

91. Donax roemeri roemeri Philippi, 1849.

Donax roemeri Philippi, 1849. Zeits. f£. Malakoz., 5, p. 147.
This is the most common Donax of Texas beaches (not in Louisiana).
Reported in the past under a variety of names, most of which
are either in error or found to be inapplicable. The species
lives in pure sand of the intertidal zone along the beaches and
is almost never dredged offshore. Often with rayed patterns of
color. The interrupted growth lines on the posterior side of
mature specimens sometimes cause a slight "beading" resembling
that of the next species. Forms resembling D. r. protractus
have been collected (ref. 110).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, as Donax
variabilis Say, as Donax texasianus Philippi, as Donax roemeri,
Philippi, Galveston; 7, as D. variabilis, Say, listed; 15, as
D. variabilis Say, Galveston and Corpus Christi; 18, as D.
roemeri, Galveston and Corpus Christi, not common; 19, very
plentiful along Gulf on Matagorda Peninsula and Matagorda Island;

83

21, listed; 28, listed; 45, Texas to Vera Cruz, Mexico, Galveston
(type locality), Corpus Christi and Matagorda Island; 56, list-
ed (as D. variabilis, D. roemeri, D. texasiana); 58, Matagorda
Peninsula, Padre Island; 61, listed; 62, Mustang Island, Corpus
Pass; 65, Mustang and Padre Islands; 67, as D. variabilis, Port
Isabel; 69, as D. variabilis, D. roemeri, D. t@xasianus Philippi;
98, Padre Island beaches; 110, as D. texasiana Say, 1822, the
most common Donax of the Texas beaches. Pl. 12, figs. 10-11
(also: "shells resembling D. variabilis have been taken on Padre
Island"); 126, listed for sandy beaches; 135, alive in Gulf,

dead in bays; 136, alive in surf zone off East Texas (as

D. variabilis); 139, listed for beach and surf zone near shore
Gulf; 156, Rockport area; 160, as D. variabilis texasianus
(Matagorda Bay); 174, listed, (both D. roemeri and D. variabilis);
175, Donax variabilis texasiana, surf zone of sandy beaches;
194, food item of black drum (fish); 206, Beach records in

Tex. Conch., Vol. 3 (2), 1966 (as D. variabilis roemeri, Philippi)
listed for surf zone and fore beach; 208, listed; 225, Galveston
(as D. variabilis); 236, Galveston; 265, listed; 266, as

D. variabilis, abundant on Padre Island; 269, (Donax variabilis
texasiana) figured on page 189. It is impossible to separate

records for both species consistently. Someof the above may
pertain to the next species.
Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots of which 5 contain live collected

material.

Depth Range: 0-4 fm. (alive 0-1 fm.)

Geographical Range: Texas, Mexico.

Maximum Size: 26 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Closest appears to be Donax peruvianus
Deshayes, 1855. ''Manta Ecuador to Chile" (Keen, 1971).

92. Donax texasianus Philippi, 1847.

Donax texasianus Philippi, Feits. £. Malakoz., 4, p. 77.
Previously reported as D. tumidus Philippi, but Morrison has
decided that this is Donax texasianus, Philippi. It also
inhabits the intertidal zone where it is often found living
mixed with D. r. roemeri. Apparently it extends to deeper
water on the shelf, as our records indicate. Almost never
with rayed color patterns, but when colored only with evenly
diffused and subdued hues of blue and yellow. The beading of
the posterior slope area is quite variable in intensity. Com-
monly found on all Texas beaches, and in Louisiana, the most
common species of Donax. Donax tumidus Philippi (Zeits. f.
Malakoz. 5, p. 147) is a synonym.

This is virtually the only species which is dredged (always
dead) in offshore waters (to a depth of 28 fms.). These how-
ever, may be Pleistocene specimens. It also apparently can
invade the bays and tolerates slightly brackish waters
(Matagorda Bay and east Matagorda Bay).

Here we consider Donax dorotheae Morrison, 1971. Proc. Biol.
Soc., Washington, Vol. 83 (48), p. 5546 as identical with
D. texasiana.

This recently described "species" lives mainly along the
Louisiana coast, but has been found as far west as Matagorda
Bay. In the Houston Museum is a lot from Isles Dernieres (La.), |
i

84

designated as paratypes by Morrison. It differs on the whole
so slightly from D. texasianus in ornamentation of the post-
erior slope that we cannot rank it as a full species. In
large collections of D. texasianus the intensity of the bead-
ing and serrations on the posterior slope is quite variable.
Especially in mature specimens, these serrations often dis-
appear and it virtually becomes impossible to distinguish both
"species''. There is another circumstance that must be men-
tioned here. The type locality of D. dorotheae is in Florida.
From here the species ranges all the way to east Texas. Along
many parts of this coast huge amounts of brackish water reach
the Gulf and a brackish water fauna is sometimes found far
offshore (Ship Shoal, La.). D. dorotheae could under these
circumstances, be interpreted as an ecovariant of the previous
species. Its occurrence in Matagorda Bay points also in that
direction. Further investigation of this matter is required.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are (including
those for Donax dorotheae: 1, Latin diagnosis by Philippi,
Galveston Island; 7, as Donax obesa Orbigny, listed; 15, Donax
tumida, "very abundant at Galveston and Corpus Christi"; 16,
from well at Galveston at 305-315' and 440-458'; 18, Galveston
and Corpus Christi, abundant; 21, listed; 45, Galveston (type
locality), Corpus Christi, Texas; 56, listed; 58, Matagorda Pe-
ninsula, Padre Island; 61, listed; 62, Mustang Island, Corpus
Pass; 66, Pleistocene of Texas; 110, "This is the Donax found
in Louisiana and occasionally from Sabine to Galveston"; 139,
beach and surf zone; 145, "Upper sound, shallow shelf" (Mis-
sissippi Delta); 146, beach shore; 149, Mustang Island; 164,
Laguna Madre; 170, listed for deep shelf assemblage off East
Texas, none; (doubtful!); 174, listed; 175, sand beaches,
somewhat deeper than D. variabilis (=D. r. roemeri) along whole
coast; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch.,Vol. 3, (2), 1966
(as D. tumidus); 265, Jefferson County, Texas, 269, figured
on page 189 (as D. tumidus) gives too small a size.

Records, in H.M.N.S.: 43 lots of which 5 with live collected
material. 9 of these are "D. dorothaea (2 with live col-
lected material) collected at Isles Dernieres, Ship Shoal,
Mudlump Mississippi delta all La., and, Sabine Beach and
Matagorda Bay, Tex.

Depth Range: 0-28 fms. (alive 0-1 fms.)

Geographical Range: Northern Texas to Vera Cruz, Mexico
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 18.5 mm.; 14 mm. for "D. dorotheae"’.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: D. obesus Orbigny, 1845, "Corinto,
Nicaragua to Paitu, Peru'’, (Keen, 1971).

Remarks: A number of 8 lots of somewhat different looking
specimens has not been identified with certainty.
Probably they are somewhat aberrant forms of
D. xr. roemeri,the same that in (110) are compared
to D. r. protractus (=cited as D. variabilis).

Not in the H.M.N.S. collection are specimens of

Iphigenia brasiliana Lamarck, 1810. Valves of
this species have been rarely taken on Padre Island

85

beaches but so far, no material has been dredged off-
shore (see Tex. Conch., Vol. 6, p. 82, 1970). References
to this species are in 7 and 45 while 110 expresses
doubt. References 7, 15 (well at Galveston), 45, 56,

67, 145 (with question mark to Donax denticulatus Linne,
1758 are probably all misidentifications of D. r. roemeri.
Similarly references 7, 45 to D. fossor, Say 1827 must

be in error. The status of D. galvestonensis Harris 1895
(Bull. Am. Pal., Vol. 1, (3), p. 92) obtained from an
artesian well at Galveston (2552-2920 ft.) must be fur-
ther investigated.

SUPERFAMILY DRE ISSENACEA

FAMILY DREISSEN IDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the single genus
Mytilopsis.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. of Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
pt. 2, p. 643-644,

Genus Mytilopsis Conrad, -1858.
Mytiliform shells, with anterior beaks, possessing a septum and a
strong periostracum.

93. Mytilopsis leucopheata Conrad, 1831.

—————— ———— —— ——

Phitadeiphial, Vol< 65. \p.. 263, pl. Lis fie. Se
Of wide occurrence everywhere in fresh to brackish water along
the entire coastline from the Mississippi Delta to the Rio
Grande. It has been found living in several of the coastal
bayous and streams (Chocolate Bayou to Galveston Bay, Aransas
River, St. Bernard River, etc.). Fairly common in beach drift.

Juvenile specimens are usually much flatter than mature ones
because only later in life, the valves develop a high shoulder.
This species together with a number of hydrobiids enters the
rivers so far that hardly any appreciable salt content in the
water is present. It does not live in sea water and the six
lots obtained offshore in 20-30 fms. are without doubt Pleis-
tocene. The taxonomy of this species needs to be cleared up.
Reported for Texas is also M. sallei Recluz, which may be
synonymous.

Previous references for the Texas faunal provice are: 66, marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 156, Stetson Bank (definitely not living
in the area at present); 174, as Congeria sallei, Recluz,
listed; 193, as Congeria sallei Recluz; Aroyo Colorado (1956);
206, Beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 5, p. 35, 1968 (as
Congeria leucopheata); 225, Galveston; 228, lower Sabine River
(as Mytilopsis sp.); 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 204.

Records H.M.N.S.: 24 lots of which two contain live collected
material.

86

Depth Range: 0-30 fms; alive O-1 fms; Galveston Bay, Matagorda
Bay, Vermillion Bay, La.)

Geographical Range: New York, Florida to Texas, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 26 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Mytilopsis zeteki Hertlein and Hanna
1949, Canal zone, Panama (may be the same).

SUPERFAMILY ARCTICACEA
FAMILY TRAPEZIIDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico represented by the single genus
Coralliophaga.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. of Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
part 2, p. 655-657.

Genus Coralliophaga de Blainville, 1824.
Elongate shells, resembling somewhat the Mytilid genus Lithophage,
but with cardinals in hinge; sculpture with radiating striae.

-

94, Coralliophaga coralliophaga Gmelin, 1792.
Chama coralliophage Gmelin, 1792; Syst. Nat., p. 3305.

In spite of several references to this species, not more
than four small lots of this species have been obtained
and no certainty exists that the species still lives in
our area. Early references are given as C. carditoidea
Blainville.

Previous references for the Texas faunal provice are: 7, listed
as C, carditoidea Blainville; 19, listed; 45, listed; 56,
listed; 110, "A few young, dead shells were taken at Port
Aransas"; 136, 4 stations off East Texas (depth 33'-54'),
listed "alive"; 170, listed for shelf assemblage off East
Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots (no live material) in 15-228 fms. in
sandy mud (all off Louisiana).

Depth Range: 15-228 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Texas, West Indies, Bermuda,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 19.3 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: not in the Eastern Pacific.

FAMILY BERNARDINIDAE

Very small concentrically grooved bivalves with cardinals and
laterals in a heavily developed hinge line. Pallial line entire.
Sources: M, Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
pt. 2, p. 650 (1969).

Genus Bernardina Dall, 1910.

This genus is characterized by a prodissoconch set off from the ma-
ture shell by a ridge or a groove. The discovery of this genus in
the Texas-Louisiana offshore waters furnishes one of the clearest
proofs that the western Gulf of Mexico still harbors some Pacific
(relict?) elements.

87

Qo

Bernardina spec. indet. A.

This not uncommon small species can be immediately recognized
by its enormous prodissoconch which in most specimens is of

a light brown color, whereas the shell itself is white. The
prodissoconch in this species is set off by a deep groove,
thus giving the impression that it is laying on top of the
shell. For such a small species, the hinge is enormous and
heavy. The hinge structure appears to be somewhat more
simple than is stated by Keen (1969, 1971). At least for
mature valves, the cardinals and lateral teeth are better
separated, because during growth, one of the lateral teeth
grows inordinately at the expense of the others and obliterates
all evidence of them. In juvenile shells there are three
cardinals, but one of them is but a hair thin ridge.

There can be hardly any doubt that this species belongs in
the Bernardinidae as defined in the Treatise, because all
characters other than the hinge agree well with the familial
diagnosis. Often the prodissoconch area, which apparently
remains thinner than other parts of the shell, is broken in
dredged material. The small bivalves with a hole in the um-
bonal area of the hinge are quite characteristic. The hole
forms because the strong development of the hinge plate
prevents the entire umbo from breaking away.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
Fabella sp. A), Tex. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 79, 1973.

Records H.M.N.S.: 17 lots, two of which contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 9-32 fms.; alive 10-15 fms., coral reef. Also

_ dredged on miocene shale outcrops and on sandy mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: Only known from the Texas faunal province.

Maximum Size: 4.2 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The only Panamanic species does not
appear to be closely related.

Genus Halodakra Olsson, 1961.
Small, rather triangular bivalves, with complicated hinge. (see Keen,
1971). The only N.W. Gulf of Mexico species is minute.

96.

Halodakra sp. indet. A.
This probably is a minute species, although the only valve
in the H.M.N.S. collection may represent an immature specimen.
It differs considerably from the Panamanic species Halodakra
subtrigona Carpenter, 1857. Firstly in size, and secondly
by the presence of a number of concentric ridges on the shell.
Its color is white, and the hinge is well developed and
rather heavy for so small a species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Tex.
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 79 (erroneously listed as Fabella sp. C).

Records H.M.N.S.: one lot, none alive.

Depth Range: 10-13 fms. (Coral reef).

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: Small, not measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Halodakra subtrigona (Carpenter, 1857)
is a much larger shell and probably not closely related.

88

SUPERFAMILY GLOSSACEA

FAMILY GLOSSIDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico represented by the single genus
Meiocardia.
Sources: M. Keen (in) Treatise of Invert. Paleont.,
Part iNeeVolee2e) pe 657-058).

Genus Meiocardia, H. Adams and A. Adams, 1857.
The rolled under beaks of our only species are quite characteristic.

97. Meiocardia agassizi, Dall, 1886.
Bulle Mus. Comp. Zoolk,, 12 1), Spe 27s) bid 1889. e138.
Dl. OMeritcemn
So far taken only at a few locations off East Texas and the
Louisiana coasts. Juvenile specimens appear surprisingly
different from mature ones. Rather thin shelled, with con-
centric growth lines and a posterior groove.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 170, deep

shelf assemblage off East Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 17-55 fms. in sandy mud.

Geographical Range: Off West Florida, Caribbean, Bermuda
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 21 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Glossidae are not known from the
Panamanic province.

FAMILY VES ICOMYIDAE

In general, deep water forms, rare throughout their range and un-
fortunately poorly known. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico a number of
species lives, of which one, because of poor preservation can be
hardly identified; there are a number of species which may belong
to Vesicomya, Veneriglossa and Callogonia. od
Sources: M. Keen (in) Treatise of Invert. Paleont.,
Part N, Vol. 2,: p. 664::2°K.J).> Boss, 1968,
Bull. Marine Science, Vol. 18, p. 731-48.

Genera-Vesicomya Dall, 1886, Veneriglossa Dall, 1886, and
Callogonia Dall, 1889.

We are not quite sure about the defining characters of these genera.

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico there are at least two, and perhaps three

species of small size in the genus Vesicomya, one of which is quite
abundant, but surprisingly, not yet recorded.

98. Vesicomya pilula, Dall, 1881.
Diplodonta pilula Dall, 1881. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool.,
9, p. 136. Callocardia (Vesicomya) pilula Dall. Blake
RE Dies) Dee epee 24s spiletop eek orueL Sis
This very small bivalve with a typical Vesicomya hinge is
the only species in this family in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico

which is abundant. Not larger than 2 mm., complete specimens
and loose valves are often found abundantly in dredge samples
all along the Louisiana and Texas coast. A number of valves

has also been collected from the mudlump clay in the

89

Mississippi Delta and a single valve comes from the off-
shore coral reefs.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Tex.
Gonchss" Voler9) ppencOyno73) aon

Records H.M.N.S.: 63 lots (many of over one hundred specimens)
but so far not seen alive. Among the material of Vesicomya
pilula are three lots which may be different. The shells
are larger (2.8 mm.), much rounder, somewhat flatter, but
are clearly closely related to V. pilula. Probably this is an
as yet undescribed sepcies.

Depth Range: 7%-167 fms., but optimally below 25 fms. Mostly
in sandy or shelly mud.

Geographical Range: Off Florida, West Indies (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 2.2 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

99. Vesicomya sp. indet.
Five lots of small valves may belong to several different
species. At this time it is not possible to identify these
shells.

100. Veneriglossa c.f. vesica, Dall, 1886.
Cytherea (Veneriglossa) vesica, Dall, 1886. Bull. Mus.
Compi.) Zools.,) 1252p.) 275. Broce USN Mo) Vole ai 2 pr 20
pl. 14, figs. 8, 125. 1889).
Three lots of well preserved valves of a much larger species
of a Vesicomyid have been obtained in 50-55 fms. off Louisiana.
Our identification is tentative but there can be little doubt
they are Vesicomyid in affinity.
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: /70, pl. 7,
Piliperel vs
Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots (no live ones).
Depth Range: 50-55 fms. off Louisiana.
Geographical Range:
Maximum Size: 34 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

101. Callogonia ? sp. ident.
A quite differently shaped species has been obtained in one

lot from 167 fms. The material is poorly preserved and

needs further study.
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot (no live material) of 3 defective valves.
Maximum Size: 11mm. for an incomplete valve.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Undetermined.

SUPERFAMILY CORBICULACEA

FAMILY CORBICULIDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico represented by the genera Polymesoda,
Pseudocyrena and Corbicula.
Sources: M. Keen and R. Casey (in) Treat. Invert. Paleont.,
Part N, Vol. 2, p. 685-669.

90

Genus Corbicula Muh1lfeld, 1811.

The single species known from our area is listed here only because

a few times specimens of this purely fresh water species have been
taken on the beaches. It is a fairly recent invader of the Texas
freshwater fauna, and is known from a number of locations in the state
(£.i. Huntsville State Park).

102. Corbicula c.f. manilensis, Philippi, 1844.
Sources: M. Keen and R. Casey (in) Treat. Invert. Paleont.,
Part N, Vol. 2, p. 685-669.
Under this tentative identification, a single complete, but
immature, specimen is reported found in beachdrift along
Galveston West Beach. Apparently this species is a fairly
recent import from the Orient but the identity of Texas speci-
mens is not certain. Beach specimens undoubtedly derive from
rivers, in which the species became established through human
activity (aquarists?). At this time the species cannot yet
be considered a permanent part of the Texas fauna.
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot consisting of a complete but
immature specimen from Galveston West Beach.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Polymesoda Rafinesque, 1828.
A single rather rounded species rarely found alive.

103. Polymesoda caroliniana, Bosc, 1801.
Cyclas caroliniana, Bosc, 1801, Hist. Nat. des Coquill.,
S}A Bio! SIPS DLS AUG vise tfece Aue
This is a rather rare species, although dead and eroded valves
are regularly found in beach drift along Louisiana and Texas
shores. (Isles Dernieres, Galveston, Sargent, Matagorda
Beach and South Padre Island (rare)). Recent records of live
material in the upper portions of eastern Texas and Louisiana
coastal bays are scarce, but early listings mentioned this
species as ''very common". More complete collecting will
probably discover more live populations, especially in the
Matagorda Bay system and some Louisiana bays.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 1, as
Cyrena carolinensis, Say; very common in brackish water at
New Washington on Galveston Bay; 7, listed as Cyrena
carolinensis, Bosc; 19, reported as Cyrena carolinensis
Lam. from Lavaca and Carancahua Bays (quite plentiful); 21,
listed as Cyrena carolinensis, Lam.; 32, listed; 45, repeats
reference 18; 56, listed; 58, as Cyrena carolinensis Lamarck
from Matagorda Bay; 110, living in Lavaca Bay; dead in
Galveston Bay; 126, listed for Carolinian Province; 135, dead
in Gulf; 174, listed for river influenced low salinity
assemblage; missing from Mobile east and Matagorda Bay, west
and south; 206, Beach Records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 2, (7),
1966; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 248, listed (Polymesoda
sp.) for lower Sabine River; 269, figured on page 205.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots of which 1 centains live collected
material (Chocolate Bayou, Galveston Bay). Lives in muddy
bottoms.

Depth Range: O-1 fms.

91

Geographical Range: Virginia to northern half of Florida, Texas
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 59 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Undetermined.

Genus Pseudocyrena Bourguignat, 1854.
In Texas only a single species, much smaller than the previous one,
preferring the environment of the hypersaline south Texas bays.

103. Pseudocyrena maritima Orbigny, 1842.
Cyrena floridana Conrad, 1816. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
ES SSS ioe ZIe
Widespread and living in the hypersaline portions of the south
Texas coastal bays. A few beachdrift specimens are known
from Galveston. Many but not all, specimens of bay populations
are purplish in color. In general, the shape is quite variable
and also the hinge line is variable in strength. Usually the
right valve has the weaker hinge line.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 15, (as
Cyrena floridana, Conrad) Shamrock Cove, Corpus Christi Bay
and Laguna Madre; 19, (as Cyrena floridana, Conrad} Matagorda
Peninsula; 21, listed as Cyrena floridana, Conrad; 44, Corpus
Christi, Laguna Madre; 98, listed for the bays; 110, dead
shell rare at Galveston Island, common at Port Aransas, Pl. 9,
fig. 4; 151, listed; 160, listed for Matagorda Bay; 164, alive
in Rockport area; 174, listed; 175, listed for hypersaline
lagoon; 193, alive at Port Isabel; 206, beach records in Tex.
Conch., Vol. 2, (7), 1966; 269, figured on page 205.

Records H.M.N.S.: 19 lots of which one contains live collected
material. E

Depth Range: O-1 fms. in muddy sand bottoms. 2 lots obtained
from offshore in 7% and 26 fms. (probably Pleistocene shells).
There is no material in the H.M.N.S. collection collected east
of Galveston.

Geographical Range: Key West to Northern Florida and Texas
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 21 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Apparently none.

SUPERFAMILY VENERACEA
FAMILY VENERIDAE

The Veneridae form a large diversified group of bivalves and according
to Keen, they are "the most advanced of the bivalves". They vary in
size from minute (Gemma) to large and massive (Mercenaria). They often
have beautiful color patterns (Macrocallista)and, complex surface
sculpture (Chione). Most live in sandy environments, some in muddy
bottoms (Pitar) and but few of them descend into deep water. In all
probability, the family is polyphyletic in origin. In the N.W. Gulf
of Mexico, the family is represented by a number of subfamilies:
Venerinae with genera Periglypta, Circomphalus and Ventricolaria;
Circinae with genus Gouldia; Meretricinae with genus Transsenella;
Pitarinae with genera Pitar, Macrocallista, Costacallista and Nanopitar;
Dosiniinae with genus Dosinia; Cyclininae with genus Cyclinella;

92

Chioninae with genera Chione, Timoclea, Anomalocardia and Mercenaria;
Gemminae with genera Gemma and Parastarte.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Pal., Vol. N, pt. 2,
p- 670-688. Clench: Johnsonia, Vol. 1.

Genus Ventricolaria Keen, 1954.
Large, inflated, concentric sculpture.

104. Ventricolaria rigida Dillwyn, 1817.
Venus rigida Dillwyn, 1817. Cat. Shells, 1, p. 164.

This, the largest and rarest of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico
Ventricolarias lives on the offshore coral reefs, the Miocene
shale outcrops and in sandy bottoms off Louisiana and Texas.
As Keen says, full grown specimens resemble dented tennis
balls. The concentric ribbing is irregular and much coarser
than that on V. rugatina or C. strigillinus. Even small
juveniles of the species can be easily told apart. Those
of Ventricolaria rigida have strongly lamellar initial ridges
between which there are about 7 to 10 smaller ridges which
are finely and minutely crenulated. The juvenile of V. rugatina
miss the large lamellar ridges and the intermediate ridges
are subdued and even more finely crenulated. Juveniles of
C. strigillinus have the smaller concentric ridges, almost
without crenulations. In all three species, the secondary
concentrics only develop after the shell has reached a size
of about 1 mm. Before that, the interspaces are smooth. Not
on the beaches. 5

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None.
192, Plate 6, figs. 3 A-B (Yucatan).

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 14-51 fms.; alive: 14 fms. in miocene shale.

Geographical Range: Florida Keys (rare); West Indies to Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 71 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Ventricolaria isocardia (Verrill, 1870);
"the Gulf of California to Gorgona Island, Colombia in depths
to 110 m."' (Keen, 1971).

105. Ventricolaria rugatina Heilprin, 1887.
Venus rugatina Heilprin. Tr. Wagn. Free Inst. Sci.,, Vol. l,
Dien OZ ple emeraip ee 2 4
This is the smallest of the Texas-Louisiana Ventricolarias,
and in my opinion, also the prettiest. Many specimens show
an extremely delicate fine zig-zag pattern of reddish brown
markings. It is locally common on the coral banks (Flower
Gardens) and the shale banks (Stetson Bank and Clay Pile),
where many live specimens have been taken. As is often
the case, those from calcareous environment are lighter
colored than specimens from the shale uplifts. It does not
live as deep as the other two species and the single juvenile
valve from 51 fms. probably did not live there.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206,
Tex. Conch:, Vol. 9 (4), p. 80, 19.
Records H.M.N.S.: 14 lots of which 6 contain live collected
material,

935

Depth Range: 10-51 fms.; alive: 10-25 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Southeast Florida and
the West Indies (Abbott 1974).

Maximum Size: 30.5 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

106. Circomphalus strigillinus (Dall 1902).

Cytherea (Ventricola) strigillina Dall; Proc. U.S.N.M.,
Vol. 265, NowiB 125 p. S72, Gelcipl. dante aap

This widespread and common species has been dredged all along
the Texas-Louisiana coast, but we have not yet seen live
material. It prefers sandy to muddy environment and does
not seek out the coral reefs, although a few specimens are
known from drowned and now dead coral accumulations. Its
concentric sculpture is much more regular than that of

V. rigida. In general, there are from 2 to 8 small con-
centric ridges between two more prominent ones. The umbo

is more prominent than in V. rigida or V. rugatina and its
juveniles are much more rounded in the shape than those of
V. rugatina. Not on the beaches. Also in the mudlump fauna
and on the shale banks (Stetson, Clay Pile).

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 145,
listed in Table 1; 147, dead on Baker Bank, Big Southern Bank
and West Flower Garden; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 170, —
listed for deep shelf assemblage.

Records H.M.N.S.: 34 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 134-76 fms. in sandy, shelly and muddy bottoms.

Geographical Range: Off South Carolina to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 55 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Possibly: Ventricolaria magdalenae
Dall, 1902 "outer coast of Baja California at Magdalena Bay,
and into the southern end of the Gulf of California in depths
of 65-80 m.'' (Keen, 1971).

Genus Periglypta Jukes-Browne, 1914.

The differences with Ventricolaria are the presence of a large pallial
sinus (small in Ventricolaria) and cancellate instead of lamellar
sculpture (Keen).

107. Periglypta listeri (Gray, 1838).
Dosinia listeri Gray, 1838. The Analyst, 8 (24), p. 308.

The specimen reported by me previously (Tex. Conch., Vol. 9,
(4), p. 80). turns out to be a juvenile Ventricolaria rugatina
Heilprin. However, Mrs. Tate has in her collection a single
large valve of this species taken off Freeport (Tex.) and
a single valve of this species was obtained from a dredge
sample obtained on Hospital Rock off Port Aransas.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: no con-
firmed reports available.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 single valve from Hospital Rock off Port
Aransas.

Depth Range: + 35 fms.

Geograpical Range: Florida, and southern Caribbean. Reported
in Ref. 192 from Yucatan.
Maximum Size: 63.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Periglypta multicostata Sowerby, 1835,
"Gulf of California to Peru", (Abbott, 1974).

94

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

WORLD-WIDE SEA SHELLS by Maxwell Smith. Tropical Photographic
Laboratory. Lantina, Florida. 1940. 139 pages.

This was another popular book by this prolific writer. The publica-
tion also included two articles by Joshua L. Baily on "Origin of
Scientific Names" and ''Pronunciation of Scientific Names". The book
contained geographical ranges, illustrations and other data covering
more than sixteen hundred species and subspecies of mollusca.

Maxwell Smith (1888-1961) was the 8th president of the American
Malacological Union and an enthusiastic amateur conchologist. He
was also a skillful photographer and owned an excellent stamp col-
lection. The library and the shell collection were donated to the
University of Alabama.

0000000000000000000000000

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

EAST COAST MARINE SHELLS by Maxwell Smith. Edward Brothers, Inc.
Ann Arbor, Mich. 1937. 308 pages.

Along with the publications of Walter Webb, the books by Maxwell
Smith provided valuable information (and psychological support) for
the shell-collectors during the 1930s, 1940s and the 1950s. This
book gave "descriptions of shore mollusks together with many living
below tide mark, from Maine to Texas inclusive, especially Florida".
Chapters in the book discusses where to collect, how to collect,
cabinets, labels, catalog, as well as packaging and transport of
shells.

0000000000000000000000000

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

THE SHELL BOOK by Julia Ellen Rogers. Charles T. Branford Co.,
Publishers. Boston, Mass. Originally published in 1908.
Reissued in 1951.

This was another popular book before and during the World War II
days, being a "Guide to a knowledge of the families of living
mollusks, and an aid to the identification of shells native and
foreign". The new issue retained the text but the nomenclature
was updated and revised. The list of 'modern names" was pre-
pared by Harald A. Rehder and was appended in the form of 15 extra
pages. As an old standby, the book provides historic perspective
(and considerable nostalgia) but it has outlived its scientific
merits for most collectors.

95

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

REEF AND SHORE FAUNA OF HAWAII. By Charles Howard Edmondson. 1933.
Revised 1946.

This is a college text on the subject, written by Dr. Edmondson who
was Professor of Zoology at the University of Hawaii from 1920-42

and Zoologist @&t the Bishop Museum from 1920-70. Discussions of the
Phylum Mollusca comprise a substantial portion of the book and
probably represent the first comprehensive description of the mol-
luscan fauna of Hawaii. Mollusks constitute the largest group of
marine invertebrates in Hawaii. The author at that time conservatively
estimated the number of marine mollusks to be "not less than 1,500".

Only a few typical species in each genus are described. Even fewer
are illustrated (black and white photographs). However, the pages
provide a sound scientific perspective that becomes useful when
newer (though not necessarily better) books are consulted. In con-
trast to many publications, the pelecypods are not neglected.

0000000000000000000000000

LA CONCHIGLIA, the large size slick magazine from Italy also has been
printing reproductions of shell stamps in color. The May-June, 1975
issue depicts (in color) 12 stamps from Aitutaki-Cook Islands. These
are not shown in OF SEA AND SHORE. In the September-October, 1974
issue appeared the set of stamps from Cook Islands that is also pictur-
ed in the publication by Tom Rice.

0000000000000000000000000
RECENT BOOKS ON SHELLS:

SEA SHELLS OF THE WEST INDIES by Michael Humfrey, 1975.
WHAT SHELL IS THAT? by N. Coleman, 1975.
THE WORLD OF SHELLS by Robert Scase and Eric Storey, 1975.

96

{/
x
2

CONCHOLOGIST

loll.

VOLUME XII, NO. 4 JUNE, 1976

NOTES & NEWS

WILLIAM H. DALL
SECTIONAL LIBRARY
VISION OF MOLLUSKS

MAJOR MUSEUM SHOW SET FOR SOCIETY, MAY, 1977

The Houston Conchology Society has voted to prepare a major exhibit of
shells for the public at the Houston Museum of Natural Science the
first two weeks of May, 1977.

Tentative plans available at this time indicate that this will be a
planned event, with a center core of exhibits in the Herman Brown
Auditorium. There will be other displays telling the story of shells,
their use, their history, their importance. The Museum has offered
four stand-up cases for displays, and there will be extra cases on
tables used along the east and west walls of the Auditorium. The two
bronze cases in Abercrombie Hall in the entrance area will be available
for 'Gem Shells".

We will prepare shell packs, educational packets, individual shells,
etc., as usual, and these will be sold to the Museum store and be
offered to the public during the show at a special Museum store annex
in the Auditorium. This annex will be manned by members.

In order to initiate the overall plan, members voted to have slant-
topped, glass covered, wooden cases made to fit the six-foot rental
tables. These will be thirty by thirty-six inches each and will be
fitted with locks. The cases will be offered to members for purchase
for their own use after the show. Arrangements for this will be an-
nounced in the fall. Some details on price and equipment need to be
worked out before we can offer them to members.

It is obvious that this kind of special event will need the utmost
cooperation of every member in this society. We need to think of
gathering beach shells this summer, cleaning them and sorting them for
the shell trays. Merle Kleb has agreed to be chairman of the shell
trays and individual shells to be sold. She will be assisted by Barbara
Hudson and will ask for more help from members in packaging and sorting.
Margie Wood has accepted the job of preparing the educational packets.
Leola Glass and Ruby Ray are assistants in this project. More help will
be needed. We need hundreds of each readily available Texas beach
shell. Dead pairs, good singles, cleaned specimens with opercs will
be welcomed. RTH MAT
GMEINOUINA 5

MAY 31 1989
LIBRARIES

ai

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

ube society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES

Family membership
Single membership $5.00
Student membership $2.00
Single issues $1.50
Extra sets mailed members

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION

William R. Keeler Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
729-6958 723-3628
5827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street

Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Od& W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233

3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approwal by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

Carol Courtade will serve as hospitality chairman for the opening
event for Museum and Society members and guests.

Frank Petway assisted in securing Dick Caven to make the cases for
the Society. Fritz Lang served on the committee to plan the display
cases. Both will continue to assist in display materials.

Dr. T.E. Pulley, Director of the Houston Museum of Natural Science,
will advise us on displays and the overall plan for the event. Carl
Aiken, Assistant Director of the Museum will help with booking and ar-
rangements for setting up the show.

We need your suggestions; we need your volunteer help and appreciate
the offers we have had already to help. We need your selfless
cooperation in aiding with displays. You will be asked, perhaps, to

do several jobs. We are not a large organization, so we need you to
help in different ways --- to act as host, to clean shells, to dis-
play shells, to occasionally share a special shell you have to go
into a larger theme arranged by several of you. We do not anticipate
asking anyone else to handle your shells, unless you so volunteer
this. We will carry special insurance, required by the Museum. This
will be your show for the public. We shall want to make it satis-
factory to everyone. May is a time for many hundreds of students to
visit Houston and the Museum. It is a good time of year to invite the
public of all ages to see the beauty of shells.

Please let me hear from you if you have any questions, suggestions, or
offers to help.

Constance E. Boone, Chairman
668-8252

98

SHELL TRADING - FUN OR CATASTROPHE? by Frank Petway

This article is being written using my experiences hopefully to help
those individuals who are interested in trading but never knew quite
how to go about it.

Trading shells with other collectors can be very rewarding or it can
be very disappointing as well as frustrating. If carried out in the
right manner, it can be a lot of fun with the advantages far out-
weighing the disadvantages. Trading is one way of enlarging ones
collection at a nominal cost. It also enables you to acquire shells
from areas that you yourself would never be able to collect. Half
of the enjoyment in trading is corresponding with people all over
the world, and if nothing else it is a good way to obtain foreign
stamps.

The two primary questions which enter most beginning traders' minds
are: (1) Where do I obtain shells to trade? and (2) Where does
one find information on who to trade with? To the first question,
one can trade using duplicates which you already have in your col-
lection. Collecting trips either locally or while on vacations are
good for obtaining trading material. Dredging is also very produc-
tive (dredging yourself or from purchased dredging). Shells acquir-
ed from shrimp trawlers can be very rewarding but they are the hard-
est to acquire. Finding people with whom to trade is the easy part
of trading. There are offers of exchange in H.S.N. and Of Sea and
Shore Magazine which are widely distributed. I take these publica-
tions and know about them and I'm sure there are others in which

to find traders. If you have trade material and want to go another
route, you can place an ad in one of these publications and tell
what you have to offer. If yot chose this last method, I can safely
say you will be swamped with mail although the majority you receive
will not interest you.

After contact has been established with a prospective trader,
several things are extremely important and the importance of these
cannot be stressed enough. These tips are for your protection as
well as the person you are trading with. First of all,for your
shells,state the name of the shell (technical name and author) and
the price you want for it. I have found that a selling price of
10-25% below the market value is satisfactory. You, as well as your
trader should grade the shells according to specific standards. I
have found that the grading system published in H.S.N. is becoming
universally accepted. Although there are a few loopholes in the
system, it's the best available at the present time. Upon establish-
ing that you and your trader have a certain shell or shells you

wish to trade, make it clear that you wish to acquire the shell at

a certain value and you offer a specific shell with its value in re-
turn. In my correspondence I always state values in U.S. dollars.
It's also advisable to ask your trader to specify how he wants the
customs declaration filled out because some countries are very
sticky on this matter. I myself always send any parcel airmail and
insured. Surface mail is cheaper but setting up a trade usually
involves 4-5 weeks and if surface mail is used you can add 2-5 months
to that.

SIs)

After a trade has been established the most important aspect of it
is-and make this agreeable to both parties and very clear: That if
either party is not completely satisfied with the shells traded,
they have the right to return the shells.

As for buying shells from dealers, I have a few tips that might be
helpful. First of all, know your dealer. When ordering be specific
as to the quality and shell you desire and its price. If you re-
ceive a shell with which you are not satisfied, return it immediately
with an explanation of why!

Language can also be somewhat of a hindrance. Therefore, be sure
to state clearly and as simply as possible all your correspondence.

If by some chance the person you correspond with isn't interested
in anything you have to offer, ask him to pass your name and address
on to some of his fellow collectors as they might be interested.

When sending parcels I have found it much easier if each party pays
for his own postage and insurance.

Although trading is a lot of fun and very interesting, it can, in
your own mind, seem like a disaster. Therefore, 1 hope these help-
ful hints I have given here will make the process more enjoyable to
those of you who are contemplating entering the world of shell
trading.

CORPUS CHRISTI SHELL SHOW, 1976

The Coastal Bend Shell Club will present a biannual shell show October 1
through October 3 at Holiday Inn, Emerald Beach, 1102 S. Shoreline,
Corpus Christi, Texas. Our club has been sent an invitation for our
members to attend and exhibit. There will be no admission fee. If you
are interested in entry forms, write the President, Theresa Stelzig,

109 Duke Lane, Portland, Texas, 78274.

SHELLS AND HISTORY

Two of our members found out this spring that shells and history go well
together. Margie Wood was scheduled to talk to the elementary school :
at Magnolia, Texas, on shells in late May. The high school social studies
teachers found out about the talk, went to the school principal and told
him they thought shells and history went well together and asked for
permission to have Margie talk to their classes in the afternoon, which
Margie did. This is done for our Society by Margie.

Rosemary Habermacher went to her son's school to talk to the history

class on Hawaiian shells in late May, part of the class study on that
geographical area.

100

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

There were several explosions of mollusks on the Texas coast during
the spring months, a bonus for many members and an exciting time

for those of us who saw some species for the first time. Some reports
probably prove to be firsts for the literature from Texas.

In March, Merle Kleb, Barbara Hudson, and I spent several days at Port
Aransas. The Gulf beaches were filled with sea weed and tar, Physalia
(Portuguese-Man-OF-War), and Velella (By-The-Wind-Sailor), all of
which heightened our hopes for Janthinas. In fact, jokingly, I said
that first morning on the beach that by noon I predicted we would find
Janthinas. The tide would begin to roll in and I hoped that the waves
would also bring in live Janthinas on their favorite hosts and food,
Physalia and Velella. I even hoped we'd be lucky enough to get the
rare brown Janthinid, Recluzia, a shell I have yet to collect in Texas.
There were many live Minyas, a floating sea anemone, and this is food
for Recluzia.

Well before noon we did find wee Janthinas washing in live with their
bubble floats. How many times could one predict such an event and
have it really happen?

These Janthinas proved to be, for the greater majority, the rather
uncommon Janthina exigua. Note that Abbott's Second Edition of
American Seashells now presents this species in a separate Subgenus,
Jodina. This dwarf purple sea snail has a prominent notch on the
outer lip.

We did also recover Janthina janthina and Janthina globosa but no
Recluzia.

Merle knew that I was looking also for Nudibranchs and was cued to
show me anything that wiggled. At one point on the beach she called
to me to say she had something live and blue in her collecting spoon.
On observing the animal I gave a shout of glee and saw my first live
Glaucus atlanticus Forster, 1777. Of the Family GLAUCIDAE, this
Nudibranch is pelagic and is known to wash in with Janthinas, Valellas,
and Physalia. They have no shell, are vivid blue as the animals they
eat (Velellas and Physalia) end store nematocysts (stinging cells)
taken from their food as stated. They float on the seas by producing
a bubble of gas in their body.

These have certainly been known for Texas waters and are worldwide
animals, but the huge bloom of them seen for two days on the island

of Mustang may be a new report for Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. There
were hundreds and hundreds washing in live, from one-half to one and
one-half inches in size. Quite acrobatic, in sea water they turned
somersaults and swam with their multi-fringed arm-like extentions which
were on each side of the body.

Later I was told by Betty Allen that numbers of Glaucus were on South
Padre Island beach about the same time, and Mildred Tate reports them
from Freeport also. The bloom was quite extensive. I have slides for
the record.

101

Of equal excitement for me was the recovery of hundreds of another

pelagic Nudibranch, Fiona pinnata (Eschscholtz in Rathke, 1831) of the
Family FIONIDAE. Known from both coastlines of the Americas, this
Nudibranch comes in both a blue and tan or brown phase, and I was lucky

to see both. I have slides of a Velella with both a blue and tan specimen
on it although usually the animal would be blue on the Velella it feeds on.
It was common tan and brown on old pieces of wood having small goose-neck
barnacles. Old coconuts, plastic and anything having the goose-neck
barnacles of the pelagic variety hosted the Nudibranch. These barnacles
are food for these Nudibranchs.

One of my specimens laid the collar-like egg mass in an observation bowl
at home, and I collected a Velella with several collars of the eggs, each
collar suspended below the Velella by a mucuous strand the animal made.
This is typical procedure for this Nudibranch.

This was the first time I had seen this animal, and I do not see it listed
for Texas shores in literature available to me.

To my eye, although I know the animals are documented to be the same, the
blue phase is a more delicate animal, since the cerata's transparent veil
or sail portion had a far looser coil or blood vessel. The translucent
dorsum was like crepe de chine and the inner parts had a pinkish cast,
altogether a beautiful animal. The tan animals seemed coarser, somehow,
and the cerata's veil had more loops in the coil or blood vessel. Faint
sprinkling or frosting of white pigments seemed present.

These animals seemed able to cling very tightly to their hosts and were
hard to remove without damaging them.

Two specimens of Doridella obscura Verrill, 1870, came from one of debris
pieces. This tiny, umbrella-like Nudibranch can be found on material
having the bryozoan Membranipora growing on it. They are sometimes on
the seaweed at Galveston.

Carefully examining some of the plastic pieces of debris I brought home,
I recovered two extremely small specimens which I compare to the known
minute Nudibranch, Capellinia concicla Marcus, 1958. The specimens were
live and I observed them for two days under the scope until I found them
moribund the second day. Since I had never seen anything like this
animal, I compare it on what I have to read. The circle of pigment on
each bumpy cerata was near the apex and there was a transparent tip
above the ring. The picture of Marcus' species seems to have a mantle
dorsal border of color patches. The 2 mm. animal I had, had less color
to observe, but the approximate 4 mm. specimen had reddish-brown pigment
thickly patterned on the mantle border but not solid or in patches. There
were scattered pigment spots on the rhinophores but not in zones. There
was a flower-like pattern of reddish pigment on.the dorsal center of the
body between the cerata. The overall coloration of body was cream.

These two minute specimens were taken from a cervice of the plastic ring

covered with barnacles and Hydroids. I had brought it home because I
had seen many Fionas on it.

102

For the record, I present a drawing I made of the live 4 mm. specimen.

_ RED-BROWN P\GMENT
GIRCLE GN EACH
CERATA

RED:*BGROWN ie
PiEMENT CN oa
DORSUM BORVER es
CTHICk BueT NeT
SOL(D OR PATC HED)

TRANSPABEXT TIP

Figure 1. Compare the animal above to the described Nudibranch, Capel-
lina conicla Marcus, 1958. The animal is drawn from an approximate

4 mm. specimen, one of two, collected by Constance Boone March 12, 1976,
at Port Aransas, Texas, in a crevice of a plastic ring tossed up on the
Gulf beach.

The gecond explosion of mollusks concerns a family of shells long a
favorite of mine, Fannie and Sam Miron first reported some live
Epitonium angulatum from "worm goop'"' from the Galveston jetty area.
They reported getting large ones from the surf zone a week or so later
from the same area. Leola Glass came back from Mustang Island with
some live-taken Epitonium angulatum and E. albidum, as well as a
beautiful dark and almost perfect specimen of Amaea mitchelli, a dead
shell but a prize for any collection. Then Herschel Sands called to
ask how common were Epitoniums and then confessed he and his wife had
collected some 500 specimens at Matagorda beach. All this took place
the last weeks of April and the first week of May.

I told myself that [I had missed the bonus of Epitoniums because I
couldn't get to the beach until May 2. Surely the bloom couldn't last
more than two weeks, but I hit that sand bar area at Matagorda about
9:00AM and immediately began to see large Epitonium angulatum being
tossed up with the waves of the receding tide. We (Hollis helped!)
picked up hundreds of live ones, and I then began to examine the debris
and worm strands. [I could see tiny live Epitoniums there, picked up
many, and finally just collected a sack full of debris to sort at home.
We drove down the beach and everywhere found Epitoniums, thousands alive.
At one place I stood in the surf and collected them as the waves tossed
them up to the debris line. This was too great to leave, so I gathered
up handfuls of debris from the surf zone and sacked it for home viewing.

Examination at home has been most rewarding. There are several species

of doubtful designation, but probably most are Epitonium albidum and

and E. Tollini. There are a few E. multistriatum and E. novangliae.

The others, well these I have pondered about before. I say that someday
these Epitoniums in Texas have to be studied by an interested professional.

I did pick out some nice dead specimens of several species of

Turbonillas, some live Cyclostremella humilis and made some observations
concerning this species and feeding, and live Odostomia gibbosa.

103

I was pleased also to bring home some really huge Donax, what seem to
be three-year-Olds of Donax variabilis roemeri. They were tossed up
live with each wave and immediately dug in the surfzone. Some reached
one full inch in size.

Tired at home from the many bends to get this material, I got a telephone
call the next day from member Linda Serrill of Matagorda saying she had
collected many, many Epitoniums that day and had been trying to call me

for several days to report she had heard about the bloom of Epitoniums
on that beach.

Cautious note: The Sands were back at that beach the day I went but they
were there later in the day and did not see many live Epitoniums.

On May 12, Ruby Ray, Carol Courtade and I swung by this beach once more
to see if any Epitoniums were left. These stranded bonus finds don't
hurt the population; the specimens will die so they might as well be
collected. We did not find hundreds but some. However, we did find

the sand bars fully exposed at the river mouth as it was full moon and

a gentle tide. Never have I seen so many huge Thais with such lovely
orange apertures. They were laying egg clusters. These were the rugged,
channeled forms with rough, big knobs, the haysae form. We picked up
quite a few. The largest live one measures a little over 3% inches tall
and over 2% inches wide. A few, fresh dead, with meat still in them,
were larger, but I still haven't gotten a live one that reaches the 4%
inches of literature.

I think it is quite a coincidence that I received a request for some
of these Thais haysae from Dr. William J. Clench, the author of the
form. These specimens from Matagorda will be just perfect to send if
I can ever get them completely clean and odor free. Thais is one
genus I wish I didn't have to clean.

The high winds of these spring months seem to be the cause of our bonus
of shells. Even the 60 mile an hour freak windstorm two days in late
May at Galveston caused me to hurry to the beach. Sure enough, the
debris tossed up was most productive. There weren't many Epitoniums
when I was there, but I did collect a few live pinkish Semele proficua,
Dosinias, Periploma margaritaceum, Trachycardium muricatum, and

several fresh pairs of Anatina anatina. There were many stranded
Busycon and Thais egg cases. I brought some home and observed the cap-
sules under the scope. I note that I collected both forms of Anachis
obesa, a good growth series which shows that there are differences

from the earliest stages. One form, the tan and brown form, starts with
a transparent protoconch and on the third whorl begins the vertical ribs
with smooth spacing in between and older ones continue this. The rosy
brown form, known perhaps as ostreicola, starts with a rosy brown
protoconch and on the third whorl begins a kind of cancellate pattern
with vertical ribs and strong incised horizontal striations between.
This continues in older shells. The tan specimens have a stronger
outer lip varix and a slightly twisted inner lip at the columella. The
brown form is straight at the columella and has less inflated varix on
the outer lip. Both were together on the egg capsules.

I also observed the emerging veliger forms of Thais when they came
out and were stranded on the purplish egg capsule out of water and
couldn't swim away. I had seen the funny older young Thais with its

outer sinuate lip, but this tiny veliger I had not seen at this period
in its life, only observed it as it swam inside the capsule as it

reached maturity but had not yet emerged.

104

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

I first picked up these cones on my initial trip to the Marshall Is-
lands. We were quartered in the BOQ on Kwajalein Island, then under
military jurisdiction. The BOQ was situated at the water's edge along-
side the reef. When the tide went out, some fifty yards of the reef
were exposed. In the little sand-bottomed depressions that dotted the
reef surface, I found these cones embedded nose down.

The books available then (1959) indicated that there were two species
that looked alike: Conus lividus and Conus flavidus. At Kwajalein,

I could not find any access to reefs on the lagoon side. . So I col-
lected these cones on the seaward, windward reef-flats and in the shallow
surge channels that connect Kwajalein Island with the next islet. I
found these cones, in abundance (and larger) on Rongelap Island, too, -
again on the seaward reefs primarily.

I learned early to distinguish Conus lividus as the species that had
coronated spires. The look-alike Conus flavidus did not. Variations
in size and color commonly occur and do not always constitute depend-
able distinguishing parameters. Life was simple. If the spire was
rough and coronated, the cone was put in the box as Conus lividus. If
the spire was smooth, it went into the box for Conus flavidus. These
cones were abundant and could be collected readily in daylight. After
a couple of years, I no longer picked them up.

This calm state of affairs was rudely disrupted when Ernie Libby sug- -
gested on one of our trips that we re-examine our lividus flavidus
stock. To my surprised inquiry, Ernie stated that he had heard that
there were such species as Conus frigidus, Conus sugillatus, Conus
sanguinolentus, Conus balteatus, and Conus moreleti that could easily

be confused with the lividus-flavidus duo. My natural tendency was

to accuse Ernie of taking up the splitter's cult, but my scientific
training cautioned me to first look into the available data.

As usual, my intentions far exceeded the time I could muster for my
hobby. It was only recently, while going over Ernie's shells (after
his death), that I began to think of this subject again. This is a
preliminary report of my exercise in the differential diagnosis among
the lividus-flavidus look-alikes. A more definitive and precise
characterization of each species will require additional intensive
work. In essence, the several tabulations below represent compilations
of the descriptions by several authors identified in the text.

How about the literature? The September, 1969, issue of HAWAIIAN

SHELL NEWS (1) pictures Conus frigidus and carries a description of

the species by Holemand and McGill. W.0O. Cernohorsky describes the
various species in his article entitled The Conidae of Fiji published
in THE VELIGER 7:61-94, 1964 (2). In this article all of the species
listed are shown (black and white) on one page (plate 16). Cernohorsky
again described many of these species in his book MARINE SHELLS OF THE
PACIFIC, Volume 1, revised in 1971 (3). The books SHELLS OF NEW GUINEA
AND THE CENTRAL INDO-PACIFIC by A. Hinton (4) and AUSTRALIAN SHELLS

by B.R. Wilson and K. Gillett (5) show in color the species under dis-
cussion.

105

Pragmatically, the easiest distinguishing characteristic is the

presence or absence of the coronated spire.

promptly.

coronate spire

lividus
sanguinolentus
sugillatus

moreleti
balteatus

A dichotomy is established

smooth spire

flavidus
frigidus

In the several tabulations that follow, the descriptions of several

authors have been scanned for each species.

Abbreviated notations of

the descriptive features were then listed for each of the species.

Habitat:
Size:
Sides:
Shoulder:
Color:

Whorl1:

Aperture:

Base:

Spire:

Pictured in:

Size:
Shoulder:
Color:
Aperture:
Spire:
Base:

Body whorl:

Pictured in:

Conus frigidus

Reeve, 1848

reef

smaller, under 1% inches
convex

rounded, smooth

variable (pale blue gray,
yellow or greenish) two
pale bands at center and
shoulder

distinctly striate;
granulations common at
base

deep violet; pale median
band; whitish oval spot
on lower half

deep purple, spirally
striate

moderately elevated

apex pale violet

C7 is @).,; (4), (2)
Conus moreleti

Crosse, 1858

elongate and slender

17 to 43 mm

Angulate and coronate
orange brown to olive
brown; pale white bands
at shoulder and center
purple with orange
marginal edge

low convex; coronate

purple

granulose spiral striate
striate

sides straight

2) ;..(3)5 &)

106

Conus flavidus
_Lamarck 1810

sand

larger

flat

angulate, smooth
variable (yellow, orange,
olive or brown)
transverse bands white
or bluish-white
obsoletely striate

deep violet; marginal
edge orange

deep purple
low
(2), (4), (5)

Conus sanguinolentus
Quoy & Gaimard, 1834

20 to 52 mm

angulate and coronate
olive brown to dark
brown; generally lacks
central transverse band
uniformly purple, lacks
bluish white median band
depressed, sculptured
white coronations

purple

lower half spirally
striate; often granulose

(2), (3), (5)

Conus balteatus
Sowerby, 1833

Conus sugillatus

Reeve, 1844

Size: small 19 to 44 mm
23 to 38 mm
Shoulder: angulate angulate
coronate obsoletely nodulose
Color: light olive fawn to brown to violet brown
dark brown; irregular
whitish blotches tending
to form bands at center
and shoulder; flecked
overall with white dots
Aperture: violet with pale band purple, darker toward
near center and shoulder base; two light bands
center and shoulder
Base: spirally ridged; violet
Body whorl: prominently straited; fine, brown striae;
pronounced basally darker below light central
band
Pictured in: Ge) (2) io (BY) ere(@AD)

Conus lividus
L

Hwass_ in Gruguiere, 1792

Shoulder: angulate, coronate

Color: extremely variable; olive
brown with two white or bluish
white bands near shoulder and
center

Aperture: purple with light bands near
shoulder and center

Spire: white; often elevated

Base: purple

Body whorl: striate, striae granulose

towards base, obsolete towards
shoulder
QUID Ea Oy

Pictured in:

The synonymy listed by Cernohorsky (2) for these species are as follows:

Conus balteatus Sowerby, 1833

Conus flavidus Lamarck, 1810

Conus lividus Hwass in
Bruguiere, 1792

Conus moreleti Crosse, 1858

Conus sugillatus Reeve, 1844

107

Conus primula Reeve, 1849

Conus neglectus Pease, 1860
Lithoconus peasei Brazier, 1877

Cucullus monachos Roding, 1798
Conus plebejus Link, 1807

Conus elongatus Reeve, 1843
Conus oblitus Reeve, 1849

Conus floridulus A. Adams &
Reeve, 1848

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) 4
by H. Ode

Genus Mercenaria Schumacher, 1817.
To this genus belong species close in shape and structure to Chione,
but much more massive. In Texas only a single species.

108. Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin, 1790).

(Venus) campechiensis (Gmelin, 1790) syst. Nat. 13th Ed.

Po 2323h-
By far the most massive and one of the largest clams on the
Texas-Louisiana coast, where it lives in the bays, inlets
and very shallow offshore waters. Bay specimens grow much
heavier than those of more open water, that is, those living
along the beaches. This is the usual trend with many bi-=
valves (Anadara, Mulinia, etc.). The most massive beach
specimens appear to be Pleistocene fossils f.i. Matagorda
Peninsula, from where it was-already reported by Mitchell.
He collected at stretches aiong the beach where Mercenaria
shells of old bay deposits are even today exposed by the
transgressing Gulf of Mexico. Live specimens can be gather-
ed from the mudflats near the inlets (San Luis Pass, Bolivar
Pass) and the sheltered bayshores along the barrier side
of the bays. It lives at many places along our entire coast
line from Louisiana to South Padre Island. Old shells are
often dredged in offshore waters, but, except in the immediate
vicinity of the shore, do not live there.

It is customary to separate the New England form as Mercenaria
mercenaria Linné but both species are, if not identical,
extremely close. Early references all report the species
as Venus mercenaria Linné. Mercenaria campechiensis texana
Dall is a somewhat smooth form, usually quite massive and
is common in the bays and inlets, contrasting sharply in
size and form with the open water form of the beaches, which
is far more sculptured on its outer surface. This forn,
usually found after rough weather,is much smaller, lighter
colored and has continuous concentric ridges. As notata
Say, specimens have been designed with ziczac markings of
color, but no particular significance should be attached

to those as they are mostly immature specimens. I do not
believe that M. c. texana represents a subspecies; rather
it is an ecological form peculiar to the coastal bays. The
very heavy bay form has in references also been reported
under the name Venus mercenaria var. mortoni Conrad. The
presence of two forms is stressed over and over again in
the early faunal lists. Personally, I believe that one
deals with an outspoken ecological difference, not a sub-
specific difference.

108

Only rarely are specimens found which are entirely colored
purple on the inside and most Texas specimens are almost
completely dull white on the inside. Juvenile material is
common in the coastal bays and very juvenile material is
extremely small (1mm.). The prodissoconch is one of the
smallest in the Veneridae.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 1. Galveston
(1849); 7, listed (V. mercenaria and V. mercenaria var. mortoni
Conrad); 15, Galveston (V. mercenaria and Port Isabel, Corpus
Christi Bay and Galveston Bay (Venus mercenaria var. mortoni
Conrad); 18, Galveston and Corpus Christi (both forms); 19,
as Venus mercenaria var. mortoni, Alligator Head to Pass
Cabello, Matagorda Bay. Immense dead shells on Gulf Beach
on the Peninsula; 21, listed as V. mercenaria and V.
mercenaria notata Say; 32, listed as V. mercenaria var.
notata Say (rare along the Texas coast) and as V. campechiensis
Gmelin. (Westward to Texas and Yucatan); 45, as V. mercenaria,
Galveston and Corpus Christi, Galveston, deep well 2235-2600
feet as V. campechiensis, Corpus Christi, Aligator Head,
Pass Cabello, Matagorda Bay, Galveston. Dall has named the
Texas form var. texana; 54, reported from Indian kitchen
middens in the Corpus Christi area; 56, listed as
V. campechiensis texana Dall, 1902 and Venus campechiensis
campechiensis Gmelin 1792 (V. mortoni of authors); 58,
listed as V. mercenaria Linne, Matagorda Bay; 61, listed
as V. mercenaria for Corpus Christi area; 62, listed as
V. mercenaria for McGloin's Bluff, Oso Flat and Flower Bluff
(all Corpus Christi area) 66, listed as V. mercenaria Linne’
and V. campechiensis Gmelin for marine Pleistocene of Texas;
67, listed for Port Isabel; 69, listed under a variety of
inconsistent names, V. mercenaria, V. mercenaria mercenaria,
V. campechiensis campechiensis, V. campechiensis texana;

98, listed as V. mercenaria for the bays and the beach of
Padre Island; and as V. campechiensis texana for the bays;
110 V. campechiensis texana Dall, living in Galveston and
Arkansas Bays; worn dead shells on all Gulf beaches. A111

of the Texas specimens seem to belong to the subspecies
which is recognized by the distinctive smoothing of the ribs
seen in older specimens. The young cannot be separated from
true V. campechiensis, Plate 11, figures 10-11; 123, hard
shell clams were not taken on the brown shrimp grounds.

Old clams, possibly Pleistocene in age, are abundant in
wide areas between the beach and fore dunes on Padre Island.
Live shells on Thalassia flats in Aransas and Corpus Bay.

A few worn valves off Sabine 6% fms.; 126, listed as

M. mercenaria for Carolinian province (bays, lagoons, sandy
or muddy bottom); 136, listed dead for Heald Bank; 139

M. mercenaria texana Dall, 1902; listed for "lower bays",
143, listed as M. mercenaria for Matagorda Bay; 145, listed
as M. c. texana for upper sound; 146, listed for ‘sound
shore"; 153, listed as V. mercenaria and as V. campechiensis
texana; 156, listed for Stetson Bank; 160, listed as

M. mercenaria Linne’ for Matagorda Bay, alive at 3, dead at
TMany locations; 164, listed for Rockport area, dead in

open bay outer, alive in open bay margin, abundantly alive
in inlet influenced area, 170, listed for shallow shelf

109

assemblage; 174, both forms listed; 175, listed as M. m. texana
for sound or open lagoon assemblage, abundant in dense beds __
at inlet end of lagoons; 193, a few specimens remain in
South Bay. This species was harvested commercially before
the dumping of spoil from the Brownsville ship channel dredging;
194, V. mercenaria mentioned as food item for black drum (fish);
202, Mercenaria listed for Pleistocene; 206, beach records
Tex. Conch., Vol. 4, p. 35, 1968. 225, listed as V. mercenaria
for Galveston; 231, listed as V. mercenaria for Galveston,
253, rare on reef off Padre Island; 261, listed for shallow
offshore of Galveston; 266, never alive. Supposed to be
shifted by current over long distances; 269, figured on page 212.
Records H.M.N.S.: 60 lots of which 23 contain live collected
material.
Depth Range: 0-33 fm. (alive 0-2 fms.)
Maximum Size: 148 mm. (in the literature said to reach 7 inches).
Geographical Range: Off southern New Jersey to Florida, Texas
and Cuba (Abbott, 1974).
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Mercenaria apodema Dall, 1902,
Panama and Guaymas, Mexico, Keen, 1971 writes: '"...positive
proof has yet to be furnished for the occurrence of Mercenaria
in the Panamanic Province".

SUPERFAMILY VENERACEA

FAMILY VENERIDAE

Genus Anomalocardia

A single species in
ribs, radial striae

109. Anomalocardia

Schumacher, 1817.
Texas, fairly thick with undulating concentric
and impressed lunule.

auberiana (Orbigny, 1842).

(Venus) cuneimeris Conrad, 1846. Prod. Acad. Nat. Sci.,

Phila., 3, p. 24, is a synonym.
In the hypersaline bays of the south Texas coast, this is
a common and often abundant species. At some locations in
the Corpus Christi area counts of 2,000 individuals per square
meter have been made. It is understandable that in those
areas dead valves are abundant on the beaches. In general,
one can say that at Galveston the species is rare (only a
few dead valves from the beaches and West Galveston Bay);
it increases rapidly in numbers towards the southwest, so
that it is already common in Matagorda Bay. In the Houston
Museum collection, no specimens from the Louisiana coast
are present and I have no records from that area. In off-
shore dredged samples the species is rare and the few valves
obtained should be considered fossil. Thus, it appears
restricted to the hypersaline bays of the Texas coast. The
species is quite variable: the concentric ribs vary in num-
ber and the shape varies from triangular to quite wedge shaped.
Juveniles are almost all triangular. Older specimens show
a characteristic posterior elongation. The relation of this
species to several described fossil species needs to be
cleared up.

110

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: /7, listed
as Venus rostrata Sowerby; 15, (as Venus rostrata, Sowerby)
common in beachdrift at Galveston and Corpus Christi,
Shamrock Cove, Corpus Christi Bay; 18, (as Venus rostrata,
Sowerby) Corpus Christi, common; 21, listed as Venus
(Anomalocardia) rostrata Say; 45, Galveston and Corpus Christi;
66, listed for marine Pleistocene of Texas. Also lists
Anomalocardia rostrata Savage for marine Pleistocene; 69,
listed in appendix 8; 98, alive in Redfish Bay, dead in
Laguna Madre; 110, dead shells occasional at Galveston, fresh
shells on Mustang and Padre Islands, living in Aransas Bay,
Plate 10, figs. 9-10; 135, dead in Gulf, alive in bays;
139, beach and surf zone, nearshore Gulf; 148, common in
Baffin Bay; 151, common in Laguna Madre; 153, listed in
Table 1; 160, dead at two locations in Matagorda Bay; 164,
alive at Rockport, alive in Laguna Madre; 170, listed for
deep shelf assemblage (Note: this is probably a mis-
identification of Spheniopsis);174, listed; 175, listed for
hypersaline environments; 178, northern Laguna Madre, sand
and shell bottoms, also in Baffin Bay; 193, alive in south
Laguna Madre; 194, mentioned as food item for blackdrum
(fish); 202, listed as Anomalocardia brasiliana (Mexico) ;
206, beach records in Tex. Conch, Vol. 4, (6), 1042, 1968.
208, listed for open bay center, enclosed bay center, bay
margin and ''grassflats''; 269, figured on page 210.
Records H.M.N.S.: 26 lots (none alive).
Depth Range: 0-25 fms. All five offshore samples are old shells.
Geographical Range: South half of Florida to Texas, (Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 16 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Anomalocardia does not live in Panamanic
Province.

Genus Chione Muhlfeld, 1811.

Of this genus, often with strong concentric sculpture, lamellar ridges
and in possession of a lunule and escutcheon, the subgenera Chione ss,
Choniopsis and Lirophora live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

110. Chione (Chione) cancellata (Linné, 1767).

Venus cancellata Linne, ViGT sysiteeNaty al 2thmede pepe L130!
This common beach shell is not often collected alive, except
near Corpus Christi and further south. Beach worn valves
are not uncommon near Galveston, but so far little evidence
of live material has been found in that area and a count of
material from West Galveston Bay (Tex. Conch., Vol. 10,
(74+8), 1974) did not show any. Very little material has
been taken offshore and the few fragments obtained are
without doubt fossil. Thus the species must be considered
a member of the bay fauna only.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 15, Galveston
and Corpus Christi, not common at Galveston but at Corpus
Christi the bulk of the beachdrift is composed of worn
valves of this species; 18, dead shells are very abundant
at Corpus Christi, few beach worn valves at Galveston; 19,
dead shells common everywhere on the coast, never seen a
live one; 21, listed; 45, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Port
Isabel; 58, Aransas Bay, fresh shells (Strecker); 61, listed

ifalal

for Corpus Christi area; 62, listed for McGloin's Bluff,
Oso Flat and Flour Bluff (Corpus Christi Area); 66, listed
for marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, listed for Port Isabel;
69, listed in Appendix 8; 98, listed for bays, widespread,
alive in Red Fish Bay, Aransas Pass, also listed for beach
of Padre Island; 110, rare dead shells at Galveston, fresh
shells common from Matagorda Beach to Port Isabel, living
in Aransas Bay and Laguna at Port Isabel, Pl. 10, figures
16-17; 123, a few odd valves in 2-7 fms. off Sabine, Texas;
126, listed for bays and lagoons, sandy or muddy bottom of
Carolinian Province; 135, dead in Gulf, alive in bays; 139,
inlets; 153, listed in Table I; 160, dead at several locations
in Matagorda Bay; 164, alive in several types of environment
at Rockport, and alive in Laguna Madre; 174, listed; 175,
listed for open sound or open lagoon assemblage; 178, southern
end of Laguna Madre, 3-4 feet depth, salinity above normal,
mud bottom, abundant vegetation; 192, figured; 193, common
during spring and summer months from Three Islands south
to Brownsville Ship Channel; 194, mentioned as common food
item of black drum (fish); 202, figured; 206, beach records,
Texas Conch., Vol. 4 (5), p. 35, 1968; 208, listed for bay
margin and grass flats; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251,
Yucatan shelf; 269, figured on page 210.

Records H.M.N.S.: 26 lots of which 6 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fm. (alive 0-1 fms.)

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, Texas, West
Indies, Brazil, (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 38 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Since C: mazycki Dall, 1902, is
only a form of C. cancellata Linné, the closest Pacific
species is Chione (Chione) guatulcoensis Hertlein and Strong,
1948, although it is much smaller than C. cancellata; off
Port Guatulco, Mexico, to Panama Bay in depths to 13 m., »
"Keen, 1971".

Chione (Choniopsis) intapurpurea (Conrad, 1849).
Venus intapurpurea Conrad, 1849. Journ. Acad. Nat.

Scicp 2nd ser...) oP. 4209 .0Pte S95, tiles oe
In offshore waters Chione cancellata is replaced by Chione
(Choniopsis) intapurpurea, a species which does not enter
the bays. Along the beach its distribution pattern is
closely similar to that of C. cancellata, that is, it be-
comes more and more common towards the south. At Sargent,
specimens are occasionally picked up but already at St. Joseph
Island, the species is common in beachdrift. However, living
specimens are not uncommonly dredged all along the Texas-
Louisiana coast and are known from many localities, among
which Heald Bank may be mentioned. Chione morsitans Olsson
and Harbison, 1953 looks suspiciously like some Texas
material. The development of the ribbing is quite variable.
In some specimens the ribs are close and relatively thin,
in others, they are wider apart and thicker. The latter
specimens are somewhat more rounded and on the whole, some-
what smaller. It is not impossible that these are two dif-
ferent species and a comparison with Venus cribraria Conrad,

112

12.

BossiuMed). Tent...) 184:5),) ip).116i7,, pli.» 38),) fig. 112) and. Proce. Acad.
Nat. Sci., Phila., 1, p. 310, 1843 should be made. Compar-
able Pacific species are much larger.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45, ''Texas"';
56, "North Carolina to Texas and south to Honduras"; 66,
listed for the marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, listed for
Port Isabel; 69, listed in Appendix 8; 110, one dead shell
from St. Joseph Island and two from Padre Island, Plate 10,
fig. 15; 135, dead in Gulf and bays; 136, reported from 15
stations off East Texas at depths between 6-10 fms, alive at
9 fms; 145, shallow and deep shelf (all dead); 170, listed
for transitional shelf assemblage; 175, listed for inner
shelf, 2-12 fms., common, only off western Louisiana; 206,
beach records, Tex. Conch., Vol. 4 (5), p. 35, 1968, 225,
Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 212.

Records H.M.N.S.: 48 lots of which 5 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-30 fms. (alive 6-12 fms.) in a sandy shelly
bottom.

Maximum Size: 30 mm.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas, West Indies,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Chione (Choniopsis) olssoni Fischer,
Piette, 1969, "Ecuador". (not close)

Chione (Lirophora) latilirata (Conrad, 1841).
Venus latilirata Conrad, 1841. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Bhatla la pime2S ie }
There is some difficulty in giving a good account of
Lirophora for the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. On the basis of the
Houston Museum material, there lives only asingle quite
widespread and quite common species in the western Gulf, a
second species is quite rare on the offshore coral reefs and
perhaps a third species is present but our material does
not allow a definite opinion. The matter is further confused
by contradicting reports in the litterature and uncertainties
in nomenclature.

The two common Caribbean species are Lirophora latilirata
Conrad, 1841 and Lirophora paphia Linné, L67eG is Inyl9O52
Pulley described a third species, Chione clenchi, from the
western Gulf, which is supposed to be different from Chione
latilirata in several respects: 1). Its circumferential
shape is more hooked posteriorly than that of C. latilirata,
2). The concentric surface ribbing is not as massive as in
C. latilirata. In reference 109, a posterior view of both
species is given which shows this difference in development.
(See also figures 6, 7, 8 in Peterson's "Field Guide for
Shells of Atlantic and Gulf Coasts", 3d. edition by W.J.
Clench, 1973). The figure of ref. 109 may be slightly mis-
leading because when a posterior view is made of a specimen
which just has completed a thick
rib one obtains a somewhat inter-
mediate figure. Although I will
report the species, common in the
western Gulf, as C. (Lirophora)
clenchi, I consider it quite prob-
able that it is not more than at

C. clenchi C. latilirata te

Posterior View

Redrawn from Ref, 109

113

most, a subspecies of C. latilirata Conrad, characteristic
to the mud environment of the Texas-Louisiana coast. In
the calcareous environment of the eastern Gulf and the
Caribbean where waters in general carry far less suspended
particulates, the species merely develops in a somewhat
different fashion.

The most intriguing question concerning Lirophora is the
occurrence of a species similar to C. clenchi Pulley in the
Panamanic fauna. In 1902, Dall described Chione obliterata
from the Bay of Panama, a figure of which is reproduced in
Keen's "Sea Shells of Tropical West America", 1971. This
species is suspiciously similar to specimens of C. clenchi
in the Houston Museum collection. Until a comparison can be
made it remains unprofitable to speculate about its identity.

Apparently C. clenchi does not extend to similar environments
outside the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean. Van Regteren
Altena does not mention C. clenchi or C. latilirata in his
study of the Surinam fauna. (Zool. Verh., No. 119, 1971),

in which he corrected an earlier report of 1968. (C. latilirata

changed to C. paphia).

The only two lots of Chione (Lirophora) latilirata Conrad,
1841, in the Museum collection might be: 1). a specimen
hand collected along the Aransas Pass Causeway. Unfortunately,
it is a juvenile one, but it differs in some respects from
the countless specimens of similar size of C. clenchi in the
collection. It has deeper and wider interspaces and is the
only specimen which shows a concavity of the ribs towards
the umbo. If the specimen is indeed true C. iatilirata,
its presence in the Texas fauna may not signify much. At
the locality where it was taken more adventitious species
have been collected, most of them imported by shrimpers from
the Yucatan shelf. The second lot comes from 4 fathoms off
Galveston. Chione latilirata has several times been re-
ported for our area. Without doubt, all these reports per-
tain to C. clenchi Pulley, except the ones given here.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 110, "one
live specimen and a few fresh valves from 15-20 fathoms off
Port Aransas (also reports C. clenchi); 145, listed in
Table 7 (also reports C. clenchi); 201, listed for mudlump
fauna (C. clenchi also listed).

Records H.M.N.S.: one juvenile valve taken at Port Aransas,
but perhaps adventitious.

Depth Range: 0-4 fms.

Maximum Size: Not measured.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, Brazil (Abbott,
1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Chione (Lirophora) clenchi, Pulley, 1952.
Chione clenchi’ Pulley, 1952. Tex. JwSci., Vol 64, a0))>
Pp OlE625 PIAS! filesesS=5.
This, one of the most widespread venerids in our area, has
been often dredged alive in a depth range from 7-28 fms.
in silty bottoms, and miocene shale outcrops. It does not
live on the coral reefs. Juvenile specimen are abundant in
most offshore dredged samples and are characterized by the

114

fence-like character of the early concentric ribs. They

stand up perpendicularly to the shell surface and have wide
interfaces between them. Only the 4th, 5th and later

"fences'' become rapidly thickened. These show a thinning

at the dorsal end just as in C. paphia, but while in C. paphia,
this character persists throughout the entire life of the
clam, the concentric ridges in C. clenchi loose this character
when they mature. Juvenile specimens of Mercenaria are
surprisingly similar to those of C. clenchi, in that they

also show the fence-like concentrical ribs. However, the
shells of Mercenaria are rounder and the pallial sinus is

much deeper and the hinge is slightly different.

C. clenchi is on many beaches, an abundant clam, especially
in south Texas. Thus it is somewhat surprising that it has
never been found alive on our beaches, but very fresh
specimens have been rafted ashore by whipcoral.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, (as
Venus varicosa, Sowerby) listed; 21, (as Venus varicosa,
Sowerby) listed; 45, Galveston (as Chione (Lirophora) latilirata
Conrad); 67, listed for Port Isabel (as Chione latilirata
Conrad); 69, (as Chione paphia) listed in Appendix 8; 98,
listed for beach Padre Island (as Chione latilirata Conrad);
109, original description; 110, worn dead shells rare at
Galveston, fresh shells occasional from St. Joseph Island
to Port Isabel. Taken alive by shrimpers in 15-25 fms. off
Port, Tsabel, Pl. 10, figs. 13-14; 1235 .this Tittle elamiis
sympatric with Chione latilirata at least in the Port Isabel
area. It was not as abundant off Freeport in 11 to 16 fms.
A few dead shells in 6% fms. off Sabine. Only P. cordata
and M. tageliformis were more abundant in trynet catches;
135, alive in Gulf; 136, (as C. latilirata) reported from
11 stations off East Texas in 33-58 feet, 139, listed for
open shelf; 145, deep shelf (alive); 156, common on Stetson
Bank; 164, alive in inlet influenced assemblage at Rockport;
170, listed as C. latilirata for transitional shelf assemblage;
174, listed; 175, intermediate shelf, 12-35 fms. on sand
bottom, abundant, whole coast; 201, (as C. latilirata) mud-
lump fauna; 206, beach records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 4, p. 42,
(1968); 225, Galveston (as C. latilirata clenchi Pulley);
236, Galveston (as C. latilirata clenchi Pulley); 251,
Yucatan shelf; 253, worn valves on Gulf side bottom Padre
Island reef; 269, figured on page 211.

Records H.M.N.S.: 93 lots of which 18 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-50 fms. (alive 7-28 fms.) in sandy mud bottom
and on miocene shale uplifts.

Maximum Size: 36.5 mm.

Geographical Range: North Texas to Gulf of Campeche, Mexico,
(Abbott, 1974). Note: our records include the entire
Louisiana coast, west of the Mississippi.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Chione (Lirophora) obliterata Dall,
1902. Keen (1971) remarks: "described as of Panama Bay".

115

IA

Chione (Lirophora) paphia (Linne, 1767).
Venus paphia Linne. Syst. Nat., 12th ed., p. 1129.
A single valve of this species was taken from the Flower
Gardens. It is much whiter, has the characteristic pinching
of the concentric ribs and shows a more concave lunule than
C. clenchi.

The reference to this species in ref. 69 is clearly in error
for C. clenchi. The species lives on the Yucatan platform
and is another example of a Caribbean faunal element - mainly
Yucatan related - of the coral reefs in the N.W. Gulf of
Mexico.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 214, (Chione
c.f. paphia) Yucatan shelf.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot (single valve) from Flower Gardens.

Depth Range: 13-16 fms.

Maximum Size: 28 mn.

Geographical Range: West Indies to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Chione (Lirophora) mariae Orbigny,
1846.
"Cedros Island, Baja California, through the Gulf of
California and south to Guagaquil Ecuator, mostly offshore
in depths to 110 m.'' (Keen, 1971).

Genus Timoclea Brown, 1827.
Small, ovate shell, with cancellate sculpture.

ibis}

Timoclea grus (Holmes, 1858).
Tapes grus Holmes, 1827. Post. Pleioc. Fossils S. Car.,
Peesiseplesnss fies.

This common and widespread offshore species lives in rocky
and shelly environments along the entire Louisiana-Texas
coastline. Their color in Texas is usually yellowish white,
often with brown markings on the outside. Uniformly colored
specimens of brownish orange are not rare, but darkly colored
specimens are unusual. The posterior end of fresh specimens
often carries typical Chione laminations which are frilled.
Beach specimens have been found at Sargent and South Padre
Island. Never in the bays, except for a single valve from
Chocolate Bay (Galveston Bay system) which may be adventitious.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 98, listed
for the bays; not in text; 136, reported for 5 stations off
East Texas (33-54'), alive; 145, dead on deep shelf; 147,
dead on Baker Bank; 153, listed in Table I; 156, listed for
Stetson Bank; 159, one specimen taken alive from sand bottom
along jetty at Port Aransas; 170, deep shelf assemblage; 174,
listed; 175, listed for intermediate shelf, 12-35 fms., on
sand bottom. Common along whole coast; 206, beach records
in Tex. Conch., Vol. 4 (6), p. 42, 1968; 225, Galveston,
236, Galveston; 251, listed for Yucatan shelf; 253, one of
the most abundant micro pelecypods (offshore reef Padre
Island), many collected alive; 269, figured on page 211.

Records H.M.N.S.: 68 lots of which 21 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms. (alive: 7-30 fms.) mostly on shelly or
rocky bottoms.

Maximum Size: 12.5 mm.

116

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida to Texas (Abbott,

1974.).
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Chione (Timoclea) squamosa
Carpenter, 1857. ''Gulf of California, southward to Peru"

(Keen, 1971). It is smaller than T. grus, but a larger
Pleistocene form T. pecta Willett, 1944 is fairly common
as a Pleistocene fossil in southern California.

Genus Transennella Dall, 1883.

Small, rather oval bivalves, with obliquely grooved microscopic lines
on the internal margins. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico only a single
species.

116. Transennella c.f. cubaniana (Orbigny, 1846).
Venus cubaniana Orbigny, 1846. Moll. Cuban. 2, pl. 26,
figs. 44-46.

Only a few valves of this deep water species have been taken
off Galveston. They are old valves still showing the
tangential grooves on the internal ventral margins. Some
are strongly concentrically ribbed, but in a few juvenile
specimens the ribbing is quite subdued. Pallial sinus very
shallow, almost obsolete and thus hardly conforms with
generic description in McLean Scient. Surv. Porto Rico and
the Virgin Islands, Vol 17, part 1, 1951, but better with
that of the "Treatise" (''small, rounded").

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 193, Tex.
Conch., Vol. 9, (4), p. 80, (1973).

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 75-140 fms. in globigirina mud.

Geographical Range: Florida Keys and West Indies (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 10 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: none of the several species is close;
T. modesta Sowerby, 1835, is figured by Keen with a deep
sinus, but is close in sculpture.

Genus Pitar Romer, 1857.

A number of somewhat elliptically shaped (when mature), sometimes
rather inflated species, which in the western Atlantic are in need

of revision, live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. They are provisionally
assigned to the subgenera Pitarenus Rehder and Abbott, 1951, Agriopoma
and Pitar. To assign subgeneric rank to these species is difficult

and I have based my choice to a large extent on the remarks in Keen's
"Seashells of Tropical West America''’. Pitarenus and Agriopoma are
unknown in the Panamanic faunal province. Pitarenus is characterized
by a very inflated shell, somewhat pointed posteriorly and irregularly
crenulated on the ventral margin. In Pitar ss a number of smaller

and smooth small species is brought together, which according to Keen's
key of subgenera should be placed there. Agriopoma texasiana is a
difficult one to place. This typical large Texas species, which Dall
made the type of Agriopoma is usually placed in the genus Callocardia
(Treat. Inv. Paleont., Vol N, p. 678). As Keen remarks its hinge shows
clear affinities with the subgenus Pitarella Palmer, 1927 and apart
from minor differences ,in shape outline of pallial sinus etc., it may
well be that Agriopoma, Dall 1902 and Pitarella Palmer, 1927, are
synonymons.

ata

117. Pitar (Agriopoma) texasianus (Dall, 1892).

Cytherea texasiana Dall, 1892. Nautilus, Vol. 5 (12),

Do UsAcus}s\. TEORDRA 2
This large and relatively thin shelled species is a common
one on beaches in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Dr. T. E. Pulley
told me that in his opinion, the species should be assigned
to Pitar, a conclusion in which I concur. When one compares
its hinge line with that of the quite different P. cordatus
Schwengel, it is impossible to see any differences of enough
importance to warrant generic distinction. Its beaks are not
more "rolled under" than in many other species in Pitar. This
species has a long and confused history and was labelled
Cytherea idonea Conrad and Cytherea convexa Say in early faunal
lists until Dall finally labelled it Cytherea texasiana.
Abbott ("American Sea Shells") remarks that little is known
about it and today it remains as enigmatic as ever. Live
specimens are rare but can be occasionally taken from beach-
drift (High Island, Bolivar Peninsula, Port Aransas) especially
after rough seas. Thus it is surprising that I have never been
able to collect a single juvenile valve (<%inch) from the
many gallons of fine beachdrift I picked during fifteen years
of collecting except for two very small live collected pairs,
one from Christmas Bay and one from Matagorda Bay. They almost
must be juvenile P. texasianus because there is no other pos-
sibility, but if they are, P. texasianus, when juvenile, is
remarkably different from the fullgrown form. They very closely
resemble rather inflated Leptonids such as Kellia. Further
material and dissection have to prove my identification. In
one juvenile valve the arched structure of the cardinals is
clearly visible. The species sometimes dredged in offshore
waters from which it must be concluded that it probably lives
in the bays or in the immediate vicinity of the shore (surf-
zone) although reference 123 states that it is not uncommon
on the "white shrimp grounds'' and along the edge of Sabine
Bank. In contrast to the scarcity of juvenile and live speci-
mens, is the number of mature dead valves on all our beaches
from Louisiana to South Padre Island. Some phase in the life
cycle of this clam must prevent juveniles from reaching the
beach. Reference 269 mentions that R-E. Parker has dredged
live material from clay bottoms in Matagorda and Aransas Bay
and Boyer (reference 231) has reported live specimens off
Louisiana in 24-80 feet depth living in clay.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 7, (Cytherea
idonea Conrad) listed; 13, described by Dall from Texas; 14,
(Cytherea convexa Say) Indianola, Texas; 15, (Cytherea
texasiana Dall), beachworn valves moderately common on the
outer beach at Galveston; 18, Gelveston; 19, (as Callista
convexa Say) Gulf, beach worn valves only; 21, listed as
Callista convexa Say; 45, Galveston, Indianola; 56, Louisiana
to Texas; 67, Port Isabel; 110, dead shells common at
Galveston, less common on all beaches south to Port Isabel,
Plate 11, figs. 3-4; 123, not on "brown shrimp" grounds but
not uncommon on "white shrimp" grounds.< One hinged shell
taken off Pass Cavello in 11 fms. (Dec. 1950). Old shells
common along the edge of Sabine Bank; 135, dead in Gulf; 136,
not in text, but in final list; 145, shallow shelf; 160, dead
at two stations in Matagorda Bay; 170, transitional shelf

118

assemblage; 174, listed; 201, listed for mudlumps; 206, beach
records in Tex. Conch., Vol. 4 (6), p. 43, (1968) as
Callocardia texasiana, Dall, 1892); 231, live specimens off
Louisiana in 24-80 feet, clay; 269, figured on page 206.

Records H.M.N.S.: 22 lots of which 5 contain live collected
material. Bay records: Timbalier Bay (La.) and Galveston
West Bay (Christmas Bay) and Matagorda Bay.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms. (5 offshore lots) (alive: only beaches
and bays).

Geographical Range: Northwest Florida to Texas and Mexico (Abbott,
1974).

Maximum Size: /7/7 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

118. Pitar (Pitarenus) cordatus (Schwengel, 1951).
Pitaria cordata Schwengel, 1951. Nautilus, Vol. 64 (4),
Pree Se ip les moan fre OG).
This is the common Pitar of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, which
is close, if not the same, as P. morrhuanus Linsley, 1845 of
more northwestern Atlantic coasts. Also Pitar arestus Dall
and Simpson 1901, described from Puerto Rico might be
identical. The species often is found alive in silty mud,
seldom in sandy environment, in a depth range of 20-40 fms.
Not often are specimens taken on our beaches (port Aransas,
St. Joseph Island, High Island) except on Timbalier Island
(La.)and south of the Mansfield Cut on South Padre Island.

It is a very inflated, heavy shell, of dull white color, some-
times with faint pink color inside, which when mature, de-
velops a kind of posterior angle. Juvenile specimens are

much thinner and rounder and smoother and thus can be dis-
tinguished from the next species. Its ventral margin shows
fine, somewhat irregular, shallow crenulations, which are

not present in juvenile material and may be invisible in

worn material. It is uncertain whether these crenulations
justify the separation of Pitarenus from Pitarella.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 110, dead
shells rare on beaches of Mustang and Padre Islands but com-
monly taken by shrimpers in 20-30 fms.; 123, most common
pelecypod on ''brown shrimp" grounds, characteristic for it;
135, alive in Gulf; 144, reported offshore from several
locations (167, 504, 1084); 145, deep shelf; 146, deep shelf,
recent delta influence; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 170,

(as Pitar c.f. morrhuana Linsley), transitional shelf
assemblage off east Texas; 174, listed; 175, intermediate
shelf 12-35 fms. on mud bottoms, common off Texas outer shelf
40-65 fms., abundant northern Gulf coast, mud bottom; 206,
beach records, Tex. Conch., Vol. 4 (6), p. 43, (1968), 208,
shelf mud and silt; 225, (listed as Pitar morrhuana Linsley,
1845 =? Pitar cordata Schwengel) Galveston.

Records H.M.N.S.: 64 lots of which 9 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-60 fms., alive 22-40 fms. in silty or sandy
mud; also obtained from mudlump fauna.

Geographical Range: Florida Keys, Texas, Brazil, (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 48 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: none ?

119

There are three other small Pitars on the Texas coast which for
the time being cannot be identified here. One is not larger
than about 13 mm. and possesses a color pattern of irregular
brown blotches, somtimes in 21g zag form with triangular outline.
This shell is extremely like Pitar helenae Olsson, 1961 from the
Pacific province and some less intensively colored specimens
approach Pitar hoffstetteri Fischer Piette of the same province.
They do not appear to be fulminatus of the Caribbean province.
There is another somewhat larger species, occasionally taken on
Texas beaches and quite abundant in offshore waters, closely
related to Pitar cordatus, but much smaller than the latter
(maximum size 22 mm.). This might be P. simpsoni, but the

Texas specimens never show a trace of color. The third species
has a somewhat different hinge, is thin shelled, colorless and
should be classified as a Callocardia (shallow pallial sinus);
which species of the genus this is, must be further ascertained.

Pitar (Pitarella) sp. ident. (A).
This widespread, small Pitar has been mainly found in shallow
offshore waters, but only a few times on our beaches (Galveston,
Freeport, Mustang and Padre Islands). It is closely related
to Pitar cordatus Schwengel, but although it might be mis-
taken for juveniles of that species, it is much thicker and
more inflated than specimens of P. cordatus of similar size.
Only rarely found alive. It is rather triangular in shape
with rounded ventral margin and a sculpture of rather regular
growth lines which stand out as concentric ribs and prominent
umbo. It is possible that this is Pitarella simpsoni.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: Tex. Conch.,
Vol. 8 (4), p. 44 (1971) and Vol. 9 (4), p. 80 (1973) (as
Pitar sp. A.)

Records H.M.N.S.: 41 lots of which 2 were live collected.

Depth Range: 0-50 fms. (alive 25 fms.) in sandy mud.

Geographical Range: unknown.

Maximum Size: 21.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Note: This might be P. zonatus Dall, 1902, P.U.S.N.M., No. 1312,
Ppees10, Sols plas t2.) tag.. 40

Pitar (Pitar) sp. indet. B.
We have reported this species before and probably erroneously
as P. simpsoni. It is a very small species very closely
resembling P. helenae Olsson from the Panamanic province.
Its hinge line is longer, the shell shape more elliptical than
that of other species. But its immediate character is its
sometimes outspoken color pattern and in some specimens its
pink umbo. It lives on the whole, deeper than the previous
species and until more is known about it, little can be said
here apart of referring to Keen's discussion of P. helenae,
with which it is undoubtedly closely related if not identical.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, listed
as P. fulminatus; 206, Texas Conch., Vol. 8,p. 44, (1971)
(as P. stimpsoni).

Records H.M.N.S.: 16 lots of which 2 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 10-55 fms. (alive: 10-55 fms.) in sandy mud, algal
reef and miocene shale outcrops.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

120

Maximum Size: 13.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Pitar helenae Olsson, 1961, "Gulf
of California to Panama mostly offshore in depths to 45
meters" (Keen, 1971).

Ih y Bitar a(Pitan) spe aindetemC.

A valve of still another small species closely related to
the one Pitar (Pitar) sp. indet. A was dredged at one
location. It is conspicuously grooved with deep grooves
leaving broad intermediate flat areas. It could be a dis-
crepant form of the other but I doubt this.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: none.

RecOrds H.M.N.S.: 1 lot (single valve) off Louisiana.

Depth Range: 55 fms.

Geographical Range:Unknown.

Maximum Size: 9 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Genus Callocardia A. Adams, 1864.

The main difference with Pitar is the thinness of the shell, although
juvenile Agriopoma and Pitarenus also show this. In the 'Treat. Invert.
Paleont.", Vol. N, p. 677, the narrow hinge plate is given as one of
generic characters. In our specimens, this is not obvious; but clearly
visible, is the connection of the cardinals to cured arches and a

very shallow pallial sinus. In our area only a single species of the
nominate subgenus.

122. Callocardia (Callocardia) sp. indet. A.
Because of the confusion of Callocardia and some closely
resembling species in the subgenus Veneriglossa Dall of
Vesicomya (see "Treat. Invert. Paleont."', Vol. N, p. 664)
we are unable to place this species. The safest course
appears to align it with the Veneridae as the hinge as
definitely Veneroid and the shell appears as a small Pitar
with quite shallow pallial sinus. Its beaks are not particu-
larly cured as in Glossus; all Pitars are somewhat rolled-in.
For the time being we leave this species unidentified. It
resembles a pure white thin Pitar which differs from the
others also in the concentric ribbing, which is present at
a much earlier stage than in the two previously treated
species.

It is quite uncommon in our area.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S. 5 lots of which one contain live collected
material in eae mud, all off Louisiana.
Depth Range: 51-55 fms. :

Geographical Range: Unknown.
Maximum Size: 16.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Genus Costacallista Palmer, 1927.

Closely related to Macrocallista, but sculptured with strong rather flat
coneentric ridges. Examination of the material of the only species

from the Texas-Louisiana coast explains the difficulty of relating the
genus to other genera. Originally described by Dall as a Pitar, Van
Winkle Palmer in 1947 argued that this shell is more "callistid" than

121

"pitarid" in nature ("Nautilus'’, Vol. 61, p. 44-47) on such rather
unreliable characters as curvature of the posterior end, the shape

of the lunule, the flattening of the ribs and the angularity of the
pallial sinus. I have compared it with juveniles of Macrocallista
maculata which certainly are "'callistid" and find some differences

in hinge structure. These juveniles show a denticulated lateral (?)
tooth of which no vestige is present in my material of Costacallista.
Before the matter can be settled (closer relationship to Lamelliconcha
or to Callista) more and especially fresh juvenile material must be
obtained. For the time, we shall retain Costacallista here as a full
genus of Callistid affinity.

123. Costacallista eucymata (Dall, 1889).
Cytherea eucymata Dall, 1889. U.S.N.M. Proc., Vol. 12,
No AIMuS DibG “shy aeatess Pile

Of this very beautiful species, only three lots are in the
collection of H.M.N.S. It apparently lives in a very special
environment, namely that of Miocene shale, and the only
locations from which it was taken fresh are Stetson Bank and
Clay Pile Dome. There can be little doubt that it lives on
Stetson Bank because our specimens, although not live col-
lected, are beautifully fresh. They have an almost white
background on which there are dark reddish brown triangular
blotches of color. A single, very large valve, has lost its
original color and was dredged off Freeport, Texas in 26 fms.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 156, Stetson
Bank; 175, listed for upper continental slope, 65-600 fms.
Few, mostly associated with shell or calcareous deposits ©
below 65 fms.; 206, Tex. Conch., Vol. 9 (4), p. 80 (1973).

Records H.M.N.S.: Three lots from offshore Texas waters.

Depth Range: 16-25 fms. in Miocene shale mud.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to south half of Florida,
Texas to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 33 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Macrocallista Meek, 1876.
Large, ovate, smooth shells, with striking color patterns. In our area

two species, one of which is classified in the subgenus Megapitaria
Grant and Gale, 1931.

124. Macrocallista nimbosa, (Lightfoot, 1786).

Venus nimbosa Lightfoot, 1786. Portland Cat.,p. 175,

No. 3761.

Synonyms: Venus gigantea Chemintz, 1791.
This large species is in our area only known from the beaches
of Texas. Except for a single juvenile specimen dredged from
Heald Bank, no material has been obtained in offshore waters.
Very rarely obtained alive (once from the beach at Freeport
and from South Padre Island). Fragments have been rarely taken
along Galveston Island but increase in frequency to the south.
On Matagorda Peninsula, a beach which cannot be reached ex-
cept by private boats, the species is common. It is probably
that these are quite old shells, and in the past, the species
was more Widespread in most of the coastal bays than at
present. It has been reported from indian middens in the

Fac

Corpus Christi area and can also be found in pairs in spoil
banks of Corpus Christi Bay.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed
as Callista gigantea Gmelin; 15, (as Cytherea gigantea Gmelin)
common on the outer beach of Mustang and Padre Islands. A
few worn valves at Corpus Christi; 18, (as Cytherea gigantea
Gmelin) Galveston and Corpus Christi, common; 19, (as Callista
gigantea Gmelin) Gulf, beach worn valves only; 21, listed as
Callista gigantea Gmelin; 32, coast of Texas at Matagorda Bay;
45, Matagorda Bay, Texas; 54, old coastal indian kitchen
middens from Corpus Christi area; 65, (as Callista gigantea
Gmelin) Shamrock Island; 66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 69,
listed; 110, a few dead shells have been found at Port Isabel
and Port Aransas, Pl. 11, fig. 5; 126, listed for Carolianian
province; 135, dead in Gulf, dead in bays; 136, Heald Bank,
listed "alive" in final text; 170, shallow shelf assemblage;
174, listed; 206, beach records, Tex. Conch., Vol. 4, p. 43,
(1968); 269, figured on page 207.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots (no live material), one juvenile valve
from Heald Bank (34-40 ft.); all others from the beach, fresh
looking material from Matagorda Beach.

Depth Range: O-7 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, Texas (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 131 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

125. Macrocallista (Megapitaria) maculata (Linné, 1758).

Venus maculata Linne, 1758. Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 686.
This, on our beaches, an uncommon species, is widespread on
the shallow offshore shelf. Old and worn shells are occasion-
ally collected at Sargent and along Matagorda beach, but become
more common on the southern part of Padre Island, below the
Mansfield Cut. In offshore waters, live specimens are not
uncommonly dredged in sandy mud bottoms off Galveston and
Freeport. This species apparently stays away further from the
coast than M. nimbosa. Juvenile valves up to 6 mm. are common
in dredging in depths to 25 fathoms.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, (as-
Callista maculata Linne) listed; 32, listed; 45, (as Macro-
callista (Paradione) maculata Minnaces) Mustang Island, Co Corpus
Christi, Texas; 69, listed; 73, Port Aransas, Plate 4; 110,

a few dead shells at Port Teabers 136, reported from 8 stations
‘between 5-9 fms off East Texas, alive at 9 fms; 145, dead on
deep shelf; 170, transitional shelf assemblage..(10-13 fms),
alive; 174, listed; 206, beach records in Texas €onch., Vol. 4
(6), p. 43, (1968); 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251,
Yucatan shelf; 269, figured on page 206.

Records H.M.N.S.: 48 lots of which 6 contain live. collected
material always in sandy shelly mud bottoms.

Depth Range: 0-30 fms.; alive: 64-12 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, Texas and to
Brazil, Bermuda (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 78.5 mm. (beach shell South Padre Island).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not in Panamanic Province.

Genus Gouldia C.B. Adams, 1847.
Small, long lunule, subdued color pattern, radial sculpture present.

123

126. Gouldia cerina (C.B. Adams, 1845).

_—————" ——————_—"* ———_—* ———_"* |

1845.
This, the most numerous and most ubiquitous of all N.W. Gulf of
Mexico Venerids, is rarely found on our beaches. It seldom

enters the bays, but can be dredged often in large numbers in
offshore waters along the entire Texas-Louisiana coast. It is
an easily recognizable small bivalve with a surface sculpture
reminiscent of that of Semele bellastriata and as in that
species, the cancellations are quite variable in intensity.
Usually Texas specimens are a dull yellowish color but not
rarely, specimens with dark brown blotches and somewhat more
uncommonly with triangular zig zag of dark brown occur. A
carmine red blotch of color is often present on the inside under
the umbo. The species is widespread in offshore waters both

in mud and sand bottoms, Miocene shale, algal reef, coral reef
and ranges down to about 30 fathoms. Juvenile specimens abound
in most dredge samples. Taken on the beaches at South Padre
Island (rafted ashore on whipcoral) and at Port Aransas and

one specimen was dredged from the Matagorda Bay.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136, reported
from 5 stations off East Texas, alive at 9 fms; 145, deep
shelf; 147, alive on Baker Bank and Big Southern Bank; 156,
listed as Gafrarium cerina for Stetson Bank; 170, transitional
shelf environment; 175, intermediate shelf 12-35 fms., sand
bottoms, abundant whole coast; 201, mudlump fauna; 206, beach
records, Texas Conch., Vol. 4 (6), p. 43 (1968); 214, Campeche
Bank, 218 and 225, Galveston; 251, Yucatan shelf; 253, on
reef off Padre Island.

Records H.M.N.S.: 98 lots of which 20 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: O-70 fms. (alive: 6-30 fms.) in sandy mud, algal
and coral rubble, mud and sand.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, the West Indies,
Bermuda, Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 11.5 mm. (usual size about 9-10 mm.).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Gouldia californica Dall, 1917, "Gulf
of California to Panama, offshore in depths to 160 m" (Keen,
1S yf boy ie

REVIEW: SALT WATER AQUARIUM

Perhaps we can divide the community into those who have salt water
aquariums, those who have tried and finally; those who haven't attempted
it as yet. "How to Set up a Salt Water Aquarium" in the February issue
of Texas Parks and Wildlife written by Rick Pettit, starting on page 29,
is an interesting, practical article which is clear enough for me to
follow. The author recommends an aquarium with at least 20 gallon
capacity filled with synthetic sea water prepared by ‘dissolving purchased
salt in fresh water. An extended conditioning period of several weeks
allows the accumulation of bacteria on the filter which destroys ammonia
which is produced by aquatic animals and is toxic to them. Then, and
only then, is it possible to introduce fish or invertebrates gradually
and carefully. The complete article should be read by anyone consider-
ing a salt water aquarium. A local source of additional information
mentioned is Hawaiian Marine Imports at 465 Town and Country Village.

124

A BORING FIND by John Ogle

Specimens of Ostrea equestris Say, 1834 collected from oil platforms
12 and 29 miles south of the Galveston Lighthouse were found to be
bored by date mussels. Utilizing SCUBA, oysters were collected from
the pipes of the two oil platforms at depths from 6 to 21 meters.
Three to five Lithophaga bisulcata (d'Orbigny, 1842) averaging 12 m,
greatest dimension, were found in every 0. equestris examined. In
addition a specimen of Lithophaga aristata (Dillwyn, 1817) 24 mm was
found.

Both species of mussels are reported as occurring from North Carolina

to Brazil by Abbott (Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1974) and from

a station 107 miles southeast of Galveston by Turner and Boss (Johnsonia
4:81-116, 1962). Ode’ and Spears (Tex. Conch. VI (6): 59, 1970) report
i. bisulcata from Galveston but list L. aristata as unreported from
Galveston beaches.

O000000000000000000000000000

SHELL BOOKS OF THE RECENT PAST

SHEINTARO HIRASE: A Handbook of Illustrated Shells in Natural Colors

from Japanese Islands and their Adjacent Territories. Revised and

enlarged edition of A Collection of Japanese Shells (1934). By Isao
Taki, 1951.

This book probably is the first and the prototype of the successive shell
books in color published by Japanese authors. One hundred and thirty
color plates beautifully illustrate the shells. The names, sizes and
locality are in English and are readily identifiable with the pictures.

The Hirase collection of Japanese seashells including many type
specimens were destroyed during the war. However, the "printing
blocks of the color plates'' were kept in safety elsewhere. Thus,
the photographs are the only records of those specimens which Hirase
himseif had selected as the most striking ones from the collection
that he and his father had put together.

AMU ANNUAL MEETING SET FOR AUGUST AT OHIO STATE

The 42nd annual meeting of the American Malacological Union will be
held on the Ohio State University campus at Columbus, Ohio, August 2-6,
1976. The opening session will be at 7:30PM on Monday, August 2, with
an informal social at 4:00PM preceding the formal session. There will
be formal sessions of papers Tuesday through Thursday, ending with a
business meeting on Thursday. Evening activities include Conservation
Committee and Executive Council meetings on Tuesday, Shell Club Night
and Literature Auction on Wednesday and the Banquet on Thursday. A
field trip is being planned for Friday.

Housing will be in the North Residence Halls, and registration for the
sessions and for the housing may be made before July 1. Complete in-
formation on this may be obtained by calling either Margaret Baldwin
who has the club's packet of information sent out by the AMU's 76
meeting committee, or by contacting Constance Boone, our member, who
is also Recording Secretary of AMU.

125

CONCHOLOGY AND PHILATELY by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Tom Rice's publication of a series of checklists of stamps showing
marine life in four consecutive issues of OF SEA AND SHORE must

have generated a tremendous amount of interest among the readers -
particularly among those who enjoy both hobbies of conchology and
philately. Entitled "A Checklist of Aquatic Life on Postage Stamps",
the articles appeared in the issues for Vol. 6, No. 2 (Summer) 1975,
Vol. 65 No. 35) Gall) 19755 Vol. 6, No. 4: (Winter) 19 /5pacandee Volume
No. 1 (Spring) 1976.

The checklist is arranged by countries producing the stamps. For each
country, the stamps are identified separately under subject classifica-
tion of mollusks, birds, fish, plants, coelenterates, plants, mammals,
crustaceans, echinoderns, reptiles and miscellaneous. The date of issue,
the subject matter, value, and both Scott and Minkus catalog numbers
are shown. The most significant aspects of these articles are the
photographic representations of the stamps, many in color, that accom-
pany the checklists. The visual impact of the beautiful stamps is
outstanding. In the last article, the author has updated the lists.

He indicates editorially that he has undertaken the monumental task

of keeping these lists current.

Over the years, we have published in the pages of THE TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST
a series of comments and lists of seashells on stamps. The issues in
which they have appeared are listed below:

Volume IIT No. 6 January 1967
IV 7 March 1968

V 5 January 1969

V 6 February 1969

V 7 March 1969

V 8 April 1969

VI 4 November 1969
VI 5 December 1969
VIII 6 February 1972
xX 2 Septemberl1973

XI 3 March US)
XI 4 June 1975
XII 1 September1975

At the time the above articles were prepared there were no compre-
hensive lists available in print. About the only interesting and
informative of the early articles was the one written by Elmer J.
Binker, Jr., and published in SHELLS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS, June, 1964.
Even now, published lists of seashells on stamps would appear to be
extremely scarce.

The initial impetus to generate a good checklist was catalyzed by cor-
respondence with shell-collector stamp-collector hobbyists Paul Schoen
in Jacksonville, Florida and George Major in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Both of these colleagues have since died. Subsequently, two dealers,
Richard Petit and John D'Aiuto had helped to rekindle some of the old
enthusiasm.

126

Now, with the appearance of the comprehensive checklist compiled by
Tom Rice, there is little point in concocting competitive lists which
would necessarily duplicate most of the information tabulated. In-
stead, it is intended to explore in the future the various directions
in which the conchologist who collects seashell stamps could expand
his interests. Basically, philately should involve more than the
simple collection of stamps. For full enjoyment of his hobbies, it
is proposed that the collector could examine in depth the background
of the stamp issue and the scientific, economic and even political
implications of the depicted design.

As a starter, there is in preparation a review on pearls and the

pearl industry as pictured philatelically. Several countries have
shown pearls, pearl oysters and pearl farming scenes on stamps. The
extent of these activities, the geographic distribution of pearl
bearing oysters, the chemistry and practical utilization of mother-of-
pearl would seem to be interesting subjects to delve into.

Itemized below is the final list of shell stamps that have accumulated ;
in the past few months.

Face Scott

Country Value Number Mollusks Depicted
401. Russia 4k 4344 Salt water shell
402. Grenada BC 652 Leafy jewel box
403. le 653 Emerald nerite
404. 2¢ 654 Yellow cockle
405. 25.6 655 Purple sea snail
406. 50¢ 656 Turkey wing
407. 75¢ 657 West Indian fighting

conch

408. $1 658 Noble wentle trap
409. $2 659 Music volute
410. Thailand 75s 749 Mytilus smaragdinus
411. 1b 750 Turbo marmoratus
412. 2 ab Wo Oliva mustelina
413. 5b 752 Cypraea moneta
414. Samoa 30s 423 Pu shell horn
415 Congo Republic 10fr 344 Shell money

127

SE

NOTES & NEWS

. DUES PAYABLE NOTICE

Dues. for the 1976-1977 fiscal year of The Houston Conchology Society
are now payable. Our fiscal year is July 1, 1976 to June 30, 1977.

Please mail your remittance along with the form stapled to this issue
(G(o)2

Houston Conchology Society

c/o Mr. James C. Sartor, Treasurer
4 5606 Duxbury

Houston, Texas 77035

va.

According to our practice, a membership list for the next year will be
drawn up by September 1, 1976. Names on that list will continue to
receive the Texas Conchologist. Names not included will not receive

the December issue. Please pay your dues and continue to receive your

copy of the society publication without interruption.

Editor

HOUSTON CONCHOLOGY SOCIETY, INC.

1966-77 Officers

President: Mr. Wilson B. Ward, P. 0. Box 26341, Houston, Texas 77207
(645-9938)

Program Vice-President: Mr. Frank Van Morkoven, 4923 Loch Lomond,
Houston, Texas, 77035 (667-2479)

Field Trip Vice-President: Mrs. Cynthia Biasca, 5811 Cheena, Houston,
Texas, 77096 (729-4698)

Treasurer: Mr. James C. Sartor, 5606 Duxbury, Houston, Texas 77035
(i23=579'6)

Recording Secretary: Mr. Fritz Lang, 755 Eastlake, Houston, Texas
77034 (946-4755)

Corresponding Secretary: Mrs. Margaret Baldwin, 4810 Creekbend, Houston,
Texas 77035 (729-5948)

1976-77 Directors

Mrs. Merle Kleb, 2006 Milwood Court, Houston, Texas 77008 (862-4409)

Mrs. Barbara Hudson, 10702 Cypresswood, Houston, Texas 77070 (469-0620)

Mr. Lloyd Meister, 6520 Avenue I, Houston, Texas 77011 (926-3812)

Mrs. Constance Boone, 3706 Rice Blvd. Houston, Texas 77005 (668-8252)

Mrs. Rosemary Habermacher, 8210 Lettie Avenue, Houston, Texas 7/034
(991-4744)

Mr. Doug Reynolds, 7334 Denison, Houston, Texas 77020 (674-9973)

Editor of "Texas Conchologist"

128

mle, ool

Nol].

~

Forty - seven members of the Club began gathering at Mustang Isle
Apartments in Port Aransas on Friday afternoon, Séptember 10. After
a tasty wéiner feed planned and served by Dr. Pulley, it was dark
enough to go for a beach walk with lanterns. We found tiny Littorina
and a few Melampus on the jetty, but little else. Later we went to
the bay, but the shells must have been hiding. We did see a lot of
dead ones occupied by very active hermit crabs!

Saturday we were up at seven for an ample breakfast in Dr. Pulley's
apartment. Then we caravanned to the pecten beds near Corpus Christi
bridge. Argopecten irradians amplicostatus were plentiful, lying in

- the grasses, and we collected buckets-full to be used for Sunday din-

ner. Those who sat in the water and felt around the base of the

grasses were rewarded with delicate Amygdalum papyrium, two species

of Anachis, Laevicardium mortoni and Bulla striata. Dr. Pulley screened
sand in a large box to find Mulinia lateralis, two varieties of Tellina,
young Mactra fragilis and Cyclinella tenuis. Living on the pectens
were at least two kinds of Crepidula. On our way back for lunch we
stopped to collect Donax variabilis on the Gulf shore. They live by
the thousands at: tide line and by screening send we had a big bucket-
full in a few minutes.

That afternoon several crews went to work to boil the pectens and
prepare the meat for Sunday's feast. Then we set out to explore the
rocks along the ship channel. Charlie Doh dived for rocks that

Dr. Pulley showed us how to break open to find Gregariella coralliophaga,
Botula fusca, Rupellaria typica and Lithophaga bisulcata. Ruby Ray
lifted out rocks that also held Thais, Siphonaria and Anachis. After

a pleasant hour or two everyone returned to clean up and do as they
wished for the rest of the day.

Sunday after another good group breakfast we headed for the bay flats
to dig for angel wings. New shellers had to learn the difference
between the slanted siphon holes of Tagelus and the vertical ones of
Cyrtopleura costata. To the delight of all, each person had the
unique experience of digging at least one specimen. We also found
Cerithium in the grasses and a few Neritina, Odostomia and Pedipes
mirabilis.

We gathered on the terrace to enjoy a delectable meal of broiled seallops
and shrimp creole before leaving for home. Everyone agreed that it

had been a wonderful weekend. We learned a lot about where and how

to collect, besides having the fun of finding a variety of shells
ourselves. Many people expressed appreciation for the good fellow-

ship and his excellent, well-planned meals. Thanks also go to the
Courtades and to Constance Boone for a smoothly-organized and highly
successful outing. Let's do it again:

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchol ogy Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception

that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES

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EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
William R. Keeter Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron

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Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Heimer Od€ W. W. Sutow
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The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to appreval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editerial staff.

Fig. l. Busycon perversum (Linne, 1758), a rare find of
live specimens of both the normal left-handed,
or sinistral, and the extremely uncommon abnormal
right-handed, or dextral, animals. These three
inch "twins", so identical in size as to make one
think they could have come from the same egg case,
were collected June 9, 1976, at 5:00PM at low tide
in one foot of water on a mud flat near Blind Pass,
bayside, at Sanibel Island, Florida, by Mrs. Jim
(Sendra) Clark, a novice collector and a new member
of the Houston Conchology Society.

Fig. 2. Busycon perversum (Linne, 1758) dorsal views of
two shells seen in Figure 1, showing the brown
striping exhibited by young Busycon shells of
this species. We note to members that this species
is often listed as Busycon contrarium (Conrad, 1840),
a name given a fossil species by Conrad. Right
handed specimens of B. perversum have been reported
and known but no studies have been made of animals
of such specimens. Sandy Clark is keeping the
specimens alive at home and feeding them Donax.
The animals will be preserved for study.

Photos by Constance Boone

A MEMORIAL TO BILL

On June 21, 1976, our member and friend, William M. Ray, husband of
Ruby Ray, died of cancer at his home, 5010 Westbriar, Houston, Texas.

Bill was a faithful member of the Society, led to participate so
actively, probably, by his wife who fell in love with shells after
seeing our show at Sharpstown Mall in 1972 and after honeymooning
at Cozumel Island with Bill where they saw live shells. Ruby and
Bill joined the Society in January, 1973, and missed few meetings
until Bill became ill last year.

While Bill didn't collect shells as ardently as Ruby, he offered
his business experience to help solve problems for the Society and
his practical suggestions were very valuable. There was no doubt
that Bill loved the sea and its creatures. For years he has been

a fisherman and owner of a "camp" at Bay Harbor near San Luis Pass,
Galveston Island. Ruby and Bill spent almost every week-end there
during their marriage. Bill loved watching the birds and was always
interested in every mollusk or other sea animal Ruby brought home.
His natural instinct was to ask questions that demanded answers from
those of us who happened to be there when something new was brought
in from a collecting trip.

Therefore, it seems very appropriate that members who knew Bill and
the Society which wishes to remember Bill have set up a proper
memorial in our library. We have had Volume VI, Mollusca 1, of

The Invertebrates by Libbie H. Hyman, a classic in biology, but there
are five other volumes dealing with invertebrates from Protozoa
through Echinodermata and smaller Coelomate groups. All five of these
volumes and a new copy of Mollusca 1 have been purchased and will

be placed in the Houston Conchology Society's library at the Houston
Museum of Natural Science. They will be our memorial to Bill.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance E. Boone

Last spring I began to hear stories from the Port Aransas area
that the common bay pecten was back in large numbers. Having
never satisfied my own collecting for this species, I began

to ask questions about the locality of beds of such pectens in

the bays. I tried on several occasions in early spring to tramp
the grass beds near Port Aransas but tides were not right for me
to get very far by wading. In April I happened to see some nice
large pairs, beautifully cleaned, taken by several of our members
who are also members of the Conchology Group of the Outdoor Nature
Club and had been on a field trip to the Port Aransas area.

I had also learned that dredge operations connected with the
building of off-shore drilling platforms near the ferry to Port
Aransas had caused many pectens to be thrown up on sand spoil
piles and that collectors were finding the shells there. Leola
Glass tried to get into this area, but was turned back as it was
by then closed to the public.

Knowing I was going to the Port Aransas and Rockport area in July,

I called Leola at her apartment on Port Aransas (she's lucky enough
to stay there a month or so each year) and asked her to check out
once again some of the bits of information I had Been given earlier.
I was determined to find those pectens.

To recap for members, I mention here that some of the Houston
Conchology Society members in the years before 1967 know well that
beds of Argopecten irradians amplicostatus Dall, 1898 were common

in the Aransas Bay and Corpus Christi Bay areas, as well as

farther south off South Padre Isiand. Though I collected some in those
years and even found a few in the Galveston area, I never did get into
the big beds. Then hurricane Beulah hit the coast and the damage

to the bays with the eccompanying rain and continuing rain for

months changing salinity killed out marine grasses and killed

mollusks too. For some years the bay pectens hed declined in the
Galveston-Freeport area because of housing developments, canali-
zation and other pollution factors which caused the disappearance

of sea grasses. My own records show only a few very small

specimens found in the grasses in Christmas Bay. They have not

come back in abundance in this area to my knowledge.

A number of us found small specimens in recent years at South
Padre Island. Last fall I was told that beds of pectens were
showing up again in Laguna Madre near Port Isabel.

This species has been a food source for many years. I don't know
if it has ever been a major one in Texas. I expect that it is
collected by fishermen and the few others who know the taste of
scallops. On the East Coast of the U.S. and on the West Coast

of Florida the other two subspecies, Argopecten irradians
(Lamarck, 1819) and Argopecten irradians concentricus (Say, 1822),
are collected avidly for food. In North Carolina, and probably
elsewhere where the pectens are abundant, there are collecting
restrictions designed to allow the pectens to multiply and
develop to sizes considered legal for gathering. This pecten
lives only two years, according to published reports.

5

A closeup of specimens of Argopecten irradians

amplicostatus Dall, 1898, shows the strong white
adductor muscle that holds the two valves together

but also allows the species to open wide. It is
this muscie that makes delicious eating. Blue eye
eye spots are found in each scallop of the shell

edge.

bes |
eres

aQ
e
ho
e

ie

PU ENaR PB

Fig. 3. ‘A cleaned specimen of Argopecten irradians amplicostatus
exhibits the mottling of colors which range from white

to gray and red. This specimen measured two and one-half
inches in breadth.

Photos by Constance Boone

6

Leola and I headed first to the Port Aransas bay flats. We found
many valves washed up and picked these up for the club, and then

we investigated the grasses. We did not find live pectens, though
occasionally a dead pair, very dead with worm tubes and barnacles,
was found. We next went to the N. Padre Causeway bridge area
(Flour Bluff Causeway area to the North Padre Seashore). We found
stranded live specimens on shore and started out to the grasses,
confident of finding a true bed of pectens. Going no deeper than
thigh deep, we "bumped" pecten after pecten, filling our buckets.
By bumping I refer to my favorite method of collecting pectens

when the water is murky and grasses are thick. I am cautious to
shuffle my feet in heavy grasses as this is the favorite hiding
place for sting rays and crabs. I do not want to be "hit" by either.
By shuffling my tennis-clad feet and moving slowly in grasses I
"bump" objects and then reach down to recover them. That day most
of the time the objects turned out to be lively, snapping pectens.
I simply never tire of seeing the beautiful design of scallops

on the two valves and the gorgeous blue eye spots in each scallop.
I do enjoy putting the specimens in water and observing the animals
as they clap their valves together and propel themselves through
the water. I refer you to the little book, Seashells, by R. Tucker
Abbott, which on page 135 has a color picture of a living bay
scallop, not our subspecies but the same species.

Leola and I took our scallops home and boiled them quickly to
remove the muscle, the white portion of the animal holding the
valves together, for eating. This white three-quarter-inch
chunk of meat is delicious however you wish to prepare it. By
the time you see this in print I am hopeful some of you have
collected the pectens at this same locality and have eaten some
of them also. This was scheduled to be part of the field trip
to Port Aransas September 10, 11, and 12, weather and tides co-
operating. =

& %

Fig. 1. Argopecten irradians amplicostatus Dall, 1898
collected by the bucketful by Houston Conchology

Society members in July, 1976, near Corpus Christi,
Texas, in grasses in the bridge area to the North
Padre Island Seashore. This species is sought for
food. 7

Our subspecies is a fatter version of this species. Most of our
specimens are about two and one-half inches as adults, but a few
go to three inches. They are usually gray-brown-speckled white-
reddish hued on the top valves. The bottom valve is usually all
white but sometimes the umbonal area has sprinkling of brownish
red color. These specimens found in July seemed to me to have
more underlying color of red than I have noticed before. Maybe

I have never had this many to look at before. However, it now
makes more sense to me to understand why so many top valves
weather to red or orange as we find them on the gulf beaches, I
have never heard of anyone finding our subspecies with solid color
of orange or yellow as both the other two subspecies are colored
occasionally (and much sought by collectors). Both Leola Glass
and Carol Courtade have been successful in finding a number of
yellow and orange pairs live in West Florida bays. Leola tells
the story of chasing one little yellow one that swam ahead of her
after she had disturbed it. (Yes, she caught it.) My very first
time to collect this species in Florida I found a lemon yellow
one and thought for a long time I had a different species.

The Texas subspecies is not only a fatter species but it has only

12 to 17 ribs, less than either of the other subspecies. These

ribs are high and somewhat squarish. The subspecies range from

west of the Mississippi into Mexico. For a comparison of the three
subspecies, I refer you to the drawings and pictures in the Guide
Abbott, pages 210 and 211. The Second Edition of American Seashells
omits a picture of the Texas subspecies. In late July, Merle Kleb,
Carole Courtade, Barbara Hudson, Ruby Ray and I returned to the

pecten bed near Corpus. We gathered a large enough number of the
species so that we will be able to include a specimen in the educational
packs for the Museum exhibit next May. Never did I dream we would be
able to supply this species in numbers. I had expected to supply ;
valves and hoped we'd be lucky enough to get typical valves unweathered.
Even these have been scarce. Now we can use the specimens as ‘specimen
shells" with correct labels to demonstrate this for the public.

This article has been only on pectens, but members involved in the
pecten hunts also collected other species in the grasses. One should
be reported because of the large size. We found one and one-fourth
inch live Bulla striata Bruguiere, 1792. Dead specimens of this

size are common on southern beaches, but live ones are not common.

These sea grasses, incidentally, are not ail the same, and I do

not attempt identification here. For some years I have wanted to
know the sea grasses and algaes to better describe habitats of
mollusks and to help decide food supply for some species. The
publication I sought was out of print but this summer has been re-
printed. I refer to Peter Edwards' Illustrated Guild to the Seaweeds
appeared in September, 1970, in Vol. 15 of Contributions in Marine
Science by the University of Texas Marine Science Institute. It may
be obtained now for $7.30 from the University of Texas Press, P. 0.
Box 7819, Austin, Texas 78712.

LIGHTED CASES ORDERED FOR MUSEUM SHOW, MAY, 1977

The Houston Conchology Society voted at the August meeting to order
twenty-four lighted cases for the major shell exhibit to be staged
at the Houston Museum of Natural Science the first two weeks of
May, 1977.

As reported before to members, Dick Craven of Seguin has agreed to
make the cases. Price for each case will be $40.00, completely
finished with lights. The cases will be thirty inches deep by
thirty-six inches wide with eight inches in the back and tapering
to four inches at the front. Two cases, thus, will fit on a six
foot rental table. The cases will be made of three-quarter birch
cabinet plywood with a black felt bottom and double strength glass
top. Solid brass hasp and hinges will be used. All exposed wood
surfaces will be stained inside and out in a dark walnut. Case
lighting will consist of two forty watt show case light bulbs at top
back of the case with decorative plastic cover, switch, ten foot
electrical cord, and plug.

Delivery will be made in Houston by March 1, 1977. The Society has
sent in the required down payment of 25% of the order on placement
of the order.

Members may purchase the cases and may order these now from the
chairman. Most have already been sold, so do call soon. The cases
will be assigned to exhibitors and used for the show first. Please
do understand this. Individuals who purchase the cases will re-
ceive their cases after the show unless they are using them in
special exhibits at the show. You must, however, pay for the cases
by March 1.

Constance E. Boone, Show Chairman
Telephone: 668-8252

Merle Kleb and Barbara Hudson ask that members who wish to help

in cleaning shells, purchased by the Museum for inclusion in the
shell packs to be prepared for sale to the Museum and offered the
public during the show next May, call them immediately so that the
work can be done early during the year. You will be given Philippine
mix to clean and clorox at home. Packing of trays will take place
next spring. To this material we will add shells from any location,
donated by members. We need all kinds and sizes of shells. Please
co-operate in this project.

M. Kleb, Tel: 862-4409
B. Hudson, Tel: 469-0620

NEEDS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PACKS OUTLINED

Margie Woods, chairman of the educational packs for the major show
at the Houston Museum of Natural Science the first two weeks of
May, 1977, is anxious to get started on her assignment and urges
members to provide species of Texas shells for her use in the packs.

We especially need good pairs (especially medium sized pairs of
large species) and live-taken or good dead specimens of the following
species:

Anadara ovalis, Anomia simplex, Architectonica nobilis,

Atrinas, Brachidontes recurvus, Bulla striata, Busycon perversum,
Busycon spiratum (Texas ones), Cerithidea pliculosa, Crepidula
plana, Dinocardium robustum, Hastula salleana, Janthina janthina,
Littorina irrorata, Mercenarias, Murex fulvescens, Noetia ponderosa,

Phalium granulatum, Polinices duplicatus, Sinum perspectivum,
Spirula spirula, Teilina alternata, Terebra dislocata, and Raeta

plicatella.

If you note that some of the species you think we ought to use are
missing from this jist, it is possible for you to supply other Texas
specimens you have, We will not turn any down, but we have a good
start for some species already and omit some in this critical list
of needs.

You may bring the specimens to any meeting or call any of the com-
mittee members listed below for pickup.

Margie Woods, Tel.: 688-3937
Leola Glass, Tel.: 688-6830
Ruby Ray, Tel.: 621-4526

— —__—. =
—_—— ——
—_—_

A new club for shellers is organized for the Dallas, Fort Worth,
Texas, area. The North Texas Conchology Society had its first
meeting July 21, 1976, in Richardson at the public library. Richard
Fullington of the Dallas Museum of Natural History talked on shell
collecting on the Texas coast. Anyone in that area may contact

Mrs. Charles Tatay, 7216 Clearhaven, Dallas, Texas 75248, for in-
formation on the meetings.

10

SOME HISTORICAL CURIOS H. Ode-

In reading through some old issues of the Journal de Conchyliologie,
I came across some short notes which, I believe, will be of some
interest to our readers. The famous journal, which for many decades
during the nineteenth century was filled with interesting articles

by H. Crosse and P. Fischer, names which should be known to many

of our readers, proved so interesting that I almost forgot the article
I was looking for. No wonder. I suddenly realized in how direct

a style, and in what clear and unambiguous sentences most authors ex-
pressed their thoughts. The quality of the articles, due in no

small measure to the excellence of its editors, is by no means
inferior to what is produced today. Today, although our information
about all aspects of conchology may be much more extensive, although
the scope of subjects treated may be wider and perhaps often more
interesting and although the technical outlay of our publications

may be much more sophisticated especially as far as photography and
allied techniques are concerned, nevertheless, I feel that some-
times the more serious and often somewhat pedantic tone in modern
scientific reporting constitutes a loss in readability. The old
journals did not feel the need to employ the heavy professional
jargon so often met with the present day professional reporting.

The first note here translated from the original French in the Journ.
de Conchyl. Vol. 13, p. 68, 1865, comes from the pen of H. Crosse
who reported on "The Intervention of Molluscs and Cirrhipeds in

the American Conflict" (cirrhipeds = barnacles). It came to me
somewhat as a surprise when reading it to see conchology, which

in my mind has somewhat of a timeless nature, so intimately inter-
woven with the mundane affairs of men. The translation, somewhat
freely abbreviated here and there is as follows:

"The latest American journals have disclosed a rather curious
scientific fact, which is sufficiently related to natural
history that we may relate it here. One knows that the main
passes of Mobile Bay have been reinforced by Confederates by
means of destructive devices known as torpedoes (nowadays, we
would say mines) and set up in such a way as to explode under
vessels which would touch them when passing over. After some
time, the metal enclosure of these terrible machines is covered
to such a degree and encrusted by sessile molluses and balanoids
that the motion of the exterior pin whose sudden release causes
the explosion, has in most cases become impossible. This unfor-
seen intervention has greatly facilitated the naval operations
of the admiral who commanded the forces of the North in these
regions and perhaps saved him from disaster. Thus, also the
molluscs give their opinion in the American conflict: they oppose
the war. If the members of the congress, now that the war is
over, were not so busy quarrelling amongst each other, they
would have a fine occasion to bestow some "diplomes d'honneur."

The next article to which I will draw attention is one by P. Fischer
entitled "Note sur les faimes Conchyliologiques des deux rivager

de l'osthme de Suez'' (Note concerning the mollusc faunas of the

two sides of the Isthmus of Suez), Journ. de Conchyl., Vol. 13,

p- 241-248, When the modern reader persues this paper he must

be struck by the forthright manner in which scientists used to give

dak

their opinion about the work of their colleagues. If that work
was poor or sloppy, they would not hesitate to say so. Nowdays
the method when discussing a poor paper, is either to say nothing
or to be extremely brief and noncommittal. This may be political
but is is unfair to those whose excellent contributions to science
are not reviewed. I cannot imagine that in a critical review
nowdays, a previewer would dare to write (p. 242): ''Audouin (the
name of the author whose work is being discussed) has undertaken
to finish the interrupted work of Savigny (who lost his eyesight)
and the study that he has produced is an tissue of errors and gross
mistakes: Audouin does not recognize even the best characterized
species and mixes up quite different forms. Let us hope that Mr.
Deshayes soon will repair the damage done to the work of Savigny
by his pretended successor.”

Concerning the study itself, I may remark that Fischer is one of

the first authorSto refer explicitly to the occurrence of identical
species on both sides of the Isthmus of Panama, (p. 243), although
more than a century ago he could have no inkling how many species

the Caribbean and Panamanic Province have in common. In consequence,
he uses the very low number of common species as an argument to
reinforce his thesis that there are no common species in the Eastern
Mediterranean fauna and the fauna of the Red Sea. For us, the rather
striking equality of Caribbean and Panamanic faunas and the strik-
ing inequality of the Mediterranean and Erythrean fauna's is more
easily understood having the advantage of a century of geologic
insight. The Red Sea is an ocean in its initial stages of formation
and which during the recent geological past was not in direct com-
munication with the Mediterranean, whereas the Isthmus of Panama

was, geologically speaking, recently formed. Fischer comes to the
conclusion that Philippi's comparison of the Red Sea fauna and the
Mediterranean fauna which led him to believe that they had about

20% of the mollusc species in common is completely erroneous: "There
is in my mind no shadow of a doubt that both faunas have no shell

in common," (page 245).

Finally, I may refer to a much later short review of Crosse (Journ.
de Conchyl.,Vol. 42, p. 146, 147, 1894, in which he discussed a

note by Dall concerning the publication dates of Conrad and of Lea,
two well known adversaries in American Conchological. history. Although
familiar with this scientific controversy, its depth was unknown

to me. This was somewhat comparable in its vicious intensity to the
fight, fortunately largely ignored in America, over the mechanical
causes of salt dome formation, which shook Western European geologists
around the beginning of this century and which produced some of

the most sarcastic language one may read in a "scientific (?)" paper.
Crosse writes: "One of the combattants, more wealthy than the other,
abused this advantage to buy up all available copies of the "Fossils
of the Tertiary Formation'' and to destroy them, which certainly
constitutes a very reprehensible behavior, unworthy ofa naturalist.
In this purely American battle the number of "'scalped copies" must
have been considerable which contributed in no small measure in
making the two works of Conrad very rare and which caused much
obscurity over the problem of priority, debated between the two
antogonists, whose publications appeared almost at the same time

and whose diagnoses often apply to the same species."

a brs

SHELLING ON CULEBRA ISLAND by Margaret Baldwin

Having read an article praising the fine beaches and quiet atmosphere
of Culebra, a small island off the east coast of Puerto Rico, we
decided to try it. We flew to Miami, then to San Juan. From there

a sturdy eight seater plane took us low along the northwest coast of
Puerto Rico and out past coral-edge islets. We landed neatly on a
small air strip close to Dewey, Culebra's only settlement. Met by
Jack Vincent, owner of Villa Boheme, we piled luggage and ourselves
into his ancient dune buggy and rattled into town to buy supplies
from depleted shelves in a small grocery. The ferry had broken down
two weeks before, so we had to be content with dry milk, crackers

and canned items. Our quarters included a screened kitchen and dining
area built on a little dock overlooking the harbor. Jack said we
could use the dinghy and a small motorboat - also, the dune buggy

and jeep. His wife Matilda loaned me a huge palm-leaf hat which
proved a blessing.

The island is only eleven square miles, its hills heavily overgrazed
and extremely dry. Somehow the rain often bypasses Culebra. They
had to build a desalinization plant and the taps are turned off from
midnight to 7:00AM to conserve water. Although the interior leaves
something to be desired, Culebra's shoreline indeed is unpopulated,
beautiful and clean; the water delightfully clear and warm. The
air temperature remained in the mid-80's during our stay, but the
humidity never reached that in Houston and the constant trade wind
kept us comfortable, even in full sun. We quickly learned to wear:
shirts, long pants and sneakers everywhere - necessary protection
against sunburn, sea urchins, coral and rocks.

That first afternoon we explored the shore of Sardinas Bay near
Dewey, finding on the rocks many large chitons, three kinds of Tegula,
Leucozonia nassa, L. ocellata and countless Planaxis nucleus.

Next day we drove the dune buggy to Flamingo Bay and walked a good
way west over rough rocks splashed with oil, the result of U.S. Navy
ships cleaning out their tanks in the open sea. The cliffs in this
area were targets for gunnery practice till last year, when the Navy
ceased using Culebra and its waters as a training ground. Snorkeling
over dead coral rubble proved unrewarding, except for the spiny
lobster Lisle caught - a gorgeous creature patterned in black and
yellow. So we headed for the other side of Flamingo Bay and dis-
covered enchanting coral gardens there, a fantasy in form and color.
Fish with bizarre shapes and markings paid no attention to us. We
floated among them till the sun dropped low. I found a perfect
Epitonium lamellosum in the rocks and a live Conus mus.

Next day we drove across the island of Playa Largo on the north shore
and explored the reef, wading in a few inches of water at low tide.
By examining and turning chunks of dead coral, we found lots of
Astraea caelata, a few Astraea tuber, young Cittarium pica, Tegula
and three kinds of Thais - all live. On the eel grass closer to
shore were Ceritheum litteratum and Turbo castanea. The rock shelves

13

near tide line were jeweled with hundreds of brightly-marked Nerita

peloronta, N. variegata and N. tesselata. Nowhere else did we find
bleeding tooth nerites with such distinct and varied patterns.

Another day we went further down the beach and around a point to the
lovely bay of Puerto del Manglar and were thrilled to find two live
trumpet tritons and a pretty Fasciolaria tulipa in the warm shallows.
Dozens of ugly foot-long sea slugs in morbid shades of red and green
lay extended in the eel grass and we saw several sea hares languidly
flapping along - such queer creatures. After digging live Heterodonox
bimaculatus from a sand slope near tide line and picking up a sack-
ful of fresh-dead Codakia orbicularis, we had lunch in a coconut

grove and rested in its shade.

One day we took the sailing dinghy to the mouth of Ensenada Honda

to experiment with our small dredge and to practice fanning the sand
in three to four feet of water. Lisle has good luck with both. He
collected a handful of elegant netted olives (0. reticularis),
another of large Bulla striata and a couple of Polinices lacteus.

We also found Pinna carnea, Vasum muricatum and colorful young
Strombus gigas, some with long spines, others only with knobs. We
sailed home under a flaming sunset sky and I stayed up till midnight
cleaning shelis!

One of our favorite beaches was Tamarind Bay. The coral gardens here,
though quite different from the ones in other places, were just as
fascinating. We saw game fish here and Lisle nearly stepped on a
stingray. It was exciting to find flamingo tongues (Cyphoma gibbosum)
on searod gorgonians and sometimes on sea fans. Lisle collected two
of an uncommon species (Cyphoma signatum), its mantle decorated with
crowded black lines. By fanning he uncovered some Linga pensylvanica
and a large Tellina fausta. I enjoyed probing coral crevices for
Astraea phoebia and Acmaea antillarum. On the rocky shore we collected
several kinds of Periwinkle, Purpura patula and most interesting of
all, Lima scabra and the more delicate L. scabra tenera. The animals
are scarlet, their fringe of tentacles a showy sight. I also pick-

ed up a big glossy Tonna maculosa, a fresh-dead Cymatium pileare

and a dainty pink Conus jaspideus verrucosus.

On our last day we went out with a driver to find Strombus gigas.
Isabello let the boat drift about 100 yards off Zoni Beach while
he and Lisle hung on with one arm and looked through their face
masks for large conchs. Lisle said the sand 20-30 feet down was
littered with conchs of all sizes. Isabello brought up about
eight really large specimens and more small ones. We picked three
with flaring lips and deep color. The rest he took home or gave to
the Vincents. Matilda ground the meat and let us sample some of
the tasty fritters she made.

We left Culbera reluctantly, loaded with close to 25 pounds of shells,
happy memories and an improved knowledge of how to collect.

14

LET THE BUYER BEWARE by Frank Petway

In the past several years I have had many dealings with shell dealers
locally, throughout the country and many outside the country. I

have never had any trouble with any of them as to what I'm ordering,
quality, quantity, price, or when the order would be filled.

Recently, (April, 1976), some friends and I ordered several bushels
of shell dredgings from an establishment on the East coast of Florida.
Upon inquiring, we were told that these dredgings were from the

East coast of Florida and we could order from various locations and
depths. After paying for the order and sending several letters,

(of which none were acknowledged), inquiring as to when the dredgings
were to be shipped, several phone calls were made pertaining to this
matter. We were told in July, 1976, that they had been shipped the
first part of June but no invoice was ever received by us. After
another phone call we were assured that the bushels had been shipped.
In early September, 1976, the dredgings arrived but again no invoice
was ever received by us. After arrival we were surprised to find
that absolutely no locailty data or depth was given. To many shell
collectors, the lack of locality data makes the material useless.

In the past several years I have gone through many bushels of shell
dredgings from both coasts of Florida from depths ranging from 40 feet
to 110 fathoms. My bushels on this particular order were to be from
80 fathoms, but from the material found I must say that in my opinion,
this dealer has found a very unique area because these deep water
dredgings contained many shells from normally shallow water.

I would like to make it clear at this point that I am not seeking
restitution or advocating not dealing with this dealer. I am merely
stating the. facts as I know them and from them any future consumer
can make up their own minds.

Anyone wanting further information on this matter, please feel free
to contact me.

Frank Petway

2431 Brookmere
Houston, Texas 77008

15

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph)
by H. Ode’

Genus Cyclinelila Dali, 1902.
Much like Dosinia, but without anterior lateral teeth and incised lunule
(Keen). Smooth margin.

127. Cyclinella tenuis (Recluz, 1852).

Dosinia (Artemis) tenuis Recluz, 1852. Journ. Conch. 3,

Den 2 Oe Die LO Liece le lac (4s pa 4 ODS).

This rather thin shell, much like a small Dosinia is fairlv
common along the Texas coast. It enters the bays {Timbalier
Bay, Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, Corpus Christi Bay) and
also lives on the shallow shelf. Never in large numbers and
dredge samples usually yield only a few valves. It has been
incorrectly placed in the genus Lucinapsis (*Mysia), which
is Petricolid. Andrews cites from Abbott and Warmke a size
of up to two inches, but it never reaches so large a size in
the N.W. Gulf of Mexico (30 mm.). Beach specimens are some-
what uncommon but have been taken along the entire Texas
coast. Although mature specimens resemble Dosinia somewhat
in shape, a study of the hinge, especially of juvenile
material,discloses that both genera are quite different.
Juvenile Cyclinella have a peculiarly unequal "ventral
margin'' of the hinge plate, quite different from Dosinia.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 19, (as
Lucinopsis tenuis Recl.) Gulf beach; 21, (as Lucinopsis
tenuis Recl.) listed; 45, listed for Texas; 98, listed for
the bays; 110, fresh valves at Port Aransas; 145, listed;
153, listed; 156, Stetson Bank; 160, Matagorda Bay, dead; 164,
Rockport area, alive in open bays, Laguna Madre, dead in
inlet hypersaline environment; 170, listed for transitional
shelf assemblage; 174, listed; 206, beach records in Tex.
Conch., Vol. 4 (7), p. 50 (1968); 225, Galveston; 236,
Galveston; 261, shallow offshore waters (Galveston); 269
figured on page 208.

Records H.M.N.S.: 43 lots of which two contain live material

(Galveston West Bay).
Depth Range: 0-30 fms. (mostly in sandy mud), alive 0-0.5 fms.
Geographical Range: Virginia to Texas and to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).
Surinam (Altena, 1971).

Maximum Size: 30 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Cyclinella singleyi Dall, 1902.
"Scannon's Lagoon, Baja California, to the head of the Gulf
of California and south to Panama, mostly beyond the low tide
level especially in estuaries'' (Keen, 1971).

16

128. Dosina discus (Reeve, 1850).

Artemis discus Reeve, 1850. Conch. Icon., 6, pl. 2, fig. 9.
This is a very common beach species, often washed ashore alive
after stormy weather. It often lives near the inlets rather
deeply buried in the sand and presumaple in the surf zone all
along the Louisiana and Texas coastline. Offshore it has
been taken in deep dredgings, but I suspect that most of this
material is of Pleistocene derivation. The species does
rarely reach a size in excess of 80 mm. and thus is about the
same as D. elegans Conrad, in size, but is flatter, thinner
and much more densely striated. Juvenile specimens are dif-
ficult to separate from those of D. elegans. Rarely in the
coastal bays.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
15, common at Galveston and Corpus Christi; 18, Galveston and
Corpus Christi; 19, Gulf coast from peninsula (Matagorda) to
Corpus Pass; 21, listed; 45, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Tex.;
58, Padre Island; 61, listed; 62, Mustang and St. Joseph
Island; 65, usually found in pairs, (Port Aransas); 66
Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel; 69, listed in
Appendix 8; 73, Indianola, Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, Plate
3; 98, Padre Island; 110, in shallow water off all Gulf beaches,
Plate 11, figs. 1, 2; 126, listed for Carolinian province;
135, alive in bays, alive in Gulf; 136, dead shells on East
Texas beaches, offshore alive in 9, 8 and 6 fms; 143,
Matagorda Bay; 145, upper sound, inlets, shallow shelf
Mississippi delta; 153, listed in Table 1, 156, common on
Stetson Bank (may not be living near bank now); 160, dead
in Matagorda Bay; 164, in Rockport area, dead in open bay,
bay margins, alive near inlets; 170, alive in shallow shelf
environment; 174, listed; 175, listed for inner shelf 2-12
fathoms, common along whole coast; 206, beach records in
Texas Conch., Vol 4 (7), p. 50, (1968); 208, listed for "shelf
mud and silt","barrier face and bars" and “tidal inlet and
influence environment"; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 261,
shallow offshore, Galveston; 269, figured on page 207.

Records H.M.N.S.: 33 lots, of which 8 contain live collected
material (all from sandy beaches and inlets).

Depth Range: 0-43 fms. (alive: 0-1 fms.) The species is known
alive from 9 fms off east Texas, and this is grobably its
maximum depth.

Geographical Range: Virginia to Florida, Texas and Bahamas
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 85 mm. (beach worn specimen).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Of the three Panamanic species, none
seem close.

129. Dosinia elegans (Conrad, 1844).

Artemis elegans Conrad. Proc. Acad, Nat. Sci., Phila l,

p.- 325, 1844,
This species replaces D. discus in offshore waters. It lives
along the Texas coast and probably Louisiana, but no material
from the latter state is included in the collection of H.M.N.S.
It is rare on our beaches except south of Corpus Christi where
worn specimens are regularly found. In ref. 136, reported

L7

from east Texas beaches, but the most easterly specimen we
have is from Sargent beach. A specimen obtained from between
the Freeport jetties is probably a trawler shell. Not in the
bays, nor in the inlets.

Previous records from the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
21, listed; 32, listed; 45, Texas"; 61, listed; 62, Mustang
Island; 69, listed; 110, a few dead shells from the Gulf beach
at Port Isabel; 136, dead on beach of east Texas. Listed
"alive" in final list; 170, listed for transitional shelf
environment; 175, listed for inner shelf 2-12 fathoms; 206,
beach records in_ Texas Conch., Vol.4, p. 50, 1968; 208,
listed for "shelf mud and silt", tidal inlet and influence"

“(note: identification in error); 269, figured on page 208.

Records H.M.N.S.: 51 lots, no live, but only fresh material
seen, (one lot from 51 fms. is probably adventitious).

Depth Range: 0-32 fms.

eaten Range: North Carolina to Texas; Caribbean (Abbott,

74).

Maximum Size: 80 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Dosinia ponderosa Gray, 1838, comes
closest but reaches a much larger size. "Baja California to
Paitu, Peru, offshore to 60 meters" (Keen, 1971). i

Note: In references also D. concentrica Born, 1780, has been
listed.

There is hardly any doubt that these reports are in error.
Ref. 1 states: very common (at Galveston). Undoubtedly

D. discus Reeve is meant. Ref. 67 lists the species for Port
Isabel. This must be D. elegans Conrad, beeause the same
reference lists also D, discus Reeve.

Genus Gemma Deshayes, 1853.
Small bivalves with crenulate inner margin. They are probably unrelated
to the Veneridae. In Texas a single species of uncertain identity.

130. Gemma purpurea (H.C. Lea, 1842).

Cyrena purpurea Lea, 1842. American Journ. Sci., 41, p. 106,

pli. Liege 1:
This small species has been taken at a number of locations along
the south Texas coast. One old valve was obtained in offshore
dredgings and another derives from 36 fathoms from an algal
reef off Louisiana. The Texas form is a rather thick shelled
bivalve, with many closely spaced concentric ridges. The
marginal crenulations are only visible in very fresh material.
Abbott has suggested that this species is distributed by
migrating waterfowl, but I believe that it is truly indigenous
and probably is a descendant of what Olsson and Harbison
have described as Gemma magna floridana ("Monograph 8", Acad.
National Sci., Phila, 1953, p. 119, pl. 8, fig. 5). Texas
specimens have little color, almost a faint pink bloch near the
umbo can be seen. Mrs. C. Boone has collected live specimens
at Port Aransas in the very superficial mud layers of mud flats.
Dead valves have been collected also in Matagorda Bay (Indianola).
The shape of this species is somewhat variable. The figure in
ref. 269 shows a somewhat asymmetrical specimen, but usually
its shape has the umbo more near the middle of the shell.
Further comparison with material from the North Atlantic coast-
line is necessary and the status of such species as G. gemma
Totten, 1834, G. purpurea Lea, 1842, G. manhattensis Prime,
1852, G. fritensis Rehder, 1939, Gemma magna Dall, 1902 and Gemma
floridana Olsson 2d Harbison, 1953 should be evaluated.

18

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 18, Shamrock
Cove, Corpus Christi Bay, not common; 32, Pleistocene of the
Texas coast at Corpus Christi; 44, repeats 18 and 32; 55, (as
G. concentrica Dall, 1889 (nomen nudum), listed; 165, listed;
206, beach records in Texas Conch., Vol. 4 (7), p. 50, (1968);
269, figured on page 209.

Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-36 fms. (alive at 9 fms.)

Geographical Range: If there is only a single species in the
western Atlantic, then the range is from Nova Scotia to Florida
and the Bahamas (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 3.6 mm. (Lydia Amn Channel near Port Aransas).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Gemminae do not live in Panamanic
Province.

Genus Parastare Conrad, 1862.

Close to Gemma, but more trigonal, higher (vertical dimension longer)
ligament under beak.

131. Parastarte triquestra (Conrad, 1835).
Astarte triquetra Conrad, 1845. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila.
3, p. 24; pl. lL, fig. 6.
A single valve of this well known Florida species was collected
once at San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, from drift. It could
be adventitious with waterfowl, because the species has never
been dredged or found elsewhere or at other occasions. Abbott
mentions the species with a question mark for Texas in his
“American Seashells".
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Beach
records in Texas Conch., Vol. 6 (8), p. 83, (1970).
Records H.M.N.S.: One lot from San Luis Pass, Galveston Island.
Depth Range: O-1 fms.
Geographical Range: Both sides of Florida (to Texas?) (Abbott,
1974).
Maximum Size: Not measured.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not in Panamanic Province.

Remarks:
A number of species has been reported in various sources for the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico, which so far have not been found by us:

Chione (Chioniopsis) pubera Valenciennes, 1827. Ref. 56 lists ‘'Texas"
and also the new edition of "Tory Peterson's Field Guide" repeats
this statement. Pulley (Ref. 110) has already expressed doubt
about. its occurrence off Texas.

Venus pilua Reeve (Ref. 7) for deep water. I do not know what species
is meant (Divaricella?)

Chione pygmaea Lamarck, 1818. Listed for Yucatan (Ref. 214).

Gouldia insularis Dall & Simpson, 1901, listed for Yucatan (Ref. 214).

Pitar aresta Dall & Simpson, 1901, listed in Ref. 174.

Pitar fulminata Menke, 1830, listed for Baker Bank and Big Southern
Bank by Ref. 147; for Stetson Bank (common), Ref. 156, and for
Yucatan, Ref. 214. This may be the small Pitar helenae of the
Pacific.

Pitar (Hysteroconcha) dione Linné, 1758. References to this species
keep appearing and cannot be stopped, although IL am certain that
the species does not live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. It was
first listed in Ref. 7, then in Ref. 15, repeated in Ref. 45 and
finally in Ref. 56; all these are probably copied from the

19

original guess by Dall. The latest to repeat the reference is
Clench in "Peterson's Field Guide" (3rd. edition, 1973).

Pitar albida Gmelin, 1792. Erroneously reported by me (Texas Conch.,
Vol. 9, (4), p. 80) from a mishappen specimen of P. Agriopoma

cordatus Schwengel. Also, Parker (Ref. 175) has reported this
species.

FAMILY PETRICOLIDAE

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the genera Petricola
and Rupellaria.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Inv. Paleont., Part N.,
p- 688-689. Regteren Altena: Zool. Meded.
Nat. Hist. Mus. Ryks University Leider, Decl.
45: (©) Det? D105). Plo Wi ati es do.

Genus Petricola Lamarck, 1801.

In our area there are two forms, one belonging to the nominate subgenus,
characterized by fine devaricate sculpture and the development of a
calcareous crust over the valves, the other to the subgenus Petricolaria
Stolickaza, 1870, of elongate form with somewhat nodose radial sculpture.

132. Petricola (Petricola) lapicida (Gmelin, 1791).
Venus lapicida Gmelin, 1791, Syst. Nat., 6, p. 3269 (after
Chemintz, Conch. Cab., 10, p. 356, pl. 172, figs. 1664-
1665).
This small species has been uncommonly collected in the north-
western part of the Gulf of Mexico. A few specimens have been
taken from cavities bored in larger shells (Murex fulvescens
from Padre Island, coll. Odé) and live specimens were taken
from in between byssus attachments of Arca umbonata at South
Padre Island, where the latter species tives attached to
rocks at the Coast Guard Station. Also at Port Aransas.
Offshore P. lapicida lives on the submerged Pleistocene
ridges off Freeport. It should be noted that here A. umbonata
is living abundantly.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 69, listed
in Appendix 8; 192, Campeche Bank (not in our area); 206,
Beach Records in Texas Conch., Vol.2, Issue (8).

Records in H.M.N.S.: 8 lots of which 2 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-12 fms.

Geographical Range: South half of Florida, South Texas and the
West Indies, Bermuda, Brazil, (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: Not measured. x

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

133. Petricola (Petricolaria) pholadiformis gracilis Deshayes, 1853.
Petricola gracilis Deshayes, Proc- Zool. Soc. London (no

description), pl. 18, figs, 9, 9a. id. Cat. Conch. Brit.
Mus., p. 214.
This common species, usually reported as P. pholadiformis
Lamarck, lives along the entire Louisiana and Texas coast.
In this region most fresh and juvenile valves show a purplish
protoconch, which sometimes is abundant in beachdrift.

20

Specimens are long and thin, almost cigar shaped, and are
quite different in appearance from those of. colder Atlantic
waters on the east coast north of Cape Hatteras. The same
slender form apparently lives on the north coast of South
America and we have followed Van Regteren Altena in naming
the Texas form P. pholadiformis gracilis Deshayes.

P. pholadiformis is here considered the cold water form.
During the start of this century it was introduced, probably
with oyster spat along the western European coast, where it
has rapidly spread from France into the North Sea.

P. p. gracilis is a widespread and common burrower in soft
muddy substrate and root masses along the bay margins of
Louisiana and Texas coastal bays. Also reported from shallow
offshore waters (east Texas). Pairs are often found in
_beachdrift. :

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: (references
are all as P. pholadiformis Lamarck) 1, Galveston Island;

7, listed; 15, single valve somewhat common at Galveston and
Corpus Christi; 18, listed; 19, Matagorda Bay; 21, listed;

45, repeats 1, 4, 18; 56, listed for Texas; 61, listed; 62,
Mustang Island; 67, Port Isabel; 69, common along all the bay
shores; 98, bays,, beach Padre Island; 110, dead shells com-
mon on_ all Gulf beaches, living in Galveston and Aransas Bays,
plate 11, Figs. 6-7; 135, dead in bays; 136, in Beaumont Clay,
exposed on beach, the most characteristic element, (East Texas
fauna); 145, inlets; 146, levee assemblage; 159, Matagorda Bay;
164, dead in Rockport area; 170, shallow shelf assemblage; 174,
listed; 175 listed for several assemblages; 206, beach records
in Texas Conch,, Vol. 2 (6), (1966); 217, more abundant during
spring and summer than during fall and winter (east Texas coast);
225, Gaiveston; 236, Galveston; 264, cites Galveston; 269,
figured on page 214.

Records H.M.N.S.: 20 lots of which 3 contain live collected material.

Depth Range: 0-27 fms. (alive 0-1 fm.) but probably living to
10 fms. one lot from 27 fms. (a single fragmentary shell is
probably Pleistocene).

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida and to Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 45 mm. It does not reach the larger size of the cold
water form and a size of 2 inches quoted in ref. 269 is not
based on N.W. Gulf of Mexico shells.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Petricola parallela Pilsbry and Lowe,
1932, Gulf of California, south to Corinto, Nicaragua, to 15 m.

Genus Rupellaria Fleuriau, 1802.
A more rounded shell, with strong radial riblets.

134. Rupellaria typica (Jonas, 1844).
Choristodon typicum Jonas. JZeits, Malak. 1, page 185.
Also Beitrage Mollusk., p. 1, pl. 7, fig. 3.
This shallow water species has been found at a number of
locations offshore and along the coastal beaches. It is a
borer and most occurrences are from rocks, although some-
times loose valves can be found in beach drift (Sargent, Port
Port Isabel, Port Aransas). Seldom collected from the bays
(Port Aransas). In our collection, no specimens from the
Louisiana coast are present.

en

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 69, listed
in Appendix 8; 110, "A few specimens were found burrowing in
limestone rocks in the Port Aransas jetty", plate 11, figs. 8,
9; 135, alive in the bays (Parker and Lee); 174, listed; 206,
beach records in, Texas Conch., Vol. 2 (7), (1966); 253, listed;
269, figured on page 214.

Records in H.M.N.S.: 14 lots of which 3 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-21 fms. (alive: 6-12 fms.).

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida and to Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size : 28.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Rupellaria robusta Sowerby, 1834.
"Puerto Penasco and the Gulf of California south to Guayaquil
Ecuador, boring in hard clay", Keen, 1971.

FAMILY COOPERELLIDAE

The simple hinge structure without lateral teeth is characteristic. In
the Texas faunal province only a single genus Cooperella.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
pt.).2,p.,, 689-690.

Genus Cooperella Carpenter, 1864,
In general, rather thin somewhat quadrate shells.

135. Cooperella c.f, atlantica Rehder, 1943.

The only evidence for this species is a broken valve (ventral
margin missing) which clearly shows a Cooperellid hinge. More
material is required for confirmation. The remaining surface
area is somewhat undulatory.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, none alive.

Depth Range: 11 fms.

Geographical Range: Southeast Florida, Greater Antilles, Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: In excess of 4 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Cooperella panamensis Olsson, 1961
comes closest. "Guerrero, Mexico to Panama", Keen, 1971.

SUPERFAMILY HIATELLACEA GRAY, 1824
FAMILY HIATELLIDAE
In the northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the genera Hiatella,
Panopea and Saxicavella.

Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Part N,
p. 700-702

Genus Hiatella, Bose, 1801.
Somewhat squarish bivalves, often considerably deformed because of
nestling habit.

aye

136. Hiatella arctica (Linney, 1767).
Mya arctica Linne, 1767. Syst. Nat. 12th ed., p. LTS,

This extremely variable species is fairly common in the
northwest Gulf of Mexico. As with so many variable species,
our material is insufficient to decide whether more than one
species is among it. H. azaria Dall has been reported for
our area, but we are unable to judge whether this is a valid
species. Two lots among our material might be this species
but until the matter has been studied in detail we prefer to
identify it as H. arctica Linné.

The most common shape of juveniles is elongate, but some~
times other forms are encountered which could be different,
but probably are not. Often juveniles show two rows of small
spines radiating backwards from the umbo. Its usual mode of
life is living embedded in sponges on the coral and algal
reefs. Also from shelly mud bottoms. Once found embedded
in a nylon rope on Galveston beach.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 56, (as
H. azaria Dall) listed for Texas, 13-14 fms.; 147, dead on
Baker Bank and Big Southern Bank; 156, (as H. azaria Dall)
common on Stetson Bank; 164, Laguna Madre, dead in inlet
hypersaline environment; 170, deep shelf assemblage; 206,
beach records in Texas Conch., Vol. 5 (7), p. 70, 1969); 236,
Galveston; 269, figured on page 219. Note: The record for
the Laguna Madre is surprising, as the species does not enter
the bays.

Records H.M.N.S.: 29 lots of which 8 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms. (alive 11-40 fms.).

Geographical Range: Arctic seas to deepwater in the West Indies;
Arctic seas to deepwater off Panama (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 5/7 mn. -

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The species lives also in the Panamanic
province.

Genus Saxicavella Fischer; 1878.
A genus of small bivalves with edentulous hinge. A single species in
the northwest Gulf of Mexico.

137. Saxicavella sagrinata Dall & Simpson, 1901.
Saxicavella sagrinata Dall & Simpson, 1901. Moll. Puerto
RCO, ps (47/254plate S5,° Ere elo.

Although apparently not noted before in this part of the Gulf
of Mexico, (Abbott, 1974) omits the species altogether. This
small bivalve is fairly common on sandy mud bottoms below
20 fms. In our material, there are two forms, which probably
reflect stages in maturity rather than ecological differences.
In one form the hinge line is rather rounded and the shell is
thin; in the other, the hinge line is much straighter and in
mature shells the valves develop a wing-like projection above
it. More material from the Caribbean is needed before the
problem can be completely settled.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conchegavolse 9 (4)% Mp.825 A973\:

Records H.M.N.S.: 22 lots (none alive) in sandy or shelly mud
bottoms,

Depth Range: 17-70 fms.

Geographical Range: Puerto Rico.

Maximum Size: 7.4 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Saxicavella does not live in the
Panamanic Province.

23

Genus Panopea Menard, 1807.

Usually spelled Panope (unjustified), this genus is made up of medium
to large sized bivalves.

138. Panopea bitruncata Conrad, 1872.
Panopea bitruncata Conrad, 1872. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Phalass 2aep eZee
Long considered extinct, a few live specimens are now known
from Florida and Texas (see refs. 185, 223). The construction
of offshore drilling platforms by the oil industry has shown
that dead valves can be common. They are washed out of the
mud near the legs of the platforms. In general, the living
animal, especially the mature ones burrow so deep in the
sediment that no dredges can reach them and dead valves
remain buried forever. From the beaches, only dead material
is known, mostly immature, and at least one complete specimen
is known from the beach at South Padre Island. A live
specimen was dug at low tide on the mudflats near Port Aransas.
It is probable that the few references to Mya arenaria for
our area pertain to this species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, dead on
shallow shelf, 156, Stetson Bank; 198, live specimens from
17-25 fms. near oil rig off Galveston; 206, beach records
in Texas Conch., Vol. 5 (7), p. 70, (1969); 243, mudlump
fauna, Mississippi delta; 269, figured on page 219.

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots (none alive).

Depth Range: 0 (beach) - 25 fms. in mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida and to Texas
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 172 mm. (but reaches to 8 inches).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Panopea globosa Dall, 1898; Head of
Gulf of California to off San Marcos Island; shallow water to
60 meters.

SUPERFAMILY MYACEA LAMARCK, 1809
FAMILY MYIDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the genera Paramya and
Sphenia.
Sources: M. Keen in Treatise of Invert. Paleont. Part N,
Vol.#2,. ps"091-692".
The best known Myids are the large shelled clams of the genus
Mya known from Japan, the north Pacific and the north Atlantic.
In our region these bivalves never lived, although erroneous
reports exist (Ref. 69).

Genus Sphenia Turton, 1822.
So far, two species of this genus are known from the northwest part of
the Gulf of Mexico, but one is only tentatively assigned to this genus.

139. Sphenia antillensis Dall and Simpson, 1901.
Sphenia antillensis Dall & Simpson, 1901. Bull. U. S.
Fish Comm., 20, p. 474, pl. 55, fig. 14.
A number of live specimens has on several occasions been
taken in the inlet near the Coast Guard Station at South
Padre Island. It is a small, often deformed species, due to
its nestling habit, but usually rectangular in outline. Ag
in all Myids, the hinge plate is much reduced and a well
developed chondrophore exists. No specimens have been col-
lected by offshore dredgings or are known from the coastal
bays.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Beach
records in Texas Conch., Vol. 6 (8), p. 82, (1970).
Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot which contains live collected material.
Depth Range: O-1 fms. (fresh beachdrift).
Geographical Range: Puerto Rico, Bragil. (Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 3-7 mm.
Eastern Pacific. Analogue: Sphenia fragilis H. & A. Adams, 1854.
California south to northern Peru. Nestling in cavities.

140. Sphenia tumida Lewis, 1968.

A single specimen of this species was collected once from
a ball of clay on Bryan Beach, Freeport. It is possible
that this is a Pleistocene fossil. The accompanying fauna
of the clay, mainly Macoma mitchelli, indicated a bay fauna.
Its classified as a Sphenia appears somewhat uncertain, but
I am at a loss to suggest a better arrangement. The species
is also known from Florida from where it was first described
and the Carolinas, which indicates that it belongs to the
northern fringe of the Caribbean faunal province. The lack
of even a remote Pacific analogue may signify another
affinity for this species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, beach
records in Texas Conch., Vol. 7 (7), p. 71, 79, 80 (1971).

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of a single valve from Bryan Beach,
Freeport.

Depth Range: O-1 fm.

Geographical Range: Pleistocene of Florida; Carolinas?

Maximum Size: 12 X 11 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Paramya Conrad, 1861.

A genus of small bivalves, more regularly formed than Sphenia and
with chondrophore in either valve.

141. Paramya subovata (Conrad, 1845).

Myalina subovata Conrad, 1845. Foss. Med. Tert., 65,

pl. 36, fig. 4.
This is an uncommon species, rarely found alive on the
tidal flats near inlets. Dead valves are occasionally found
in beachdrift at Galveston and Port Aransas, but are un-
known from the coastal bays. It is seldom dredged in off-
shore waters and is unknown below 25 fms. It has been

found from Louisiana (Isles Dernieres) to Port Aransas in
Texas.

2s

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 98, listed
for the bays; 170, (as Poromya (sic!) subovata Conrad), listed
for deep shelf assemblage; 206, beach records in Texas
Conche pe Vols Gln @7)) ap ima/il-an LOO)

Records H.M.N.S.: 11 lots of which two contain live collected
material (beach Galveston Island after hurricane Carla).

Depth Range: 0-25 fms. (alive: beach only).

Geographical Range: Delaware to Florida and Texas (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 15.6 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None in the Panamanic Province.

Remarks: Mya arenaria Linne, is reported in Ref. 68. This
is probably an error for Panope bitruncata Conrad, which
is occasionally found on Texas beaches.

FAMILY SPHENIOPS IDAE

Of this family of small bivalves, no records of recent forms are,
as far as I know,, available from the western Atlantic. This is
surprising in view of the wide distribution of a single species in
the genus Spheniopsis throughout the northwest Gulf of Mexico.
Another species is the genus Erodona is much rarer.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Part N,
Voli. 2). ipie 699):

Genus Spheniopsis Sandberger, 1863.

Small, somewhat triangular bivalves, of which the right valve has
two highly characteristic hinge teeth. Concentrically sculptured.
In the Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Science, (Vol. 3, pt: 6, p. 1508),
Dall described a small species from the Florida Chipola formation

as Spheniopsis americana. A very similar form, undoubtedly its
direct descendant, still can be found widespread over the Texas-
Louisiana continental shelf. Although in the H.M.N.S. collection
there are pairs, I doubt whether live collected material is present.
Differences with the fossils from the Chipola formation appear to
be minor; the recent form has a more regularly sculptured exterior
and perhaps is overall somewhat sturdier. Usually the small valves
have a straight posterior side as is shown by the figure in the
"Treatise" (S. scalaris Braun), but in the juvenile valves it is
sometimes slightly curved. In our material the strength of develop-
ment of the hingeline and of the posterior part ("'tail'') is some-
what variable.

A new name for this recent form could perhaps be defended on these
grounds, but unfortunately a figure of another Spheniopid bivalve
has been figured by Verrill and Bush, 1889 as Montacuta triquetra
from 43 fathoms off Cape Hatteras. The outline given for this
species is somewhat different from our material, nor is the exterior
figured. It could be a Grippina but this must be checked before

one should describe this species as "new".

26

142. Spheniopsis spec. indet. (A)
Shell closely resembling S. americana Dall from the

Chipola formation, of which I believe it is a direct
descendant. Somewhat heavier concentric sculpture,
rather inflated, with strongly developed posterior
end. It might be identical with Montacuta triquetra
Verrill and Bush, 1889 (which is not a Montacuta) but
verification is required before a name is attached to
this species.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206,
Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 82, 1973.
Records H.M.N.S.: 37 lots, none alive.
Depth Range: 17-82 fms. (one lot from 8 fms. doubtful).
Geographical Range: N.W. Gulf of Mexico and also seen in
material taken off western Florida.
Maximum Size: 2.3 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.
Another quite different s ecies has been obtained from a single
location off Texas.

143. Erodona? sp. indet. A.

Although this species in the “Treatise” probably would
be classified in the family Erodonidae Winekworth, 1932,
I believe it is Spheniodsid. The chondrophore in the
left valve is not strongly projecting, but is formed by
an infill of the umbonal cavity. Only a single lot of
two valves has been taken from the Miocene shale dome
clay pile off Louisiana. I have also seen a lot of recent
valves of this species taken off Hollandis Cay on the
Caribbean side of Panama in 20 fms. of water. They are
unmistakeably the same.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of two valves.

Depth Range: ev 20 fms.

Geographical Range: Caribbean coast off Panama.

Maximum Size: Not measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

FAMILY CORBULIDAE

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico represented by the genera Vericorbula
and Corbula.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. of Invert. Paleont., Vol N,
part. 2, p j
V. Regteren Altena: The Marine Mullusca of
Surinam, (Dutch Guiana) Holocene and Recent,
Part II, Bivalvia and Seaphopoda, Zool. Verh.
NG Ope 1S Te Loss
At the present time it is impossible to give a reasonable
account of this group of bivalves, because the types have
to be revalued. From the literature it is readily apparent
that the genus Corbula in the western Atlantic is in a
confused state. We have seen some of the material in the
National Museum at Washington, D.C. and this did not clarify

27

matters at all. For the time being, we must restrict
ourselves to merely making some remarks and tentative
(and possibly erroneous) identifications.

Along the Louisiana and Texas coast live two genera:
Varicorbula and Corbula, between which there exist clear
differences. Much of the confusion in this family is

caused by the fact that the animals in the genus Corbula
start out as juveniles with fairly thin, regularly formed
valves. During their development, however, they increase

the thickness of their shell enormously, so that often

the shells have a misshapen and somewhat irregular appearance.

Varicorbula is the only N.W. Gulf of Mexico genus in which
the shell shape is more or less preserved throughout the
entire life span of the animal, so that juveniles resemble
closely small specimens of mature ones. In Corbula and
more particularly in the subgenera Hexacorbula and
Caryocorbula, the juvenile specimens bear little resemblance
to their mature counterparts. For this reason alone,
Vericorbula must be recognized as a full genus. .The two
valves in Varicorbula are quite different in sculpture

and size, those of Caryocorbula differ only moderately,
the right valve showing a clear overlap along the ventral
margin.

Genus Varicorbula Grant and Gaile, 1931.

Species are characterized by discrepant valves, concentric ribbing
on right valve and smaller left valve with radial striae. The re-
lationship between Varicorbula, Notocorbula and Vokesula needs to
be clarified.

144, Varicorbula operculata (Philippi), 1849.

Corbula operculata Philippi. Zeits. Malak. V, p. 13,

1845.
The identity of V. krebsiana C.B. Adams, Contr. Conch.,
12, p. 234, 1852 and C. disparilis Orbigny 1845 (?) Moll.
Cuba, 2, p. 238, pl. (27; £igsi..1=4 1845 (2) -hasxtopbe
investigated. Our plentiful Texas material appears to be
uniform. It is a very common species in dredge samples,
often collected alive. It is known from the more southerly
Texas beaches (St. Joseph Island south) to which it is
transported on algae and whipcoral, missing in the coastal
bays and a single very small juvenile valve from Cold Pass
in Galveston West Bay does not furnish proof that the
species lives in the bay. A single beach specimen has
been collected on McFaddin Beach, Sabine, Texas. Juvenile
specimens have a somewhat greenish color and older specimens
often show blots of pink color and rarely are entirely
pink. The intensity of the ribbing on the right valve
varies considerably, but I do not believe that the extremes
represent different species. Until the types of the three
taxa have been investigated, we have somewhat arbitrarily

28

selected the name V. operculata for our material. In
Ref. 269, figures of V. operculata and V. krebsiana show
the same species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45,
(as Corbula (Aloidis) disparilis Orbigny) well at Saratoga,
940 feet; 66,(as Corbula disparilis Orbigny, 1846) Marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 136, (as V. krebsiana C.B. Adams)
reported from 8 stations off East Texas at 34-55 feet.
Alive; 145, deep shelf; 147, dead on Baker Bank, alive
on Big Southern Bank; 170, transitional shelf assemblages
174, listed; 175, on mud bottom of intermediate shelf,
abundant; 201, listed for Mudlump fauna; 206, Beach
Records in Texas Conch., Vol. 6 (F), p. 71; 214, listed;
236, (as C. disparilis Orb., 1842) Galveston; 251, Yucatan
shelf; 253, uncommon on offshore reef Padre Island; 269,
figured on pages 216 (V. krebsiana) and 218 (V. operculata).

Records H.M.N.S.: 98 lots of which 22 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-76 fms. (alive: 9-50 fms.).

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida to Texas and
the West Indies. Brazil (Abbott 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Varicorbula speciosa Reeve, 1843.
"Santa Inez Bay, Gulf of California to Panama Bay"
(Keen, 1971). ;

Genus Corbula Bruguiere, 1797.

In the western Atlantic, several subgenera of uncertain value live:
Juliacorbula Olsson and Harbison, 1953, with one species: J. knoxiana
C.B. Adams, 1852 (=J. cubaniana Orb., 1853) which however, so far,

has not been found in our area; Hexacorbula Olsson, 1932, which at
least two and possibly three species in our area of which only one
can be named with some assurance and finally Caryocorbula, with a
great variety of forms, but of quite uncertain relationship.

Subgenus Hexacorbula Olsson, 1932.

Some of the characters of this subgenus are: Lunule and escutcheon
not evident (Keen). Sculpture coarse,flat undulations. Pimples
(see Caryocorbula) not as clearly visible as in Caryocorbula and
often with sharp posterior hook in outline. No snout. Overlap
small.

Two species, a large and a smaller one, and possibly a third one
are known from our area. Only one we can identify. This, the
largest one, is almost certainly dietziana. The types of dietziana
C.B. Adams and blandiana C.B. Adams have been figured by Clench

and Turner. Our material clearly shows that these speéies are
identical. In the mature specimens of dietziana,one often sees a
"blandiana" perched on top of the peculiarly misshapen dietziana,
which proves that blandiana is the juvenile stage of dietziana
before secondary shell thickening occurs. Andrews (Ref. 269) labels
one of her figures dietziana, but the figured shell is not
dietziana, but another species, common on Texas beaches and in

29

shallow offshore waters. In the past, I have called this species
C. swiftiana C.B. Adams, but this is probably in error, as C.
swiftiana is probably a Caryocorbula. It might be C. barrattiana
C.B. Adams, but the majority of specimens in the National Museum
collection labelled thusly are different.

Subgenus Caryocorbula Gardner, 1926.

This subgenus has valves of unequal size, hence there is considerable
overlap at the general margin. In fresh specimens paired rows of
small granules are present which form a radial pattern. Often a
large snout as in Varicorbula. Probably the most confusing aspect

of Corbula is the difference in growth stages which leads to a
number of interesting changes in shell morphology. In the sub-
genera Hexacorbula and Caryocorbula juvenile valves are flattish

and thin (not in Varicorbula) and somewhat of the shape of Paramya.
Juvenile Hexacorbula valves are only regularly ribbed by growth

lines but have some pimples on the posterior dorsal quadrant; those
of Caryocerbula show a well defined surface sculpture of radially
arranged pimples all over the shell. Juveniles of about 1 mm. size
of our most common species of Caryocorbula show a series of small
hooks on the posterior dorsal side, a consequence of small concentric
ridges on the dorsal quadrant.

Full grown valves of both subgenera are often remarkable by their
appearance of being two shells in one. After the animal reaches

a critical size, a thick internal layer is deposited inside the
entire valve. The subsequent reduction in volume requires an
abnormally wide opening of the valve angle to accomodate the living
animal and the result is a most peculiarly twisted valve with out-
spoken "growth" angles. The twist is caused by the fact that the
internal thickening is not uniform along the ventrical side. Often
one finds this secondary growth layer broken out of the shell as
separate entity in dredgings.

After a certain number of these "thickening" stages, this mode of
growth becomes impossible because no room for rotation of the umbo

is left but the animal still manages to grow by developing a snout.

In Varicorbula, the snout is essential for growth because of the
initially high inflation of the valves and for this reason, the larger
valves of Caryocorbula may be sometimes difficult to separate from
Varicorbula.

The entire growth process makes the hinge characters unreliable for
the purpose of identification. During growth, the relative position
of the resilifer with respect to the shell is changed. Thus, before .
the first thickening stage specimens of the common beach species

of Hexacorbula have a hinge in which the resilifer is hardly visible
because it is located almost in the umbonal cavity. But later,

after the shell thickens, it becomes clearly visible underneath the
umbo.

It is remarkable that nowhere in the literature have I found mentioned
the nature of the radial striae. In Hexacorbula and Caryocarbula,
under the microscope, these striae turn out to be radially arranged
rows of small granular pimples. In older valves these pimples,
smaller but of the same character as those in Thracia, are easily

30

removed by corrosion of the valves. In Hexacorbula, those pimples
are less prominent (usually only visible on the posterior slope but
occasionally over the entire shell) than in Caryocorbula where they
are most clearly arranged.

The nature of the overlap in species of Caryocorbula differs with
age. Small juveniles have hardly any and with age develop one
because the right valve will grow faster than the left one. Finally
a horny extension of the periostracum is formed and in obese shells
this horny part, extending from the anterior portion of the right
valve, envelopes the left valve and is pressed against it, much in
the fashion as is shown in the subgenus Serracorbula_ (figured in
Keen's, Sea Shells of Tropical West America). In our species of
Caryocorbula the serrations of this periostracal extension are
missing,but this is probably a specific rather than a subgeneric
character. Very confusing in Caryocorbula is the often widely dis-
similar pattern of subface sculpture. Often intitially rather
coarsely ribbed species become finely ribbed or vice versa. It is
usual to find a finely ribbed juvenile shell perched on top of the
umbonal area of an obese, inflated mature valve, which is much more
coarsely ribbed.

The following nomina in Caryocorbula are known: chittyana, C.B. Adams;
swiftiana, C.B. Adams; caribaea, Orbigny; kjoeriana, C.B. Adams;
lavalleana, Orbigny; barrattiana, C.B. Adams (could be a Hexacorbula).
Corbula contracta is different and it is not clear to me where it
belongs.

In the very extensive Texas material at least five basic shapes can
be distinguished. Because they all seem to merge it is probable
that only a single species is involved and I believe that chittyana,
swiftiana, caribaea, kjoeriana and lavelleana form one single
species. Corbula cymella Dall is quite different, but no material
has been found in our area. Corbula aequivalvis Philippi presents
difficulties. It is of all forms, the most divergent, but still
seems connected with them. Therefore, it is kept separate here.

In Altena's paper on the bivalve fauna of Surinam, similar dif-
ficulties as I had are reported. Altena is even more drastic than
I was in lumping together several forms. He believes that the
small hooked Hexacorbula is the same as the small common Corbulid
of our coast (c.f. his figures 23a - b and 23 c-f, which are quite
similar to material from the Texas coast, although I have not

made comparision between his and my material). I find that in
material from the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, the "hooked" Hexacorbula
always can be easily differentiated from our common Caryobula.
Moreover, in our area both forms appear to live on the whole in
different environments (sand versus mud).

Altena shows a figure(pl.&, figs. 4-5, text page 77) of Corbula
(Tennicorbula) aequivalvis Philippi which is indistinguishable
from material from Stetson Bank; whether this is a separate species
cannot here be determined; it seems connected by intermediates with
the general Caryocorbula's of the Texas coast. Neither can I

31

make judgment about the validity of the subgenus Tenuicorbula. In

the opinion of Keen, Tenuicorbula is not the same as Juliacorbula

in which one usually places C. knoxiana and C. cubaniana. Altena
considers C. knoxiana and C. cubaniana as synonyms of C. aequivalvis
although he cites some minor differences. The Stetson Bank material
of C. aequivalis Philippi does not agree with specimens of C. knoxiana
which I saw in the National Museum in Washington, D.C.

In summary then, we have the following subgenera:
Le Hexacorbula with (a) dietziana C.B. Adams = blandiana,
C.B. Adams; (b) an unidentified, but widespread
small species; (c) possibly a third species
(barrattiana?) but here lumped with dietziana.

Qis Caryocorbula with a number of very variable forms among
which can be recognized: kjoeriana C.B. Adams;
chittyana C.B. Adams, swiftiana C.B. Adams. All
these, in my opinion form but a single species.
It is possible that Corbula aequivalvis also
belongs under Caryocorbula.

3. Corbula contracta. I have not assigned this species to
any of the above subgenera. Unfortunately, it
is quite rare off the Texas coast so that not enough
material is available for study.

145. Corbula (Hexacorbula) dietziana C.B. Adams, 1852.

Corbula dietziana C.B. Adams, 1852. Contrib. Conch.,

12.2 pe, 235-236,
The species is mostly dredged, often alive, in calcareous
environment and Miocene shale uplifts off the Texas-Louisiana
coast. This is a colorful species growing to relatively
large size and often misshappen form with strong growth angles.
Not on the beaches and not in the bays, but sometimes mis-
takingly reported from the beaches.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136, (as
C. cymella Dall), "C. blandiana" stage of dietziana taken
off East Texas, pl. 7, fig. 3; 145, deep shelf; 147 dead on
Flower Gardens; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 1/70, deep
shelf assemblage; 175, abundant in calcareous banks assem-
blage; 206, Texas Conchologist, Vol. 9 (4), p. 82; 236,
Galveston; 251, Yucatan shelf.

Records H.M.N.S.: 36 lots of which 9 contain live material.

Depth Range: 6-55 fms.; alive 8-26 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, West Indies,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974)

Maximum Size: 17 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

52

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

The summer just ending provided several opportunities to see some
shell people and also to generate a few thoughts for this section.
Fortunately, one can take advantage of a certain amount of editorial
leeway in the choice of subjects and manner of presentation since
the articles bear the author's name.

In the 1930's when I was an undergraduate and graduate student at
Stanford University, Dr. David Starr Jordan was still alive. Dr. Frank
Weymouth was Professor of Physiology. Myra Keen had just arrived to
begin her doctoral work. Yet, in my daily struggles to subsist and

to be educated (The Great Depression was on),I had no thoughts about
conchology.

By that time, Dr. Weymouth had completed his many studies on the
Pismo clam. He was my advisor while I aimed for admission to the
medical school, but I was totally unaware of his contributions to
malacology. Ed Ricketts, the Cannery Row at Monterey and the Pacific
Grove Marine Station were not too far south. Wonderous opportunities
existed, yet in my ignorance, I could not avail myself of them.

I did manage, though, to get away a couple of nights a week (and many
weekends) to visit a young friend who then lived on Forest Avenue in
Palo Alto. His name was Ormond McGill and our common interest was
magic, We attended meetings of the magicians’ clubs around the Bay
Area, particularly the ones at San Jose and Oakland. We had some
grand times. In those days the Stanford Medical School was located
in San Francisco so our fun meetings ceased abruptly when I moved to
San Francisco.

The war broke out shortly thereafter and I lost all contact with Ormond.
Then in the mid-1960's, out of the clear blue, I found Ormond's
advertisement as a seashell broker. Through correspondence we renewed
acquaintances and eventually, I met Delight, Ormond's beautiful and
vivacious wife. She was also a shell collector.

When Delight found out that I was interested in getting information

on the mother-of-pearl, she dug into her treasure chest and generously
gave me some abalone craft and specimens especially prepared to
demonstrate the brilliance and luster of the shells.

I saw Delight again this summer - under more somber circumstances. She
was a patient at the Stanford University Hospital, seriously ill.
Nonetheless, she roused herself and we had a very nice visit. A few
weeks later Ormond wrote and said that Delight had died.

33

C0000000000000C0000000

I had heard of the Conchologists of America (COA) before. When I
wrote to Tom Rice telling him that I would be in Seattle in June,

he answered that he would miss me. He was the program chairman for
the annual COA convention and would be away from Seattle. En route
to Seattle we stopped to see my brother-in-law and his family in
Portland, Oregon. And I stepped right into the COA convention. They
were meeting at the Thunderbird Motor Inn in Portland. I rudely
walked out on our relatives (though after a delicious repast of
fresh-caught razor-clams) and attended two days of the COA meeting.

The relatively young COA (founded in 1972) is advertised as association
for shell collectors and shell clubs. As such, the emphasis was on
conchology rather than on malacology and the program was geared to

the interests of the amateur and advanced collector. There were
several "travelogues" (with witty dialogue between two well-known
travelers, Kirk Anders and Tom Rice). Slide presentations of numerous
rare species as well as photographs of shell variants (melanistic
forms, rostrate forms, anomalies, etc.) were also featured.

Looking back, the talk that impressed me most was given by James White.
He filled in for the originally scheduled speaker who had to cancel
because of a sudden emergency. The subject was "The Oregon Coast and
Some of the Marine Invertebrates There". Authoritatively and with
magnificent slide material, White discussed the Pacific Coast of
Oregon State - and explained the molluscan faunal distributions in
relation to various habitat situations. (Perhaps my interest was
stimulated by photographs of the red abalone - Haliotjs rufescens -

of the size I had not seen in California. They seem abundant along
the southern portions of the Oregon coast).

The last program item for the second day was a "symposium" on writing
shell books. It was entitled "So You Want to Write a Shell Book?".
Unfortunately, we had sparse attendance for the symposium. The main
thrust of the discussion was a discourse by James S. White regarding
the many problems that he had in preparing the manuscript on "'Sea-
shells of the Pacific Northwest" for publication. (Ruth Fair in her
article "So You Want to Write a Shell Book" that appears in the
August, 1976 issue of Hawaiian Shell News recounts similar headaches
in the preparation of her "Murex Book"'.)

As I listened, it occurred to me that perhaps the reader or the con-
sumer also may have "problems" with shell books. Color photographs
are certainly desirable-the larger the better. Yet they progressively
increase the cost of the books. And with the current trend toward
more and larger books, one might question the publication of numerous
treatises whose subject matter repeatedly overlap. For example, do
we need to have color pictures of Cypraea tigris, Nautilus pompilius,
Conus marmoreus and the like in every book dealing with South Pacific
fauna? What is gained? Surely, they all look alike - and one good
photograph in a readily available source book should suffice for most
purposes.

34

If memory serves me right, Tom Rice started to gather data regarding
reference sources where pictures and photographs of specific species
might be found. What a marvelous idea! I would go for a carefully
edited compilation of key sources that will provide information such
as the original description, the best illustration, the best distribution
data, the best discussion of the species, current journal references
dealing with unusual aspects and the like.

Many recent books contribute very little new material. There is an
inexcusable amount of rehash and overlap. The bibliographic infor-
mation in many books is unorganized, unselected and inadequate. If
the criteria that govern the selection of material for major scientific
journals are applied, many shell books will be sadly deficient.
Assuredly, the customer need not purchase the book in spite of the
blatantly misleading advertising. But equally assuredly the victim
can question the motivation, the quality and the value of the marketed
item.

000000000000000000000

One other good (and unexpected) thing happened in Portland. Fifteen

or so years ago, I started to exchange seashells with Mrs. Larson, then
living in Alaska. We kept up our sporadic correspondence with occasional
exchanges but I had never met Mrs. Larson. She now lives in Portland

so I called her.

We made arrangements to chat during one noon-hour break. And what a
memorable event that turned out to be: Mrs. Larson said that she was
not as physically agile as she used to be. Several hours away from
the coast, she could not do much active shelling. She brought with
her, however, some seashells from Tristan de Cunha. Knowing of my
interest in chitons she thought I might like two specimens from the
remote island. She also brought two for Tom Rice.

When I presented the chitons to Tom, he just about screamed. He had
just published an article in "OF SEA AND SHORE" (Winter, 1975/1976,
Vol. 6, No. 4), entitled "The World's Rarest Chiton". The chitons

that Mrs. Larson gave us were that species (Plaxiphora simplex
Carpenter). Mrs. Larson was the unnamed lady described in the article.
(I have received a promise from Mrs. Larson that she will prepare a
report for this publication regarding the fascinating history of these
chitons and how they arrived in Portland.)

000000000000000000000

It is easier to suggest that something might be useful as an idea
than to evaluate the suggestion by actually doing it. But thoughts
and hypotheses unexpressed may deteriorate and never surface. All
this leads to the comment that someone might write an article on
seashell museums. There are a number of private and public museums
that house all sorts of seashell collections. Starting in this
| geographic area, a list of museums could be compiled indicating among

35

other things the location, availability to visitors, special collections
housed therein, and, other unusual aspects. In this day and age with
the compelling pervasive mood to travel, individuals from HCS must have
visited a great many museums throughout the world. They would be good
sources for data from first hand observation. A carefully compiled and

systematically organized presentation of the information should be very
welcome.

Another thought that might be a project for the library committee is
documentation of the availability of malacological journals and serial
titles in the various libraries in this area. Surely, within the
Houston area, almost all of the major journals would be found in one
or more of the libraries. Some inventory of the basic publications
should be useful to many. The total number of malacological journals,
defunct and current, is not prohibitive. The compilation can include
for each journal the back volumes accessible. in each library. Rules
and regulations regarding the use of each library should be defined.

The listing of books, however, may be more difficult. But by
restricting the titles to the "standard" or "classic" often multi-
volume references, the job should become manageable. Some concept of
the availability of key titles shouid be valuable to anyone who has
to do literature research.

o000000000000000000000

One of the things I saw for the first time (when I visited the Petits)
was called microfiche. This refers to a technique of reproducing
photographically books and pages in a small format. The microfilm is
a better known process for doing the same thing. But there is a
difference.

The microfiche results in a flat transparency, each plate measuring
9 cm X 12 cm. The plate contains many many pages of the original.
Reductions in size vary from 12:1 to 150:1. A reader (viewer that
magnifies) is necessary. A number of titles concerning malacology
and conchology are available in microfiche form. As examples, The
American Journal of Conchology, 1865-1872, Vol. 1-7 can be obtained
for about $46. Reeve's Conchologia Iconoca, 1843-1878, 20 volumes,
can be purchased for about $293. The Manual of Conchology by Tryon
and Pilsbry (1879-1898, Vol. 1-17 and 1885-1921, Vol. 1-28) costs about
$305. Nautilus Vol. 1-20 (1886-1907) is priced at about $60. The
serious shell book collector may find the microfiche collection a
satisfactory out in his quest for publications that are practically
impossible to find.

Among intriguing monographs also available as microfiche reprints

are the classic publications by H. & A. Adams, L.C. Kiener, L.A.
Reeve, G.B. Sowerby, J.G. Jeffreys, K.H. Barnard and the like.

36

~ -

—CONCHOLOGIST.

VOLUME X111, No. 2 DECEMBER _ 1976

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS

Our Shell Show, an unjudged display for the public, will be held at
the Houston Museum of Natural Science May 1-14, 1977, and has been
named THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS.

Some 33 displays have already been planned, and we have all the

cases we are having made sold to members. We do need to have more
ideas from you on displays. We need you to come forward with what
you can offer from your collections. Frankly, we'd like to make this
a real razzle-dazzle show for the public, educational but also eye-
popping on the beauty and variety of shells. The idea to have this
Museum show was born because we realized how many rare and wonderful
shells members of the Houston Conchology Society have, and we want

to share them with the Houston area in a proper and safe place.

We hope one of you will volunteer to work up a display on Japanese
shells, perhaps one on shells from the East Coast and from the West
Coast, U.S.A. We haven't yet asked anyone to do shells especially
from Sanibel, still known as an island of shells around the world.
We would consider a display of shells from South America or from
the Mediterranean. Please help us with your ideas.

We know that we cannot have living shells on display. Would some-
one undertake the task of getting photos of living shells from
members and devising ways of displaying enlargements on the
Auditorium walls?

A called special meeting for the purpose of discussing all work
and displays for this show is set for Tuesday, January 18, 1977,
at 7:30PM in one of the small classrooms downstairs at the Museum.
All HCS members are asked to attend.

Constance E. Boone, 688-8252

37

>

ew

LiBRARIE

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchol i i
| ogy Society, inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

ee Society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
‘00 p.m. in the Housten Museum of Natural Science.
The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of ine society, with the exception

that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additianal postage
a° . . x
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES

Family membership $6.00
Single membership $5.00
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Extra sets mailed members $5.00

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION
William R. Keeter Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
'29-6958 723-3628
$5827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street
Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Ode W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233

3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approval by the editorial beard. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

Ee

ANNUAL AUCTION SUCCESSFUL by Cynthia Biasca,
Chairperson

The November gala was enjoyed by a large turnout of members, includ-
ing some who joined that evening. Clarice Van Erp was an enthusiastic
auctioneer for the variety of shells and craft items being sold.

The oral auction was followed by a silent auction, with 15 minutes

or so for people to write down bids on the items they wanted. A

large bag of surprise boxes, gaily wrapped for the holidays, dis-
appeared quickly when word was given that people could buy them.
Finally, the sale table of inexpensive shells was open for business.

The evening netted $560.00 for the Club, some of which will be spent
on bringing William Old from New York in March to present a program
on cones. The few shells left unsold were given to Constance Boone
for the May Shell Show, as well as a few shells which went directly
to her because they seemed more suitable for that occasion.

Thanks go to all who donated craft items and shells and especially

to Ed Konopka who donated the Murex pele. Ed has recently returned
from Hawaii and is living in Portland, Oregon. Thanks to the workers
who helped the chairman, Cynthia Biasca, sort and label and package
the shells. They are: Ruby Ray, Margaret Baldwin, Helen Eberspacher,
Leola Glass, Ruth Goodson and Sam and Fannie Miron. Also, thanks

to the cashiers who checked people out: Frank Petwayv, Jim Sartor

and Lloyd Meister.

38

JANUARY FIELD TRIP

The next field trip for the Club will take place Saturday, January
8, 1977. It is announced here because there will not be a news-
letter for members in December.

Meet at the turn-around underneath the bridge at San Luis Pass,
West end of Galveston Island at 9:00AM.

Bring a lunch, pail, trowel, small medicine vials for small shells,
sieve (optional), waders and dress according to the weather. Shell-
ing in our area is best in the wintertime when a strong north wind
is blowing. In this season, the weather is unpredictable, the TV
weatherman does not always forecast correctly. We are scheduling
this field trip six weeks in advance and we take no responsibility
for the weather - don't blame Carol. We suggest prayer. If ad-
ditional information is needed, call

Carol Courtade, 668-2541

CONES IN MARCH

William E. Olds, Jr., from the Museum of Natural History in New
York, where he is curator of mollusks will be program for the
meeting, March 23, 1976. He will talk on his specialty, cones.
Save the date, invite your friends for this special occasion.

Mr. Olds will visit several other shell clubs in our area on this
trip to Texas. He may even get to the beach.

QUOTES WITHOUT COMMENT

Py The Houston Post *

SUNDAY, NOV. 14, 1976.

Spot shelling,
sniping emptie
Beirut streets

BEIRUT (UPI) — Random shelling and sniping
emptied the streets of Beirut Saturday in a spate of the
bloodiest terror bombardments since the current cease-
fire went into effect Oct. 21. ;

39

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

When I learned that I was to attend a medical meeting in North Myrtle
Beach, South Carolina, I immediately contacted Dick Petit. I had

never been to North Myrtle Beach and I had never met Dick. Yet I

knew about Dick since the day that John Q. Burch stated that his

entire shell stock had been loaded onto a van headed for South Carolina,
Soon Dick was carrying on as the successor to the Burch business

(with Mrs. Petit supplying most of the "labor'"'). As many readers

know, Dick eventually sold out the shell business. For a while he was
handling seashell stamps but he also retired from that.

Well, I visited the Petits - I and a lady named Dottie. This was
something else again. I had arranged to see the Petits on Friday
evening after we had completed the medical meetings. But Hurricane
Dottie changed all that. On Thursday, our hotel manager warned us
that Dottie had stalled off St. Augustine but that she was expected to
make landfall in the vicinity of North Myrtle Beach. The sea was
getting higher and we were informed that evacuation was a definite
possibility. When I called the Petits, Dick came right over to pick
me up. We had an abbreviated visit.

And was I impressed! Dick has a marvelous library - very much like

the one that John Q. Burch had. Many of the classical conchological
publications were there. Complete volumes of most of the major
malacological journals lined the shelves. One could spend days browsing
through the volumes. But Dick's shell collection took up considerably
less space. For someone who had already access to so many species of
seashells over the years, Dick has sensibly restricted his conchological
activities to the in-depth study of only the Family Cancellariidae.

The only specimens I saw were of this family.

Dick collects seashell stamps assiduously - and the stamp collection
was really out of this world. The stamps were meticulously and
beautifully mounted in impressive albums. Dick had cross-indexed then,
too, so he had at his fingertips the necessary information about each
stamp. In the brief two hours I absorbed a tremendous lot of philatelic
knowledge about items whose existence I had never suspected. My intent
is to visit them again at the earliest opportunity. I will take my

pen and notebook and I hope to record for this publication much of the
material that was crammed into those two short hours.

The Pettits were most gracious and hospitable. The next morning I
managed to make the plane and we took off in the torrential rain between
wind gusts. Dottie arrived later.

000000000000000000000

40

In this issue, I am chronicling some events that transpired during
another visit with Dick Petit and his gracious wife at North Myrtle
Beach, South Carolina. Environmental circumstances (cold but clear
and no hurricane) permitted a much more leisurely visit this time.
As the result, I came away with a pack of notes on things philatelic
and conchological. I have deciphered portions of them here to sup-
plement the comments recorded in this issue of Texas Conchologist.

Once again I was able to enjoy the beautifully mounted albums in
which Dick keeps his seashell stamps. These albums are made by Lindner
(Germany) and are distributed through standard philatelic channels

in this country. The "system" utilizes multi-holed loose-leaf album
pages with transparent sheets attached thereto. The transparent
sheets are available with different sized pockets to hold and protect
the stamps. (The album is advertised as the "hingeless concept of
the future''.) Both sides of the stamps can be examined. Separate
inserts (white or black sheets) can be prepared to fit between the
transparent sheet and the album page. This permits the typing or
drawing of any descriptive material on the inserts that will show
through the transparent sheet and provide the background. The album
needs to be seen to appreciate the flexibility with which the stamps
can be displayed.

I also persuaded Dick to describe some of the philatelic "goodies"
that exist in respect to seashell stamps. In addition to the usual
mint (unused) and cancelled (used) stamps, there are first day covers
(prepared and cancelled on the first day that the stamp is issued

by the postal service), the imperforate varieties (unperforated stamps)
and souvenir sheets (miniature sheets with one or more stamps often
issued as souvenirs of exhibitions or of special occasions of signifi-
cance and usually containing descriptive printed matter). Those who
collect U.S. stamps will remember the so-called Jim Farley issues of
1935 which featured a number of these philatelic forms of the same
stamps.

Less commonly, but occasionally issued, are stamps with seashell de-
signs as booklet panes (e.g., Kenya), postal cards, stamped envelopes
and letter sheets. Among the unusual items are the tete=beche variety
where two stamps are joined together with one design inverted relative
to the other (e.g, Morocco) and the tabular or marginal inscriptions
where seashell design appear outside the stamps on the marginal tabs
of the sheets (e.g., Israel).

0000000000000000000000000000000

Dick introduced me to a whole new extensive vocabulary that had to
do with the processes by which the stamps are made. Since these
steps are frequently documented by available philatelic items
(officially sanctioned), some of them will be listed below. (Dick
took great pains to explain the differences among the various terms.
Philatelic references were also consulted. However, without the
actual product in hand, it is still a bit difficult to carry out

41

identification with certainty).
‘ihe "die proof sheets" are official and government controlled. They
are made in very limited quantity and additional printing is im-
possible. While they are considerably more costly than the stamps,
the presence of representative examples certainly "dresses up" the
topical collection a hundred per cent.

Artist's proofs. These are single-color items (but not in the

issued color) on very heavy paper. The small block where the artist's
name will appear is blank. However, the proof sheet itself is signed
by the artist. Usually only one value of a set is issued. Only 15

to 20 copies are prepared for the government to use as "diplomatic
gifts".

Essay proof. These designs are either incomplete or are not used for
issued stamps. They are prepared officially for the selection of the
most appropriate color. Essay proofs have not been issued since 1939.

Plate proofs. Plate proofs are prepared in various colors (but not
of the actual color eventually used) and are imperforate. They are
available in strips of 5 and 500 to 1000 each are prepared. Ostensible,
the proofs are used to select colors most appropriate for bi-color
and multi-color stamps. Efforts to gain revenue may be another motive.

Deluxe artist's sheet. All values of the set are usually included.
It is similar to the artist's proof, printed on heavy paper, but the
sheet is not signed by the artist and the stamp is in the issued
color. 135 to 600 of these are prepared "in 8 different shapes".
The purpose is the use as diplomatic gifts.

Collective sheet. Occasionally, all stamps of a set are printed
together on one sheet in issued color. The sheet is gummed and
perforated. Only a limited number is prepared. The sheets are very
expensive and difficult to locate.

0000000000000000000000000000000

In the pages of the Texas Conchologist, there have appeared, in the
past, a number of articles regarding seashells on stamps. At times,
philatelic conchology was emphasized, at other times, conchological
philately. Dick Petit is one of a rarebreed who is a knowledgeable
philatelist and also a conchologist respected by the professionals.
He is assisting at this time in the preparation of a comprehensive
listing of seashell stamps. During my visit I was able to scan the
notes that Dick had jotted on the margins of the stamp lists (many
pages of computer printouts). Excerpted below are the types of com-
ments that typify the professional competence and meticulous research
with which Dick has approached the subject.

New Hebrides (Scott #155, #174). "There is nothing to indicate that
the eyes are cowries. However, the pendant on the forehead of the
mast appears to be Cypraea moneta. Postal authorities in New Hebrides
advise that this is unlikely as the mask is that of the Nambas, a
mountain tribe. However, the fact that they are removed from the

42

coast could justify the use of a seashell on a religious mask."

Mauritania (Scott #298, #308). ''This is identified on the stamp simply
as a shell ('coquille') and I have been unable to identify it even

to family. Scott's (catalog) calls it a 'Gryphaea'which it is not.
Letters to postal authorities in Mauritania remain unanswered."

Kenya (Scott #48) "The shell depicted is not West American and
appears to be Turbo marmoratus. Although the Kenya Stamp Bureau
release states a ‘relation of the big green snail shell, the smal-
ler one also has interior coated with Mother of Pearl'. They may

be an ecoform of marmoratus. It definitely is not the West American
species fluctuosus."

Taiwan (Scott #1454). Are stylized shells depicted on this stamp?
Dick comments: "The designer of this stamp, Mr. Wen Hsueh-ju, advises
that there are no shells represented on this stamp."

Switzerland (Scott #B274). "This is Lyropecten fimbriatus (J. Sowerby).
The specimen depicted is in the collection of the designer, Nacklaus
Stoecklin,."

O00DD00DDOOODD0000NQ000000000000000000

NOVEMBER FIELD TRIP by Constance E. Boone

The field trip to Matagorda in November was limited to exploring
the sand bar at the mouth of the Colorado River and a walk down the
beach at the three-mile area. Because of the extremely bad weather,
the trip across the river by barge was cancelled on Friday night.
Linda Serrill says this trip across to the other side of the
peninsula can be rescheduled if members wish to try again.

Nine HCS members did pick up shells for the club and got a few things
new for their collections. I can report that Ruby Ray and Leola Class
braved the rough seas pouring in on shore and the pelting rain on
Friday and that Ruby thinks it was worth it because she found her first
live Murex fulvescens,a little beauty.

On Saturday, members present gathered live Ischadium recurvum
(Rafinesque, 1820), the hooked mussel, on shucked oyster shells dumped
in the roadway at Bailey's Camp. This was oyster season at Matagorda.
At the sand bar on the river, HCS members found much debris but not
many live shells. A few live Arks, some Dosinias, an occasional Tellin

43

were collected, and some members got pairs of Pteria colymbus (Roding,
1798). Linda reported she had taken some live ones on Gorgonia the
week before.

Down the beach we walked miles and gathered many dead Architectonica
nobilis for the educational packs. Matthew Curtis got 17 specimens.

Several of us went to Port O'Connor on Saturday afternoon, I had
visions of finding a B. spiratum plagosum, left-handed, of course!
We report very few, crabbed or otherwise, of any kind of Busycons
there. However, one or two finds are worth reporting. Once I re-
ported in Texas Conchologist about finding Pedipes and Truncatella
live under the low jetty rocks near the harbor. They were still
living under the rocks and seemed to have multiplied. Along with
these species we recovered live specimens of Assiminea succinea
(Pfeiffer, 1840). The specimens fit the description and photo in
Abbott's Second Edition of American Seashells. This was the first
time I had collected these alive in Texas. A check with Helmer Ode’
confirms that he had never taken them alive either. Abbott lists this
for Texas, but the only ones Helmer and I had ever seen were beach
drift specimens, many at Matagorda Beach. Live specimens are light
translucent-brown as Abbott describes them, and observation under the
microscope revealed that the animals did have eyes on small, stubby
peduncles. This species and the two above are almost always found
above or at tide line and in bay or brackish water areas. I note
for the record that the animal was whitish and that here was a
pinkish beating organ in the snout. The gait of this little snail,
approximately 2 millimeters, was somewhat unusual. It extended its
foot forward and then rocked the shell forward, repeating this in a
kind of loping gait, moving rapidly but not gliding.

We investigated a clay and mud beach north of town along the bay and
dug live Petricolas, Cyrtopleuras and dug and smashed small, live
Pholas campechiensis. A few pairs of dead Barnea truncata showed

up in holes. It is just very hard to recover specimens from the

hard clay. There are surely hundreds there. In July of this year

I broke my new wedding band by leaning on the army surplus sharp-
shooter shovel trying to dig angel wings at Port Aransas. This

time at Port O'Connor, in my efforts to trench out clods of the gooey
clay to get unbroken specimens, I bent and broke the shovel. That
gives you a pretty good idea of the kind of clay these animals prefer.
This area at Port O'Connor reminded me of the clay at Bolivar, Texas
City Dike, and at High Island. Pholas campechiensis probably is
rather abundant deep in the clay. I have dug live specimens now

in three clay areas in Texas.

st

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance E. Boone

The coincidence of being able to view and report on another example

of "wrong-handedness" of a Busycon, this time from Texas, is mathe-
matically astronomical. In fact, my call from a Houston resident to
report the sinistral specimen of Busycon spiratum plagosum (Conrad,
1863) came at a time I had just turned in copy for the September issue
of Texas Conchologist in which pictures and the report was made of

the dextral specimen of Busycon perversum (Linné, 1758). My caller
did not know of this specimen or report.

Mrs. C.W. Hanks of 20 West Broad Oaks in Houston had been given my
Mame to contact concerning her find of a left-handed, or sinistral,
Busycon spiratum plagosum. Her question to me was what was the
mathematical possibility of finding such a specimen and what was the
rarity of such a specimen. She is an amateur collector, not a member
of any shell club or malacological orginization, but an avid collector
who displays many shells in her home. The specimen of B. spiratum
plagosum was collected the last week of August, 1976, during low
summer tides, at Port O'Connor, Texas, where she has a vacation home.

My first reaction was to question whether she really had such a
specimen. My second was to be sure to pin down the chance to see
the specimen and to photograph it. Mrs. Hanks was leaving to go to
England. I asked to call her about October 1 and did so and set up
a date to see the shell. Indeed, it was.a left-handed B. spiratum
plagosum, approximately a three-inch specimen and a very fresh-look-
ing ore even though it had been crabbed. I discovered that Mrs.
Hanks had simply gone out to gather Busycon specimens north of the
Intracostal Canal at Port O'Connor on the bay area (Matagorda and
Lavaca Bays join in this area) to clean and fill a glass lamp base.
When she was putting the specimens in the base, she just happened to
notice this one Busycon looked different.

This is, I believe, the first report of such a specimen from Texas.
I have not seen a sinistral specimen of B. spiratum from anywhere
else either but the Second Edition of American Seashells mentions
that sinistral specimens of B. spiratum pyruloides (Say, 1822), the
subspecies Abbott describes as being from North Carolina to both
sides of Florida, are very rare so this does indicate that some
specimens are known.

All of this follows right along with Dr. T.E. Pulley's thinking
that there can be a sinistral or dextral specimen for any of the
species of Busycon. There is no doubt that such specimens are
always rare and seldom pictured or authenticated. We feel very
fortunate to be able to present to you this report and document it
with pictures. We have asked to show the specimen with our Busycon
display at next spring's special HCS show at the Houston Museum of
Natural Science.

45

Pa :
igure 1. Busycon spiratum plagosum (Conrad, 1863), sinistral
Sa ne dextral specimens, collected crabbed at
ort onnor, Texas, in August, 1976, by M
Hanks of Houston Teas eins

Figure 2. Rich patterns of fresh specimens of Busycon spiratum
plagosum (Conrad, 1863), the rare sinistral specimen
on left and normal dextral specimen on right, show

in this photo the specimens collected at Port O'Connor
by Mrs. Hanks.

Photos by Constance Boone

This seems an appropriate time to report and picture the unusual Busycon
2 r a S A 3 A
perversum (Linne, 1758) tound by Fannie and Sam Miron live on February 2,
1973, after a hard freeze on a very low morning tide at South Jetties,
Galveston, Texas. We remind you that we follow Dr. Pulley's nonenclature
on this species of Busycon. We name all left-handed Busycons as perversum
even though the common left-handed whelk is often listed as contrarium
(Conrad, 1840).

The Miron's Busycon perversum is simply a distortion but one that is
known to occur in this species. Several collectors have such specimens
that were taken crabbed in the Corpus area some years ago. The specimens
were usually in fair condition. This specimen from Galveston collected
by the Mirons is the only one I have personally seen from that area

and the only one I have seen taken alive, but there may have been live-
taken ones from Corpus that I do not know about. I would like to hear
from anyone having one and receive data on it to add to the records.

This then is also the time to mention that a similarly-distorted
specimen is known for the species B. spiratum plagosum, in the col-
lection of Mildred Tate of Lake Jackson, Texas. It was taken on
Bolivar Peninsula by a Beaumont-area collector and traded to Mrs.
Tate some years ago.

There have been many studies on the Genus Busycon, and it continues

to intrigue many workers. Busycons do not normally occur anywhere
except along the Eastern Coast of the U.S., the Gulf States, and along
the Mexican coast to the Yucatan. A few reports exist of establishment
of the species elsewhere but no colonies seem to last and a few are
crabbed specimens riding abroad on boats.

Figure 3. Busycon perversum (Linné, 1758), normal sinistral
specimen and distorted sinistral specimen, collected
live at South Jetties, Galveston, Texas, February,
1973 by Fannie and Sam Miron.

’

2 Photo by Constance Boone

47

View of the spacious second floor of the Delaware Museum showing part
of the 13,000 square feet of storage space for mollusk collections.

48

DELAWARE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

A call to the Delaware Museum of Natural History at Greenville,
Delaware (302-652-7600) will activate a recording which provides the
information that the Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from
9:00AM to 4:00PM and from 1:00PM to 5:00PM on Sunday. The Museum is
closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Going northwest on Highway 52, the Museum is 4 or 5 miles from Exit 7

of the Interstate Highway 95. The low rectangular building is set

several hundred feet to the left of the highway, plainly visible on
spacious open grounds. [It is approximately 20 miles from the Philadelphia
airport to Exit 7. Interstate 95 runs along one edge of the airport.

The Museum was opened in May, 1972.

In the hallway near the entrance hang a number of paintings. On one
wall are nine originals by Louis Menard. These were included in
Illustrations Conchyliologiques published by Jean C. Chenu from 1843
to 1853. On the opposite wall hang the six original paintings by
Rudolf Freund used to illustrate Sea Treasures (1957) by Kathleen Y.
Johnstone.

The spacious "Hall of Shells" houses some 30 exhibits, each a unit in
itself . Featured is "Galaxy of Sea Snails", a 5-foot transparent

sphere which ingeniously and effectively displays 128 different specimens
of seashells (gastropods). The sphere rests on a stand on the floor
like a mammoth crystal ball.

Another unusual display is set beneath the floor - and the viewer
walks on and over it, looking downward through the transparent floor
on the realistically depicted replica of the richly populated coral
reef of the South Pacific. Tridacnas and gastropods in awesome sizes
and brilliant colors are impressive as is the habitat in which they
live.

Close by, occupying the entirety of one wall vertically is another
underwater scene - a 14-foot reef canyon from the Bahamas forming the
background for many replicas of living West Indian mollusks. A sampl-
ing of the varied species of cowries as well as examples of intraspecies
variability are shown as another floor display covered by a transparent
hemispheric dome. In a special cubicle are shown "Unusual Shells"
which include Scaphella junonia (dextral and sinistral specimens),

Pleurotomaria adansoniana, Pterynotis phyllopterus, Conus gloriamsris,
and Cypraea fultoni.

The wall exhibits extend from floor to ceiling and line both sides of

the hall. The titles of the displays are self-explanatory and indicate
forcefully the nature and intent of the exhibit; The following were
included: Purple Dye - The Legacy of the Murex; Shells Alive; Squids

and Octopus; The Arts and Shellicraft; The Use of Shells by North American ©
Indians; Ethno-Conchology; The Mollusk as a Table Delicacy; Nudibranchs;
Thorny Oysters; What is a Mollusk?; Shells as a Hobby; Inspiration from
Shells; Shells are Everywhere; Shells that Feed us; Mollusk Invaders;

The Scallop; Cone Shells; Volutes - Aristocrats of Shells; March of

the Giant African Snails.

49

The second floor of the Museum contains the library, the research
laboratories, and 13,000 square feet of storage space for mollusk
collections. R. Tucker Abbott, who holds the du Pont Chair of
Malacology at the Museum, estimates there are some 200,000 lots
already available in the cabinets for study.

R. Tucker Abbott showing the "Galaxy of Sea Snails "
display of 128 univalves at the Delaware Museum of Natural History.

» a spherical

50

THE TRISTAN DE CUNHA CHITON by VyDel Larson

A chiton from the island of Tristan Da Chunha in the South Atlantic
Ocean, a seemingly rather nondescript little mollusk, has just been
identified for me by Glen and Laura Burghardt.

Since there are scientific descriptions available, I shall limit

mine to a general one. It is from one to two inches in length, oblong,
with the outer surface smooth, pale gray with a tinge of blue. The
interior is bright blue. There are the usual eight valves and the
posterior valve has eight slits. Usually the valves are badly eroded,
encrusted with lime deposits and the girdle filled with tiny pieces

of seaweed and debris.

Although I have been receiving shells from this location since 1964,
it sometimes takes a long time to have identification made. The cor-
rect name for this chiton is: Plaxiphora simplex Haddon, 1866.

Mr. Burghardt indicates this is only one of two species native to

the island waters. The other is an Ischnochiton.

Since the people sending the shells are not collectors, it has taken

a great deal of time to determine what kind of shells were there and

to receive other than beach specimens. I have sent books, illustrations
and instructions on how to collect, clean and preserve. Materials

for the kill and preservation have also been supplied with one ex-
ception. The U.S. Postal Department does not allow the shipping of
alchol. A local brew has been the substitute, the name and origin

of which is unknown by me, but the aroma is a cross between vinegar

and sour mash. The color is brown, which makes cleaning a real job.

All things considered, I think they do remarkably well with the shells
and am grateful for whatever I receive. It has been called a "rare"
chiton, but I am inclined to disagree.

It is my understanding that a rare shell is one that is seldom found
at a point of origin. I would rather apply the term scarce, since
they are abundant at the source, but not readily available on the
open market. If they were truly rare, it would be unlikely that I
would have so many of them.

Patience and preseverance have been justly rewarded by the addition
of this little chiton to my collection.

(Editorial Note: This same chiton was described under the title
"The World's Rarest Chiton"in the Winter, 1975/76 issue of "Of
Sea and Shore").

ol

2

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A continuing Monograph) by H. Ode~

146, Corbula (Hexacorbula) sp. indet. A.

This smaller species lives in shallower water than C. dietziana.
It is common in beachdrift along the Texas coast and enters
some of the coastal bays. In contrast to C. dietziana, it
is never colored, but is always a drab white, except one
slightly pinkish specimen in the H.M.N.S. collection.
Because of the confusion in this genus it appears to have
escaped being named properly. Figures of this species
have appeared in various publications always named in-
appropriately. The latest of these is reference 269, where
it appeared as Corbula dietziana. This figure shows the
characteristic shape of the species in the N.W. Gulf of
Mexico. Previously I reported the species as Corbula
swiftiana C.B. Adams, but because the majority of specimens
so labeled in the National Museum in Washington are dif-
ferent, I report the species here as spec. indet. A. I
have not seen the type of C. swiftiana figured by Clench
and Turner, a figure which resembles C. spec. indet. A.
Until a critical study of the types of all western Atlantic
recent and late Neocene Corbula's has been made, it will
be impossible to name the species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136,
(as C. swiftiana) at many stations off East Texas. Often
alive, pl. 7, fig. 1; 145, (as C. contracta) upper sound
assemblage, Pl. 3, figs, 13 A, B; 164, (as C. contracta)
Rockport and Laguna Madre; 175, as C. contracta Say, common
in sandy sediments; 202, as C. contracta Say, listed; 206,
(as C. swiftiana) Texas Conch., Vol. 6 (7), p. 70, Beach
Records; 269, (as C. dietziana), figured on page 216.

Records H.M.N.S.: 69 lots of which 7 contain live collected
material (Heald Bank; 8 miles south of Freeport; Christmas
Bay, Galveston).

Depth Range: 0-27 fms.; alive 1-8 fms., mostly on sandy
bottoms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 9.3 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Se

147.

148.

149,

Corbula (Tenuicorbula?) aequivalvis Philippi, 1836.
Arch. Naturgesch., Vol. 2 (1), p. 227, pl. 7, figs.
4a, b, c. (Havana, Cuba).
Only a few valves very closely resembling Altena's figure
(pl. 8, fig. 4, 5) were taken on Stetson Bank.
Previous references for the Texas Faunal Province are: 147,
dead on Big Southern Bank.
Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, no live material.
Depth Range: ‘+ 30 fms.
Geographical Range: Texas, Cuba, Surinam (only localities
known to me).
Maximum Size: Not measured.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Corbula contracta Say, 1832.
Corbula contracta Say, 1832. J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.,
Da MG Oe

This very rare species has only been taken in two lots,.one
of asingle valve in 63 fathoms and another three valves on
Stetson Bank. Both lots are probably fossils. The species
is quite different in shape and sculpture from the other
Texas Corbulids and the only reasonably good figure known
to me is that in Perry and Schwengel's text on Florida
shells. The figure in Abbott and Warmke is not this species.
neither is the one in Ref. 269 which is Caryocorbula
caribaea. I do not believe that C. contracta is a
Caryocorbula.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 45,
listed; 66, marine Pleistocene of Texas; 160, Matagorda
Bay; 174, listed; 208, open bay center; 251, Yucatan Shelf;
253, common offshore Padre Island. All of these references,
except perhaps that of 251 appear to be in error.

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots of dead shells (off Louisiana and
Stetson Bank).

Depth Range: 20-63 fms.

Geographical Range: Cape Cod to Florida and the West Indies,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: Not measured,

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ? a

Corbula (Caryocorbula) c.f. caribaea d'Orbigny, 1842.
Corbula caribaea Orbigny, 1842. In Sagra: Mollusque.
Atlas epi 2), ues. mols
This is the most puzzling, most common and most variable
complex of bivalve forms along the Texas-Louisiana coast.
Many of our specimens agree quite well with C. kjoeriana
C.B. Adams as figured by Clench and Turner, but this is
only one of the many morphs which is found. Small, obese,
heavy set specimens have a snout resembling C. chittyana
C.B. Adams, others are more regularly formed and may be
C. swittiana C.B. Adams. Along the Texas coast at least
five different morphological types can be coliected, which

a5

when seen apart from one another, almost certainly would
be considered "different species". However, they all

merge imperceptibly into one another and often two morphs
live in the same population. In the past I have called
this species C. barrattiana C.B. Adams, but in the National
Museum in Washington the majority of C. barrattiana is
something different. A number of almost identical bivalves
have been figured under various names by Andrews (Ref. 269)
These are all C. caribaea. These figures give, although some
are immature, at least some impression of the variability
before the secondary growth state. C. barrattiana (p. 215)
shows a specimen which has completed its secondary growth
and is beginning to develop a snout. The figure of

"C. contracta" (p. 215) shows valves just starting the
secondary growth stage, but which has not yet thickened

its hinge. The figure of C. swiftiana (p. 217) show a
specimen that has not quite completed its first growth
stage.

The species lives in a wide range of environments, mostly
in the mud bottoms in the coastal bays (Galveston Bay,
Matagorda Bay) and offshore to fairly deep water. It is
perhaps somewhat unlikely that a single species has such
an extended depth range, and it: therefore is possible

that our material is really a mixture of two species.
However, I cannot with any justification make a separation.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 15,

(as C. nasuta Say, which is Pacific) a single valve at
Galveston; 66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 170, (as

C. contracta) listed for deep shelf assemblage; 206,
Beach Records in Texas Conch., (as C. barrattiana); 269,
under many names figured on p. 215, 216, 217.

Records H.M.N.S.: 144 lots of which 33 contain live collected
material. Thus it is the most widespread offshore bivalve
off Texas.

Depth Range: 0-75 fms.; alive: 0-50 fms., in muddy bottoms-

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, West Indies,
Surinam to Brazil.

Maximum Size: Not measured.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Caryocorbula nasuta Say.

Remarks: A number of other species has been reported. They
are: 147, Corbula cymella Dall, 1881 (Bull. M.C.Z. 9 115).
Dead on Baker Bank, alive on Big Southern Bank. 45, Corbula
conradi Dall, 1898. (Ir. W. Fr. Inst. Sci. Vol. 3, pt. 4,
p- 842) new name for Corbula nasuta Conrad, 1857, not
Sowerby, 1833). Some workers credit C. nasuta to Say (see
Abbott, American Sea Shells) and as such C. nasuta is
referred to in most references to the fauna of the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico. The matter needs to be clarified. Corbula
sp. has been mentioned in Reference 150 for Stetson Bank;
in Reference 170 as Periploma sp. (sic!), in Reference 201
(two species from the Mudlump fauna; and in Reference 253
from the reef off Padre Island.

54

SUPERFAMILY GASTROCHAENACEA, GRAY, 1840
FAMILY GASTROCHAENTDAE

To this family belong a number of very widely gaping rather small
bivalves with edentulous hinge line. In the northwest Gulf of Mexico
represented by the genus Gastrochaena. According to Keen, Rocellaria
is the same.

Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Part N,
p.- 699-700.

Genus Gastrochaena Spengler, 1783.

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico live two species, one in the shallow,
one in deep water. Both species can make the characteristic burrows

of this genus; they construct a calcareous flask like protusion on

the surface of the solid in which they bore, when they grow too large
to be protected by the embedding solid. Our identifications are based
on Perry and Schwengel, ''Marine Shells of the Western Coast of Florida",
1955, p. 93, pl. 19, fig. 123 a, b and plate 44, figs. 311 a, b. Be-
cause there is some confusion about these species some discussion here
is necessary. Careful comparison of both species shows two important
differences: 1) the wing like projection anterior to the umbo is larger
and longer in the deep water form and the umbo is less elevated above
the hinge line; 2) the deep water form has lamellar ridges instead of
very fine to somewhat coarse growth lines of the shallow water form.

I doubt that these are merely ecological differences because both
species occasionally live together. However, it is possible that
these differences arise in response to the hardness of the substrate
in which the animals bore. The deep water form is here called hians
based on the figure in Abbott and Warmke which is very close to it.
The shallow water form I have designated as G. stimpsoni, based on
Perry and Schwengel's figure. A study of the types,if still extent,
is obviously necessary.

The slenderness of these two species does not appear a reliable
character. As is usual with boring mollusks, their shape is variable.
In general, G. hians, the lamellose form, appears to be more slender
in its juvenile stages. Mature specimens, however, tend to be broader
than specimens of comparable size of G. stimpsoni.

150. Gastrochaena stimpsoni Tryon, 1856.
This species is fairly commonly found in old shells such as
Mercenaria and Crassostrea in which it bores. This is what
ref. 206 and 269 erroneously have called Gastrochaena hians
Gmelin. The species is distributed along the entire north-
western coastline from the Mississippi Delta, where it has
also been taken from the Mudlump Clay, to South Padre Island.
It invades the coastal bays (Galveston West Bay, Matagorda
Bay) and can also be collected from borings in large shells
along the outer beaches. As stated above, its incremental
growth lines are finer and never lamellar as in G. hians,
and its snout is much shorter. Once (Sargent Beach) found
alive in driftwood.

59

Previous records from the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
G. hians Gmelin), Beach Records in Texas Conch., Vol. 2 (1),
(1965) and as sp. A ibid, Vol. 9, (4), p. 82, (1973; 236,
(as G. sp.) Galveston; 269, (as G. hians Gmelin) figured on
page 218.

Records H.M.N.S.: 62 lots of which 21 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms. (alive 0-40 fms.).

Geographical Range: Until the identity of both species in
definitely settled it is impossible to specify their ranges.

Maximum Size: 13 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Gastrochaena ovata Sowerby, 1834.
"San Diego, California to Ecuador", Keen, 1971.

151. Gastrochaena hians (Gmelin), 1790.

Pholas hians Gmelin. System Nat., 12th ed., p. 3217.
There is some confusion about this species, which has often
been reported as G. cuneiformis Spengler, 1793, (N. Saml. K.
Dansk. Skrifter 2, p. 180) which apparently is a Pacific
species although McLean, 1951 and Olsson and Harbison, 1953,
both use this name. Perry and Schwengel, 1955 use G. ovata
Sowerby, which, according to Keen, also is an eastern Pacific
species. However, their figure, plate 19, fig. 123 a, b, is
precisely our species. Without further justification, we shall
use here G. hians Gmelin, until the matter can be settled
by a study of types. 5

On the average, this is a deeper water species than the
previously one, more strongly ribbed at it's posterior part
and in possession of a much more elongate snout anterior to
the umbo. It does not invade the bays and is unknown from
the beaches.

In the following listing of records, it is uncertain whether
they refer to G. hians as defined here:

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136, alive
and boring in rock off east Texas in 70 feet of water; 147,
dead on Baker Bank and Big Southern Bank; 253, 5 pairs taken
from rock samples off Padre Island, rare.

Records H.M.N.S.: 16 lots of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 12-55 fms. One lot of doubtful identity, which
may be this species, came from 3-4 feet in West Galveston
Bay. If this proves to be correct, this species would have
a range identical to that of G. stimpsoni Tryon.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 22 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?Gastrochaena rugulosa Sowerby, 1834.
"Galapogos Islands", Keen, 1971.

FAMILY PHOLADIDAE
A family of elongate to globular shells, usually with strong surface
sculpture. Species possess a varying nunber of accessory plates and

a large apophysis is present. Pholads bore in shale mud, soft rocks
and wood.

56

In the northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the subfamily Pholadinae
with genera Pholas, Cyrtopleura and Barnea; the subfamily Jouannetiinae
with genus Jounnetia and subfamily Martesiinae with genera Martesia

and Diplothyra.

Sources: R.D. Turner in Treat. of Invert. Paleont., Part N.,
Vol. 2, p. 702-722 and R.D. Turner, Johnsonia,
Vol. 35 p- 1-160:

Genus Pholas Linne, 1758.

Characterized by the separate umbonal reflection of the dorsal margin.
In the northwest Gulf of Mexico, a single species, rarely collected
alive, but common on all beaches.

152.

Pholas (Thovana) campechiensis Gmelin, 1790.
Pholas campechiensis Gmelin, 1790. Syst. Nat., 13th ed., (1),
Dou SVAl(s¢
This is a quite common beach shell, common in drift along the
entire Louisiana and Texas coast, but rarely collected alive
and seldom dredged in offshore waters. It does not invade
the coastal bays. Live specimens have been collected in wood
and dense clay. Two lots of live collected specimens in our
collection consist of small juveniles (Freeport, Bryan Beach
and Port Aransas) picked from wood and a third lot of a
single live specimen was obtained from beachdrift at San
Luis Pass, but had already lost its mesoplax. The species
lives according to my information (Shell Oil Company geological
staff), in the dense clay just offshore McFaddin Beach near
Sabine, Texas.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7 listed;

19, dead valves, Matagorda Bay beach; 21, listed; 45, listed;
110, dead valves occasional at Galveston, common on Bolivar
Peninsula, St. Joseph, Mustang and Padre Islands, Pl. 13,

fig. 20; 129, 10 miles south off Sabine, Galveston, Port
Aransas, Mustang Islands, Port Isabel, High Island, Brownsville;
135, dead in Gulf (Parker and Lee); 174, listed; 206, Beach
Records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (7), (1967); 225, Galveston;
236, Galveston; 269, figured on page 221.

Records H.M.N.S.: 13 lots of which 3 contain live collected

material.

Depth Range: 0-5 fms. (alive only on beach).
Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas and to Brazil

(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 110 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Pholas (Thovana) chiloensis Molina,

1782. “Gulf of California to Chiloe Island, Chile", Keen, 1971.

Genus Cyrtopleura Tryon, 1862.
Large shells with chitinous- protoplax and calcareous mesoplax. Large

spoonshaped apophysis.

L533

Cyrtopleura (Scobinopholas) costata (Linne), 1758.
Pholas costatus Linne, 1758. Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 669.
The angelwing is often found alive in large populations in
the sandy mudflats near the inlets. It does not enter the
bays of low salinity, but has been found in the south Texas

57

bays (Port Aransas) and Galveston West Bay and Matagorda
Bay. It is not dredged offshore, and the few fragments
obtained by dredging are probably Pleistocene fragments.
The species is common in beachdrift along the entire
Louisiana and Texas coast. Long exposure to cold weather
during extended low tides in winter time can kill the
animals.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1,
Galveston, common; 7, listed; 15, single valves common
at Galveston and Corpus Christi; 18, single valves abundant
at Galveston and Corpus Christi; 19, Matagorda Bay, Carancahua
Bay, alive at 16-24 inches; 21, listed; 45, Galveston, Corpus
Christi, Matagorda Bay; 58, Padre Island; 61, listed; 62,
Flour Bluff and Oso Flat (Corpus Christi Area); listed,
(makes delicious chowder); 66, marine Pleistocene of Texas;
67, Port Isabel; 69, abundant although perfect, large
shells are rare; 98, (as Barnea costata), dead in San Antonio
Bay, Padre Island; 110, (as Barnea costata) dead shells common
on all Gulf beaches, living in Offats Bayou, Galveston,
Pl. 13, fig. 2; 123, in trynet 6% fms., off Sabine, Texas;
126, listed for Carolinian province; 129, Matagorda Bay,
Keller Bay, Carancahua Bay, High Island, Bolivar Peninsula,
Boca Chica, Port Isabel; 135, as Barnea costata, dead in
Gulf and bays; 136, as Barnea costata, listed; 139, beach
and surfzone; 145, Lower sound, inlets, shallow shelf
(Mississippi Delta); 156, as Barnea costata, Stetson Bank;
164, Rockport area,in several environments; 174, listed;
193, Port Isabel; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch.
Vol. 3 (7), 1967; 208, bay margin and "grass flats"; 225,
Galveston; 236, Galveston; 261, offshore Galveston; 267,
Pleistocene Chambers County; 269, figured on page 220.

Records H.M.N.S.: 21 lots of which 7 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-27 fms. (alive 0-1 fms.).

Geographical Range: South Massachusetts to Texas and to Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 173 mm. (chipped).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Genus Barnea Leach (in Risso, 1826).
Smaller than Cyrtopleura, somewhat pointed in front and with large
pedal gape.

Barnea (Anchomasa) truncata (Say,)1822.

Pholas truncata Say, 1822. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila.
24 eps Zale

This species has very much the same distribution as the

previous one, but is far less common, but occasionally

large populations are locally found living in the mudflats,

f.i., Bolivar Peninsula. Dead valves have been taken on

the beaches, along the entire Texas coast, but the species

has never been dredged offshore.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 15, Corpus

58

Christi; 18, Corpus Christi, not common; 19, dead in Matagorda
Bay and Espiritu Santo Bay; 21, listed; 45, repeats 14, 17, 18;
74, loose valves in beachdrift, Timbalier Is. and Caminada,
Louisiana; 129, Sand Point, Calhoun Co., Caranchua Bay,
Matagorda Bay. These are probably the specimens sent by
Mitchell to Dall upon which the Texas reference in Johnsonia
is based; 174, listed; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch.,
Vol. 3 (7), 1967; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured
on page 220.

Records H.M.N.S.: 15 lots of which 3 contain live collected ma-
terial.

Depth Range: O-1 fms. (alive from Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston
(West Bay and Port Aransas).

Geographical Range: Massachusetts to Texas, Brazil. Also
Sengal to Salt Coast (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 62.5 mm. (alive from Galveston West Bay).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Barnea (Anchomesa) subtruncata
Sowerby, 1834. "May be found in mud, clay, peat or even soft
rock or wood from Southern Oregon to Chili", Keen, 1971.

Genus Jouannetia des Moulins, 1828.
A single widespread nonlittoral species boring in soft rock in the
subgenus Pholadopsis Conrad, 1849.

Jouannetia (Pholadopsis) quillingi Turner, 1955.
(Johnsonia, Vol. 3, (34), p. 139-140, pl. 84).

The northwest Gulf of Mexico apparently is the true center
of this species. It lives by the millions on Stetson Bank
and other Miocene shale uplifts and loose valves have been
taken at several other dredge locations and even from

wood or rocks along our beaches. To the excellent des-
cription by Turner, we may add a number of our observations
on this fairly common species.

The two valves are discrepant in sculpture. The right valve
has the laminations at a strong angle at the sulcus but
the left valve has a kind of horizontal interval in the
lamination near the sulcus. The figure of the holotype
does not show the most common type of sculpture. In the
common form the laminations are much closer together and
the shell is not particularly thin (those with widely
interspaced laminations are thinner). A feature already
noted by Turner deserves extra emphasis. This species

has an enormous callum. The dorsal part of this structure
(broken in the figure of the holotype) shows opposite the
umbo, a structure resembling a third valve. This is the
mesoplax which became included in the callum. These
pieces, when broken out of the callum and found separately
are at first quite puzzling and could easily be mistaken
for a true valve of a bivalve, which they are not. We
cannot measure the meximum size of this species. With

the enormous callum, some specimens must reach well over
30 mm. Our largest specimen which is considerably broken,

39

measures 27 mm.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 140, 40 miles
north of Port Isabel in 11-14 fms.; east southeast of Port
Isabel in 10-20 fms.; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 206,

Beach records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3, (7) (Sargent, Port
Aransas, South Padre Island); 269, figured on page 224.

Records in H.M.N.S.: 20 lots of which 3 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-37 fms. (alive 11-25 fms.).
Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida and Texas,
(Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 27 mm. broken (if reconstructed, well over 30 m.).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Jouannetia pectinata Conrad. Baja
California to Peru, Keen, 1971.

Genus Martesia Sowerby, 1824.
Slightly elongate, woodboring bivalves. In Texas-Louisiana two

subgenera, Martesia and Particoma, which have a differently shaped
mesoplax.

156. Martesia (Martesia) fragilis Verrill and Bush, 1890.
Martesia (Martesiella) fragilis Verrill and Bush, 1890.
Proc. Uss Nati. Musi... Vols 205) (139) Spee tac Or
This is by far the most common Martesia in the northwest
Gulf of Mexico, often found alive in driftwood. Loose
valves are not rarely picked from beachdrift. Mostly in
floating driftwood (Louisiana and Texas) and one lot
from 25 fms. (dead valves) comes from a submerged log.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 140,
Sabine, Galveston, Matagorda Island, Port Aransas, Rockport,
St. Joseph Island, Corpus Christi, p. 111-114, plates
65-66; 206, beach records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3, (7),
1967; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, figured on page
2212.6
Records H.M.N.S.: 14 lots of which 3 contain live collected
material.
Depth Range: 0-28 fms. (living 0-1 fms.).
Geographical Range: Off Virginia to Texas, Brazil, Bermuda,
(Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 23.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: This species also lives in the
Panamanic Province; Sonora, Mexico to Panama; Indo Pacific.

157.Martesia (Martesia) striata (Linne), 1758.

Pholas striata Linné, 1758. Syst. Nat., 10th ed.,

p. 669. Sny. M. pusilla Linney 1758.
This species is mentioned here because R.D. Turner in her
treatment in 'Johnsonia'' reports the species from Port
ives The main point of difference with respect to

. fragilis is the shape of the mesoplax, which may not be
a Penesesenr character to make specific distinction, At
least Harry in reference 236 apparently considers the two
species to be identical. In the past, most occurrences of
M. fragilis have been reported as M. striata in faunal

60

lists, and we shall make here no effort to trace the precise
species referred to in these reports. This species also
lives in floating wood.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, (as
M. pusilla Linne) in driftwood (Galveston); 7, listed; 21,
listed; 45, Galveston, Texas; 58, Gulf of Mexico, off
Matagorda Peninsula on floating seaweed; 91, found boring into
a piling near the jetties but not a rock boring form; 140,
Port Isabel; 174, listed; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston.

Records H.M.N.S.: None

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The species also occurs in the
Panamanic Province, Baja California to Peru.

Additional Range Data: Reported by Altena (1971) from Surinam.

158. Martesia (Particoma) cuneiformis (Say), 1822.
Pholas cuneiformis Say, 1822. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila.,
Zi Dien S226
Widespread and sometimes alive in driftwood, but iS not common
as M. fragilis. Lots obtained from depth all derived from
submerged logs and even though the animals were sometimes
collected alive in the submerged wood, I do not believe that deep
water is the natural habitat.
Synonym: Pholas caribaea d'Orbigny, 1842.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
21, listed; 45, listed; 56, as Martesia caribaea d'Orbigny,
1845, listed; 140, Galveston; Harbor Island, Port Aransas,
Cameron Co., La., p. 114-118, pls. 67, 68; 160, Matagorda Bay
(taken alive in 1956); 174, listed; 206, beach records in
Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (7), (1967); 225, Galveston; 236,
Galveston; 269, figured on page 222.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-20 fms. (alive 0-20 fms.).

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas and to Brazil
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 20 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Known from Balboa, Panama, but
perhaps fortuitously introduced.

Genus Diplothyra Tryon, 1862.

Differences in mesoplax, callum and umbonal reflection, set this genus
apart from Martesia, (reference 140). It lives in different substrates:
shell or soft rock instead of wood. The single northwest Gulf of Mexico
species is a common borer of oyster shells and is often found in the
coastal bays.

See Diplothyra smithii Tryon, 1862.
Diplothyra smithii Tryon, 1872. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.,
Phila, 4) pa):
This is the most common boring mollusk of the coastal bays
of the entire Texas-Louisiana coast, often found alive in
old oyster shelis. It also attacks soft rocks, such as sand
concretions and although once found in wood (Ode’, Texas Conch.,
Vol. 2 (9), 1966); such occurrences are extremely rare. In
all probability, it is a bay species and the few offshore

61

valves from deeper water are either old Pleistocene specimens
or displaced ones,

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 21, listed;
45, listed; 58, Matagorda Bay, in oyster shell; 69, as
Martesia caribaea d'Orbigny and Martesia cuneiformis Say
(from the text it clearly follows that these are misidentifi-
cations for D. Smithii); 98, as Martesia sp., listed for
bays, "boring alive in oyster shell in upper Aransas Bay";
114, extremely common as borer in oyster shells in Copano
Bay, also Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay; 135, alive in bays;
141, Port Lavaca, Matagorda Bay, Keller Bay, Port Aransas,
Grand Isle, La.; 164, abundantly alive on hypersaline oyster
reef, Rockport; 174, listed; 175, High salinity oyster or
mollusk reef; 206, beach records in Texas. Conch., Vol. 3 (7),
(1967); 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 267, listed for
marine Pleistocene Chambers Co., Texas; 269, figured on
page 223.

Records H.M.N.S.: 28 lots of which 10 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-23 fms.

Geographical Range: Massachusetts to Texas (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 13.5 mm. (alive, Galveston, West Bay).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Diplothyra curta Sowerby, 1834.

Gulf of California to Ecuador (may be the same species
according to Turner).

Other listings in various references are: 7, Pholas maritima
Orbigny, 56, Barnea maritima Orbigny, 1845; listed for
Texas; 69, Barnea maritima Orbigny, listed.

According to Turner in ''Johnsonia", Barnea maritima is a
nomennudum and the identity of this material must remain
uncertain; 61, Xylophaga dorsalis Turton, listed for Corpus
Christi area; 62, Xylophaga dorsalis Turton, listed for
Mustang Island. Both these references are almost certainly
in error (Teredinids).

FAMILY TEREDINIDAE

In the Northwest Gulf of Mexico, represented by the subfamilies
Teredininae with genera Teredo, Lyrodus, Teredothyra and Uperotus
and Bankiinae with genera Bankia and Nausitora.

In this family belong a number of very specialized small bivalves.
Woodboring in habit, they construct long calcareous tubes in wood,
which contain the animals body which is much larger than can be con-

tained within the shells. For the purpose of identification, the
organs serving to close of! these tubes when the animal is retracted
are absolutely essential. These so called pallets are simple calcareous

objects for the Teredininae, but composite chitinous, calcareous objects
for the Bankiinae. Many species are widespread throughout the oceans
because they inhabit floating wood. Occasionally, these logs, boards,
etc., sink when the animals replace a sufficient volume of wood bv
calcareous material.

Sources: &.D. Turner, 1956 A Survey and Illustrated

Catalogue of the Teredinidae. MCZ, 265 pages.

B?

Before discussing the various species encountered along the Texas-
Louisiana coast, the difficulties in arriving at the reliable
identification should be pointed out. Since Teredinids are often
distributed over wide areas by floating timbers it is not even known
with certainty which of the following species are truly indigenous

to the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Of the several species listed below, only
Teredothyra dominicensis and Bankia gouldi should be considered a

real component of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico fauna. The others are probably
adventitious. But until textboard experiments have been made, it re-
mains useless to speculate. Most of the material in the H.M.N.S. col-
lection cannot be identified because either the pallets are missing

or they are exfoliating so badly that they have lost their characteristic
shape. Often two or more species prove to be infesting the same log.
Hardly any differences can be seen between the shells and thus pallets
remain the only certain mode of distinction. The following species

are identified on the basis of the structure of the pallets only.

Genus Teredo Linne, 1758.
Pallets with a brown periostracum on distal portion, whose margin is
somewhat '"U"' or "V" shaped.

160. Teredo bartschi Clapp, 1923.

A single lot of pallets was obtained from a log on Timblier
Ise, La. together with those of Bankia gouldi. Since the
pallets are old and begin to enfoliate, it is not completely
certain that this is T. bartschi and not.T. navalis Linne,
1758, a species reported previously from the Northwest Gulf
of Mexico.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 56, listed;
69, listed; 110, living from Sabine Pass to Port Isabel.

Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot of dead shells from Timbalier
Is., La.

Geographical Range: South Carolina to Texas, Bermuda. World-
wide, introduced to California, (Abbott, 1974).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: This species has been reported at
La Paz, Baja, California (see Keen).

Remarks: Teredo navalis Linne, 1758 is the species usually reported:
1, listed for Galveston in driftwood (error for Bankia?);
7, listed; 15, common species and very destructive to
pilings of bridges and warves (error for Bankia?); 19,
plentiful in drift timber everywhere where I collected
(Mitchell) (error for Bankia?); 21, listed; 44, Galveston
and the entire Texas coast; 61, listed; 62, listed; 65,
listed; 269, pallets shown on page 225.

Genus Teredothyra Bartsch, 1921.
This genus is characterized by a second medially divided cup inserted
in the basal cup.

161. Teredothyra dominicensis (Bartsch, 1921).
Teredo Teredothyras dominisensis, Bartsch;
Proc. Biol. Soc., Washington, Vol. 34, p. 30.
This easily recognized species (pallets with two inserted
cones) has been taken in 3 lots offshore, two of which

63

contain live collected material. Although no material in
the Museum collection has been taken along the beaches,
it is quite probable that it will be collected along the
beaches of Texas and Louisiana.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots of which two contain live collected
material.

Geographical range: Cuba, Dominica, Lesser Antilles (Abbott,
1974).

Depth Range: 11-28 fms.; alive: 11-22 fms.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Genus Lyrodus
Pallets are more club-shaped than those of Teredo-with thin periostracal
covering.

162. Lyrodus pedicellatus (Quatrefages, 1849).
Teredo pedicellatus Quatrefages, 1849. Am. Sci. Nat.
Zool (GS) al Ua pe 2 Oeuep lisgel ene tliorcus Dre
Only a single lot of this species was obtained from a piece
of wood on Bryan Beach, Freeport. The single retrieved
pallet is old and the identification must remain somewhat
doubtful.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None,
Although ref. 269 mentions its possible occurrence along
the Texas coast.

Records H.M.N.S.: One lot from Bryan Beach, Freeport.

Geographical Range: Worldwide.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The species is widespread through-
out the oceans of the world, but is not mentioned by Keen
in her book (1971) on the Panamanic Province.

Genus Uperotus Guettard, 1770.

This very characteristic genus possesses shells which are slightly
different in form than those of all other genera. The pallets
possess on their distal end pronounced radiating ribs.

163. Uperotus panamensis (Bartsch, 1922).

Teredo (Teredora panamensis Bartsch, Bull. U.S.

Nat.. Mus. .122,:p,. 34,.pl. 27,,.figs.; 3-4;

Plc S 5D swt gone)
Seven valves together with two pallets were obtained from
Mustang Island Beach in wood. This is an extremely interesting
find since U. panamensis is as far as I know, only known
from the Panamanic province of the eastern Pacific. Its
occurrence along the Texas coast presumably indicates that
it may live further south either along the Yucatan platform
or along the mid American Atlantic coast.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None

Records H.M.N.S.: Only dead material.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Only known from the eastern Pacific
(Panama in 93 meters, Keen, 1971), although according to
Turner, possibly Teredo lieberkindi Roch, 1931 from Rio de Oro,
Africa is the same.

64

Genus Nausitora Wright, 1864.

Pallets are elongate with closely packed cones forming almost a single
mass. The stalk can be seen extending inside the blade in our
specimens.

164. Nausitora fusticola (Jeffreys, 1860).
Teredo fusticola Jeffreys, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3),
Vol) 165). 125),
A single lot of this interesting species was dredged in a
depth of 40 fms. in wood. Unfortunately, all material is
juvenile, but there were live specimens. The small pallets
are quite different from those of Teredo and show clearly
under the microscope the almost fused cones and the con-
tinuation of the stalk into the blade. Both Keen and
Turner mention that Nausitora excolpa Bartsch, 1922 (Bull.
URS ANE Meni eU22. opel Si Geutd pea Ae Sleeper oe 4) ie com uthe
Panamania Province is probably identical with it.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot from 40 fms. (28°01' - 94° 40')
with live material.
Geographical Range: Brazil, Scotland.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Nausitota excolpa Bartsch, 1922,
Mazatlan, Mexico to Ecuator. (Acc. to Turner, 1966, possibly
the same).

-enus Bankia Gray, 1842.

The pallets of this genus are elongate, with calcareous base and horny
cones, which are clearly separate. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, two
species which are differentiated by means of the shape of the cones.
Turner suggests that proposed subgenera are of little significance.

165. Bankia (Bankiella) gouldi (Bartsch, 1908).
Xylotrya gouldi Bartsch, 1908. Proc. Biol. Soc.
Wash. 21, p. 211.

This is probably one of the few true indigenous Teredinids
of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. It lives in all bays where
it attaches to wooden objects. On the beaches it is the
species most often found in driftwood, log, timbers, etc.
It ranges from Timbalier Island, La. to South Padre
Island and is often found together with other species.

We have found it infesting the same wood with Teredo
bartschi and Teredothyra dominicensis.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 39,
(originally description) Galveston; 56, listed; 69, listed;
83, Sabine Pass, Port Bolivar, Galveston, Rockport, Port
Aransas, Corpus Christi, Port Isabel; 110, Sabine Pass
to Port Isabel; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 269, pallets
figured on page 224.

Records H.M.N.S.: 7 lots, (no live material, although I have
seen the species alive).

Depth Range: O-11 fms.

Geographical Range: New Jersey to Florida, Texas and to Brazil.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The same species lives in the
Panamanic province. Sinaloa, Mexico (Keen) 1971, p. 294.

65

166. Bankia (Bankiopsis) carinata (Gray, 1827).
Teredo carinata Gray, 1827. Phil. Mag. (N.S.), 2,
411.
Syn.: Bankia caribbea Clench and Turner, 1946.
Of this species, whose cones are wider apart than in the
previous ones, two lots were obtained, one from High
Island beach, the other from 28 fms. mixed with Teredothyra
dominicensis.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 83, listed
for Texas, "Gulfport". This locality may be in error.
H.M.N.S. Records: 2 lots (only dead material).
Depth Range: 0-28 fms.
Geographical Range: Indo Pacific, Europe, West Indies, Brazil,
(Abbott, 1974).
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.
Finally, there exist references to other species. These
are: Teredora malleolus Turton, 1822 (as Teredo thompsoni
Tryon, 1863). Listed in 236 for Galveston. Psiloteredo
megotara Hanley, 1848. Listed by Ref. 45 for Cameron, La.
Bankia (Plumulella) fimbriatula Moll and Roch., 1931. Listed
as Xylotrya fimbriata Jeffreys, 1860 in Ref. 7 and repeated
as such in Ref. 45, 56 and listed in Ref. 69.
Although we have not identified these species among our scant
material, it is not impossible that they eventually will
be found along the Louisiana and Texas coasts.

ORDER PHOLADOMYOIDEA
SUPERFAMILY PANDORACEA
FAMILY LYONSTIIDAE

Thin shelled bivalves with strongly reduced hinge with a small
calcareous piece (ossicle) inside under the anteriorly pointing
beaks. Pearly interior and well developed periostracum. Represented
in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico by the genera Lyonsia and Entodesma.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N.
part 2, p. 845-847.

Genus Lyonsia Turton, 1822.
Thin white shells, with brownish periostracum, radial sculpture.

167. Lyonsia floridana Conrad, 1849.

Of the two closely related species of Lyonsia in the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico this is the species occasionally found in
the shallow coastal bays. We do not have material from
Louisiana, although it probably also lives there, it is
fairly common from Galveston southwestward (Galveston West
Bay, Matagorda Bay, Aransas Bay, Laguna Madre). Another
superficially similar species lives in offshore waters ,
which upon closer inspection, does not appear to me to be

66

an ecological variant of L. floridana. Both species
are separated by a depth zone in which the genus is not
found.

L. floridana Conrad is a rather elongate species which has,
when collected alive, often sand grains attached to it.
Juvenile specimens look considerably different from full
grown material. When two to three milimeters in size, they
have a straight dorsal slope, are strongly radially striated
by very close and evenly spaced striae and have not yet
developed the snout like posterior of full grown specimens.
The ventral margin does not sag as in the next species.

This species has been often reported as L. hyalina floridana.
The figure of L. hyalina floridana Conrad in Abbott and
Warmke: ''Caribbean Seashells" (plate 44, fig. F) shows
little resemblance with this species, but may be L. hyalina
as we defined.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
15, dredged in Corpus Christi Bay, rare; 21, listed; 45,
Corpus Christi, Texas; 56, listed; 58, Matagorda Bay; 98,
listed for the bays; 110, found living in Aransas Bay; 164,
alive in inlet influenced environment and open bay margin
at Rockport, alive in Laguna Madre; 174, listed; 206,

Beach Notes Texas Conch., Vol. 2 (8); 236 (Lyonsia sp.)
Galveston; 269, figured on p. 227.

Records H.M.N.S.: 14 lots of which 10 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-1 fms. (bays and beaches only).

Geographical Range: West Coast of Florida to Texas

Maximum Size: 18 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

168. Lyonsia c.f. hyalina (Conrad, 1834).
Mya hyalina Conrad, J. Acad. Nat. Sci., 6, p. 261, pl. 11,
eater Ae

This species about whose identification exists some un-
certainty, shows several points of considerable difference
with the bay species. In the first place, it is less
elongate than L. floridana, its 'snout'' terminates more
abruptly and is broader. In the second place, the structure
and shape of the umbo is quite different in that it points
sharply forward, whereas in L. floridana it is more folded
inward. The umbo also is sharper and more prominent in
L. hyalina. Lastly, the anterior part of the shell is less
swollen than in L. floridana. As a consequence of all these
differences, the species is closer in shape and appearance
to the genus Entodesma off the Texas coast.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed;
44, Nova Scotia to Texas, 0-30 fms.; 56, listed; 174 listed.

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots of which 3 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 11-28 fms.; alive; 12-28 fms.

Geographical Range: Abbott, 1974, gives Nova Scotia to South
Carolina, but until the genus has been carefully reviewed,
no geographical range can be specified.

67

Maximum Size: 12 mm.

Fastern Pacific Analogue: Possibly Lyonsia gouldii Dall,
ORES:
"San Diego, California to Acapulco, Mexico, mainly taken
by dredging in 7-73 m."' (Keen, 1971).

Genus Entodesma Philippi, 1845.

This genus differs from Lyonsia by the presence of color in the shell,
more irregular shape, thicker periostracum and lack of radials in
full grown shells. The single Texas species was assigned by Dall and

Simpson, 1901, to the subgenus Philippina, which is not recognized
by Keen in the ''Treatise".

169.

170.

Entodesma (Philippina) beana (Orbigny, 1846).

Lyonsia beana Orbigny. Moll. Cubana 2, p. 225,

pl. 255 igs. 26-28)
This often, quite irregular shell used to be known as
Lyonsia beana Orbigny. It is colored a greenish brown,
its radial sculpture is quite suppressed and its shape is
somewhat like a Pteria without the "wing'’. Radial sculpture
is only clearly visible in juvenile specimens of 1-2 m.
size, but does not continue on the shell when it grows to
larger size. It consists of very fine closely spaced
radials with a number of more pronounced ridges. These
radials are formed by rows of small circular pimples. In
the genus Lyonsia, the radials are formed by much smaller
pustules. Off the Texas coast.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, listed
in Vol. 9, Texas Conch., p. 83, 1971; 253, attached to algae
on reef off Padre Island.

Records H.N.M.S.: 7 lots of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 20-30 fms.; alive, 25-30 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, West Indies,
Bermuda, Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 21 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Entodesma (Agriodesma) beviforms
Sowerby, 1834. "Santa Elena, Ecuador, depth 11-15 m."
(Keen, 1971).

Lyonsia? Spec. Indet.
A valve, unfortunately broken, represents a quite different

species. The hinge structure is somewhat different and may
turn out to be more Thraciid. However, the fragment (ventral
part of the margin is missing) should be possible to be
identified as the hinge is completely intact. The surface
sculpture is typically Lyonsiid with thin radials.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, none alive (perhaps our specimen
was collected alive and broken by the dredge).

Depth Range: 32 fms. in shelly mud.

Geographical Range: Unknown

Maximum Size: When complete in excess of 7 mm.

Eastern Pacific Ana ‘gue: Unknown.

68

7 ue N

“CONCHOLOGIST

~~

.

ome

’

; e
LUME X111 No 3 LIAM H. DALE
DIVISION OF MOLLUSKS

we hee So ‘

MARC

WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLING

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST 's the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8.00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage
required at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES

Family membership

Single membership $5.00
Student membership $2.00
Single issues $1.50

Extra sets mailed members

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR CIRCULATION

William R. Keeler Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
729-6958 723-3628

$827 Braesheather 5238 Sanford Street

Houston, Texas 77035 Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mrs. Hollis Q. Boone Helmer Od& W. W. Sutow
668-8252 664-9942 748-7233
3706 Rice Boulevard 4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 North MacGregor Way

Houston, Texas 77005 Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and professionals,
subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced and should be submitted
to the editorial staff.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLING

Margie Woods spent approximately thirty minutes digging an
eighteen inch deep hole in the mud at San Luis Pass, Galveston,
Texas, one very cold day in February, to retrieve her first
angel wing --- Cyrtopleura costata, (Linne, 1758).

Margie is chairman of the educational packs for the May show

at the Museum and has spent many hours this winter at the Pass
gathering specimens for the Society. One day when the weather
was freezing, she collected pairs of frozen angel wings, but

the specimen she is shown digging above is the first one she

has really dug "all the way' herself. If you think she looks

too pretty, the picture was not staged. She had on her stocking-
foot waders, but she did remove her all-weather coat and dug
with bare arms even though it was in the teens in temperature!
Her prize was a five-inch specimen.

Photo by Constance Boone

EDITOR RETIRES

The Editor of the Texas Conchologist since September, 1974, W.R. Keeler,
will give up the post with this issue. His orbituary follows:

"As I read my beginning statement, I have kept my promises. I have
tried to publish material which would be of interest to members

while maintaining technical standards. I have made errors and readers
have called these errors to my attention. I have not been able to
broaden our stable of authors as I would have liked and the Conchologist
still depends upon three of our members for material. Perhaps I have
not been aggressive enough when seeking material for publication.

It has been interesting, I have learned much and I will remember my
association with the publication and with those persons who have helped
me during the last three years.

70

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS

You and all your friends are invited to our Wonderful World of Shells
which will open to the public May 2 and last through May 14 at the
Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The special opening for members and their families, the Museum staff,
board and Guild, and special guests will be held on Sunday, May 1,
from 6 to 9 p.m. Invitations will be issued for this event.

Displays will fill Herman Brown Auditorium and be featured in two bronze
and glass cases in the James S. Abercrombie entrance of the Museum.

Museum hours are as follows: Tuesday through Saturday 9 to 5 p.m.; Sunday
and Monday, Noon to 5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday nights 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Exhibits and exhibitors are as follows:

Texas Shells -- Leola Glass and Constance Boone

Northwest Gulf of Mexico -- From Museum research collection

Texas Freshwater and Land Shells -- Constance Boone

Sanibel -- Helen Eberspacher, Mildred Elkins, Carlos Cardeza

East Coast, U.S.A. -- Margie and Wilbur Woods

Busycons - Houston Conchology Society members, especially
Mrs. Howard K. Hanks and Sandy Clark

Caribbean -- Helen and Charlie Doh

West Coast, U.S.A. -- Ruby Ray

Panamic Province -- Audrey and Wayne Holiman

Central Pacific -- Ruth Fair

Philippines -- Cynthia Biasca

Japan -- Rosemary Habermacher

Australia -- Ruth Goodson

Africa -- Several H.C.S. members

Europe -- Helen and Charlie Doh

South America -- Constance Boone

Conidae -- Tina Petway

Cypraeidae -- Wilson Ward

Strombidae -- Lloyd Meister

Lambis -- Laura Montgomery

Pectinidae -- Fannie and Sam Miron

Lyropecten nodosus (Lion's Paw) -- Larry and Betty Allen

Uiividae -- Lucy Clampit

Tree and land snails -- Barbara and Jim Hudson

Minute Shells -- Jim Sartor

Chitons -- W.W. Sutow

Bivalves -- Rosemary Habermacher

Growth Series -- Mary Lee Bivona

Fossils -- Laura and Hugo Bauer

Haliotidae -- Rosemary Habermacher

Recent Gift of Shells - From Museum Collection

(2

Mollusks as Food - W.W. Sutow

Educational -- Merle Kleb

Early Uses of Shells -- Anne Spears

Mollusks in Literature Through the Ages -- with assistance from
Dr. TE. Pulley,

Artistic Uses of Mollusks Today -- Barbara Hudson

Shells Inside and Out -- Margaret Baldwin

Spondylus -- Carole Courtade

Volutidae -- Frank Petway

Albinos -- Mildred Tate from Brazosport Museum of Natural Science
Corals - Charlie Doh

Echinoderms -- Leola Glass

Beachcombing -- Hershel and Kaye Sands, Mary Jane Williams
Children's Table -- Maria Carpenter and Mary Edna Ragland

Texas Conchologist -- Bill Keeler

Micro-Mollusks in Photos -- Frank Van Morkhoven

Gem Shells of the World - Mary Myers

Largest Shells of the World -- Clarice Van Erp
Muricidae -- Merle Kleb

Matagorda Beach -- Linda Serrill

Evolution of a Shell Collector -- Betty Allen
Stamps and Shells -- Mary Myers

Chairmen are as follows:

General Chairman -- Constance Boone

Adwals op ae = seo Dr. T.E. Pulley, Director of the Houston
Museum of Natural Science

Shell Packages----- Merle Kleb and Barbara Hudson

Educational Packs-- Margie Woods, Leola Glass, Ruby Ray

Hospitality-------- Carole Courtade

Publicity ----~---- Constance Boone, Wilson Ward, Carl Aiken,

Clarice Van Erp
Workers for Show

and Sales------- Cynthia Biasca and Margaret Baldwin
Cases-------~=----— Frank Petway, Fritz Lang
Sy PS ES me ma eee Ruby Ray and Mary Lynn Parke

Since this issue of the Conchologist will come out before the show in
May, your chairmen urge all of you to continue to help and to give
generously of your time to manage the show.

The April meeting has been set aside to get the Museum cases in shape
and to talk over any final details. We will place the exhibits in the
cases in the Auditorium on Friday and Saturday, April 29 and 30. There
will be a few hours available for you to work on displays on Sunday,
May 1, but we hope you'll finish Friday and Saturday and be ready to
participate in the opening party on Sunday night.

We will need some help on Friday to arrange the rental tables and get

ti2

them skirted. We will put the cases we have ordered from Dick Craven
in place on Friday. The cases will be delivered to the Museum and

held there until we use them in the show. After the show, those of you
who have purchased cases may then take possession of the cases.

Take-down for the show will be Sunday, May 15, and on Monday, May 16.

The two special cases of Gem Shells and Molluscan Giants will be
arranged a week or so before the opening of the show. The Museum is
happy to have these in place earlier and this will help us advertise
the show.

We need all of you to help advise the public of this show. If any
of you can assist with ideas to pursue special ways to publicize the
event, please call a member of the publicity committee.

Thanks to many, many members who have given so generously of their
shells and their time, the WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS is well on its
way to being a major event for Houston and a triumph for our club.

Again we wish to emphasize that this show will aid the Museum and
will also aid in publicizing our club and anneunce to one and all
that HCS is open to anyone interested in shells.

HR EIR EER EIR RRR RRR RRERERERR

"BOTTOMS UP COOKERY" by Robert B. Leamer, Wilfred H. Shaw and Charles

F,. Ulrich (1975) is another book which provides a good assortment of
recipes for cooking shellfish. The authors are scuba buffs and according-
ly, first-hand information on various aspects of acquiring the shellfish
(and other sea foods) is included. The manual is called a “unique sea
hunters guide".

Among the dishes described in the book, "ceriche" is mentioned in relation
to marinated fish salad. In Ecuador, "ceriche de concha" appears on the
restaurant menus. The “concha" in many cases is Anadara tuberculosa.
Squids, too, are advertised as “ceriche de camarones",.

This book contains three pages of bibliographic material. Among the 42
items listed, the majority of the publications were issued by the U.S.
Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service or by the State of
California Department of Fish and Game, The photo credits too reflect
the contributions of the national and state services.

KEIR IRR KERR EREREERERERRERER

In Bulletin No. 5 of the Conchologists of America, Frank J. Nelson dis-
cusses the responsibilities (and the problems) of a book reviewer. (In
reviewing books and manuscripts for publication, the reviewer must
constantly fight his own prejudices and it is often difficult to feel
satisfied that he has been completely impartial). Nelson emphasizes
that "the reviewer's responsibility is to the reader and not to the

The comments preface a blunt review of one book in which the editor
"tried to find one redeeming feature for the book's ever having been
written. 73

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) by H. Ode’

FAMILY PERIPLOMATIDAE

Rather small nacreous shells with internal ligaments lodged in a spoon
shaped resilifer. Only the genus Periploma in the N.W. Gulf of
Mexico.
Sources; M. Keen in Treat Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
p- 849-850.

Genus Periploma Schumacher, 1817.

Strongly inaequivalve, nacreous, with slits on umbo. In the N.W. Gulf
of Mexico, they are probably species all in the nominate subgenus
Periploma. This genus is in need of revision as it is practically
impossible to evaluate the status of various "species" from the
scattered literature.

171 Periploma (Periploma) margaritaceum Lamarck, 1801.
Along the beaches of Texas and Louisiana, this is an abundant
bivalve in beachdrift, often washed ashore in pairs. It
is seldom dredged in offshore waters so that I conclude
that it primarily lives in the surf zone along the coast and
near the inlets. The few bay specimens dredged from
Galveston Bay probably have lived there. It appears to
be more common in the southern coastal bays of Texas than
in Galveston Bay. Periploma margaritaceum has been
reported under a great many names: P. angulifera Philippi,
1847; P. inaequivalvis Schumacher, 1817; P. inequale
C.B. Adams, 1842. P. angulifera and P. inequale are
probably full synonyms. Also, one encounters references
to P. papyratium Say, and P. fragile Totten, 1835. The
latter name was used by Parker for shells from the
Mississippi delta and the Rockport area, which appears
slightly different from P. margaritaceum Lam. Characteristic
for Periploma is the disparity between right (inflated) and
left valve (much flatter and smaller). In P. margaritaceun,
the right valve overlaps the left and has an anterior
sulcus much more pronounced than the left valve. The
anterior part of both valves, when viewed under the
microscope, is strongly pustulose.

74

WZ

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1,
"Ziets. Malskos’', 1847 for p. 73, common; 4, listed on p. 306;
7, listed; 15, Galveston; 19, single valves on Gulf beach
Peninsula and Matagorda Island, 21, listed; 32, lists
Texas; 45, Galveston from Matagorda; 56, lists Texas; 58,
listed; 66, (Periploma sp.) marine Pleistocene of Texas;
69, listed P. inequale); 98, listed for the bays and the
beaches; 110, fresh dead shells are found on all the Texas
beaches, pl. 13, figs. 14, 15; 135, alive im Gulf, alive
in bays; 136, in final list; 143, Matagorda Bay; 145, upper
sound Mississippi delta, dead; 160, Matagorda Bay; 164,
Rockport area, dead in inlet influenced environment and
alive in open bay margin; 174, listed; 206, Beach Notes,
Texas Conch., Vol. 7, p. 46, 225, Galveston; 261, Galveston;
figured on p. 226.

Records H.M.N.S.: 11 lots of which 4 contain live collected
material,

Depth Range: 0-743 fms., alive 0-5 fms., in mud or fine.sand
Geographical Range: Carolinas, Texas, Honduras, Brazil (Rios).
Maximum Size: 20 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analocue: None.

Periploma (Periploma?) orbiculare Guppy, 1882.
This species is much more rounded than P. margaritaceum

and can be distinguished from it at a glance. It was first
identified by Dr. Rosewater from a specimen collected by

Dr. Harry in Galveston West Bay (see also Ann. Rep. of Amer.
Union for 1968, p. 37-39). Since then, little more material
has come to light; only a single live collected specimen

in mud at the western end of Christmas Bay. Another specimen
which may be this species is illustrated in Ref. 170, dredged
alive offshore East Texas in 26 fms. and is labelled

P. paypratium Say. The H.M.N.S. collection specimen
(Christmas Bay) is strongly pustulose and on the disc of

the shell one can discern with the microscope, fine radial
rows of small pustules. P. orbiculare Guppy is different
but closely related to Periploma coquettae Altena, 1968,
described from Surinam. (identical?)

Previous records for the Texas faunal province: 206, Beach
Notes, Texas Conch., Vol. 7, p. 46; first reported in a
paper by Dr. Rosewater at an annual convention of A.M.U.,
1968; 236, Galveston (reported as P. sp., but later
identified by Dr. Rosewater as P. orbiculare Guppy).

Records H.M.N.S.: A single live collected specimen from
Christmas Bay in 2-3 feet in mud,

Geographical Range: Unknown to me.

Maximum Size: Not Measured,

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

2)

1732 Periploma spec. indet. ("fragile"' of Parker).
Possibly a third species was obtained in a single lot of
a single live collected species in Chocolate Bay
(Galveston). It has a much sharper anterior part and the
posterior side of the shell is much broader than in both
other species. It is possible that it is a morph of
P. margaritaceum, although I consider this unlikely. It
is closely similar to the shells Parker collected in the
Mississippi delta and at Rockport, Texas (ref. 175, pl. 2,
fig. 13). Until more material comes to hand, little can
be said about it.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province: (all re-
ported as P. fragile Totten, 1835) 143, Matagorda Bay; 145,
upper sound Mississippi delta; 160, Matagorda Bay; 164,
alive in open bay center at Rockport; 175, few, in sandy
sediments.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of a single live collected specimen
in mud Chocolate Bay (Galveston).

Maximum Size: Not measured.

Geographical Range: Texas.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

174. Periploma spec. indet.

Still a fourth species is present in our material. It must
be much larger than any of the other three species, but
. unfortunately, we have only fragmentary material in the
collection, mostly fragments with the chondrophore.
This part is preserved in the dredge samples because
the chondrophore is buttressed by a strong internal ridge,
reinforcing the shell. The orientation of buttress and
chondrophore with respect to the shell is quite different
from the one in P. margaritaceum and the other unidentified
species. More material must be collected before we can
identify our material. Also known from mudlump fauna.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206,
Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83, 1973 (as P. sp. B. (exparte).
Records H.M.N.S.: 13 lots, no live material.
Depth Range: 13%-40 fms., in sandy mud.
Geographical Range: Unknown.
Maximum Size: Probably over one inch.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Remarks: Other references to species in the genus Periploma

are: Ref. 21, Periploma trapezoides Lam. ;
Refs. 170 and 174, Periploma papyratium Say.

76

FAMILY PANDORIDAE

White, often quite flat, bivalves with nacreous interior. In the
N.W. Gulf of Mexico, only three species.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
pt. 2, p. 843-844.
H.J. Boss and A.S. Merrill: Johnsonia,
Vol. 4, (44), p. 181-215.

Genus Pandora Bruguiere, 1797.

The only genus in this family is inaequivalve, the right valve being
flat, left valve slightly inflated. Space for the soft parts of the
animal is very small. The hinge plate is missing but instead, a
number of buttresses (crurae) are called teeth. The arrangement of
these serves to differentiate the several subgenera of which only two
live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

175. Pandora (Clidiophora) trilineata Say, 1822.

Pandora trilineata Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila.,

UisitentS Cet eZee Olli.
This common bay dweller is rarely collected offshore. A number
of live specimens was dredged from Ship Shoal, La., in between
25-45 feet of water. This location off the mouth of the
Atchafalaya River is remarkable by the occurrence of many
living bay forms. A number of old fragmental valves has been
obtained at several locations in water depths to 28 fms.; they
are probably fossil.

P, trilineata lives in most of the coastal bays of Texas and
Louisiana (Trimbalier Bay, Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay,
Aransas Bay). It is also often collected from beachdrift
along the entire Texas-Louisiana coast. Juveniles are seldom
seen.

Previous records for the Texas Faunal province are: 1, Galveston
Island; 7, listed; 15, Galveston Beach; 21, listed; 45,
Galveston; 56, listed; 61, Corpus Christi area; 62, Corpus
Christi area; 69, listed; 98, alive in lower Aransas Bay; 110,
dead shells at Galveston and Port Aransas; 135, dead in Gulf,
alive in bays; 136, listed (not in text); 139, listed for
"inlets", pl. 39, fig. 22; 143, Matagorda Bay; 145, upper
sound and inlets, pl. 4, figs. 18A, B; 160, alive at many
locations in Matagorda Bay; 164, alive in Rockport area, in
open bays centers, margins and inlet influenced areas; 170,
off East Texas; 174, listed; 175, listed for open sound
assemblage, few in mixed sediment, pl. 2, fig. 12; 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 2 (5); 208, listed for tidal inlet and influence,
open bay centers, and bay margin, adapted to soft sediment;
219, Galveston, Matagorda Bay, Carancahua Bay, Pass Caballo,
Matagorda Island, Port Aransas; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston;
261, shallow offshore Galveston; 269, figured on page 226.

77

Records H.M.N.S.: 47 lots of which 29 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-28 fms.; alive: 0-6 fms., but usually not deeper
than 1-2 fms.

Geographical Range: From Chesapeake Bay to Florida to Texas.

Maximum Size: 23 mm,

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The only Chidiophora of the Panamanic
Province does not resemble P. trilineata.

176. Pandora (Pandorella) inflata, (Boss and Merrill, 1965).
Kennerlia brevis Verrill and Bush. Proc. U.S.N.M., 20, p. 821,
pl. 88, fig. 7a-b. (not Sowerby, 1829), 1898.

The previous species is replaced by P. inflata in the offshore

waters where it is widespread along the Texas-Louisiana coast.

It is a shorter more inflated species than P. trilineata. Sur-

prisingly, this species has seldom been reported, but I believe

some records of P. arenosa Conrad have been misidentified.

Sometimes juvenile specimens of P. inflata are difficult to

distinguish from those of P. bushiana Dall. The flat right valve

of this species is conspicuously marked by slightly curved

radial lines. Beach records are rare: South Padre Island, Free-

port, Timbalier Bay.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch...) 3) Vol 185) prin 395,. Vol. 9). (p. 83,) 19735, 2356 4nGalveston.

Records H.M.N.S.: 51 lots, of which 6 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-50 fms.; alive: 10-50 fms. in sandy mud bottoms.
Beach specimens are probably rafted ashore by whipcoral.

Geographical Range: New Jersey to both sides of Florida. The
N.W. Gulf of Mexico may be its principal region.

Maximum Size: 13 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Pandora (Pandorella) radiata Sowerby,
1835, Baja California to Mazatlan, Mexico in depths to
140 m. (Keen, 1971).

177. Pandora (Pandorella) bushiana Dall, 1886.
Pandora (Kennerlia) bushiana Dall. Bull. MCZ, 12 (6),
Pe 3L25
The last common species in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico occurs
sparingly in sand bottoms between 10 and 25 fms. It is a
very flat, small species, which has only rarely been taken
on our beaches, mostly rafted ashore by whipcoral. Juveniles
of this species are sometimes quite close to those of
P. inflata. The dentition of this species is more de-
veloped than in P. inflata. In the N.W. Gulf, the species
does not reach the size of 16 mm. quoted by Boss and Verrill.
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: Very
rare on our beaches (Lydia Ann Channel near Port Aransas,
South Padre Island 145, deep shelf, dead, pl. 7, fig. 22
A-B (is possibly P. inflata); 175, listed for intermediate
shelf on mud bottoms, common; 206, Beach Records in Texas
Conch., Vol. 2, (5), 1965; 236, Galveston.
Records H.M.N.S.: 25 lots of which 5 contain live collected
material.

78

Depth Range: 0-30 fms.; alive: 10-25 fms.

Geographical Range: Florida and Antilles. Poorly known.
Maximum Size: 12.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Pandora (Pandorel1la) granulata Dall,

1915, appears close. ‘Southern California to Guaymas, Mexico
on muddv bottoms to devths of 33 m'! (Keen. 1971).

Remarks: Pandora (Pandorella) arenosa Conrad, 1834, has several

times been recorded: 7, listed; 15, listed (P. carolinensis
Bush); 170, listed for transitional shelf assemblage off East
Texas, pl. 12, fig. 2 (probably P. inflata); 219, ‘Reported
by Singley in 1893 and Pulley in 1952" (Note: this statement
is incorrect, Pulley only refers to Dall's reference).

In all probability, Pandora arenosa does not live in the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico.

FAMILY THRACTIDAE

Represented in the Gulf of Mexico by the genera Thracia, Bushia,
Asthenothaerus and Cyathodonata. This family presents difficulties,
especially for juvenile material.

Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
Dou soWsinsiaAs » LUEKOS)-

Gertus Thracia Sowerby, 1823.
Large to small bivalves with pustulose exterior and edentulous hinge.
In Texas-Louisiana, the subgenera Thracia and Ixartia.

Thracia (Thracia) conradi Courthouy, 1838.

Thracia conradi Couthouy. Bost. Journ. Nat. Sci., 2, pl.

NSS pile (4 ete 2.
Fragments of this very large bivalve are common over the
Texas-Louisiana shelf, but complete valves are quite rare;
probably they are broken in the dredge. The umbonal area is
apparently easily broken (in the right valve the beak is always
perforated) and our material is insufficient to study the
properties of the hinge. Our fragments and the complete
material shows the typical pustulose punctations of the genus.

We assume that a number of very small valves (1-2 mm) represent
the juveniles of this species. They are uniformly pitted and have
an appearance different from all other species in this family,
except perhaps the next one, of which no juvenile material is
present. In these very small specimens there is an extremely
narrow, somewhat curved open sinus in the umbo referred to by
Keen as "the fissure in the cardinal plate occupied by the
lithodesma". (Treat. Invert. Paleont.). What is troublesome
however, is that some of these minute valves seem to possess

a kind of lateral tooth or some structure thickening the dorsal
slope of the hinge line.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: 206, listed

in Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83, 1973, (as TIT. conradi and
andeke esp.) Gey Uv.)

Records H.M.N.S.: 22 lots, none alive.
Depth Range: 11-60 fms. in sandy and shelly mud.

1/s}

179.

180.

181.

Geographical Range:
Maximum Size: 90 m.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Thracia stimpsoni Dall, 1886.

Thracia stimpsoni Dall, 1886, BMCZ, 12, (6), p. 307; P.U.S.
AMIR WAR ey I7/s}5 joie WSS see, Be
Fragments of this large Thracia are common in dredged material.
It is in my opinion probable that this is not a separate
species but immature T. conradi.

Thracia spec. indet. A

A single dead collected pair of a third Thracia has so far
not been identified. In shape, the species resemble Basterotia
newtoniana, but the surface is pimpled and the hinge is clear-
ly Thraciid. More material must be obtained before I can say
more about this species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: A single pair (now disarticulate), dead.

Depth Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 9.7 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Thracia (Ixartia) morrisoni Petit, 1964.

Thracia morrisoni Petit, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 77,
peo lots fiess t=6:.
This is a much smaller and thicker shelled bivalve than
T. conradi, and also much rarer. Only a single lot (a
complete pair) is present in the H.M.N.S. collection. The
pallial sinus is large. The specimen agrees fairly well with
Petit's figures and description.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: none.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single pair, collected dead.
Depth range: 4-8 fms., on limestone outcrop.
Geographical Range: South Carolina, N.W. Gulf of Mexico.
Maximum Size: 13.5 X 10.1 m.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Genus Asthenothaerus, Carpenter, 1864.
Small Macoma-like shells, with a Thraciid hinge.

182.

Asthenothaerus spec. indet. (probably balesi Rehder, 1943).

This small Macoma-like shell has all the characters of the genus;
the hinge and the fine pustulosity on the blunted posterior
end. Dall has described A. hemphilli, Rehder a somewhat more
elongate species from shallow water of west Florida and in all
probability, this is the same species, but since Keen states
that there are two Caribbean species, we will hold a definite
identification until we have checked the other species. In
all likelihood, both species will turn out to be identical,
but our specimens agree better with A. balesi.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83 as Thracia sp. A.

80

Records H.M.N.S.: 5 lots, no live material.
Depth Range: 40 feet - 26 fms. in shelly sand and mud (probably
alive at 26 fms.)
Remarks: Also reported are the following species:
Thracia phaseolina Kiener, 1834 (ref. 7)
Thracia distorta Montagu, 1808 (refs. 7, 45)
Thracia sp. (ref. 156), "common".
Geographical Range:
Eastern Pacific Analogue: A. villosior Carpenter, 1864, "San
Pedro, California to Cape San Lucas" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Bushia Dall, 1886.
Close to Asthenothaerus, no granulations and external ligaments.

183. Bushia spec. indet.

Only two lots of very small valves are in the H.M.N.S.
collection; they are completely different from any other
Thraciids and have as far as I am able to see, the character
and shape of Bushia, in particular B. elegans Dall, which is
known from the West Indies. Final identification must await
comparison with juvenile material of that species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch... Volo 9), .De 835, 0973 (as, thracia ‘spe 7B))i.

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 14-23 fms., in mud.

Geographical Range: West Indies.

Maximum Size: 1.5 mm. (juvenile material only).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ? f

184. Bushia spec. indet. B.

A single fragment of a much larger species was obtained at one
location, It might be Bushia elegans Dall, but no certain
identification will be possible from our material.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot (one broken valve).

Depth Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: If complete, in excess of 10 m,

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Bushia panamensis Dall, 1890, is not
unlike it. "Panama Bay, 93 m. in mud" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Cyathodonta Conrad, 1849,
Shell with undulating sculpture and pustulose granulations, Juveniles
of the only Texas species are different from all other Thraciids.

185. Cyathodonta semirugosa Reeve, 1859.
This species is difficult to understand, Juvenile specimens

do not appear to be Thraciids. Their shape is completely dif-
ferent, more like Astarte. They have strong parallel ribbing

and no pustulosity. The undulating waviness and granules appear
much later when the shell has reached a size in excess of several
millimeters. In fact, the very small shells appear almost as
Myadora of the family Myochamidae: they possess a blade-like
ridge in the cavity of the umbo from which apparently later the
structure of the chondrophora will grow. In Thracia this
structure is absent. Cyathodonta is fairly common in the N.W.

81

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lithodesma clings to the shell. More material must be obtained
before it can be identified.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, the
same specimen reported as Cetoconcha sp. A. in Texas Conch.,
Welle 9s Dor esis U7.

Records H.M.N.S.: One lot (live collected?).

Depth Range: 110 fms., in mud bottom.

Geographical Range: Unknown

Maximum Size: 2.2 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

FAMILY CUS PIDARIIDAE

Small, ovate and sometimes costate, but always rostrate bivalves which
are carnivorous. Hinge with small resilifer. Although not rare in the
N.W. Gulf of Mexico, many specimens are exceedingly difficult to clas-
sify because as yet, no clear summary for western Atlantic species has
been written. I believe that many variable species in the genera
Cuspidaria and Cardiomya have received unnecessary names. In the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico the genera Cuspidaria, Cardiomya, Myonera and Plectodon.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
Dis 854.

Genus Plectodon Carpenter, 1864,
Surface densely covered with upstanding scales.

188. Plectodon granulatus Dall, 1881.

Neaera granulata (Dall) , Bull. Am. Comp. Zool., Vol. 9,

pe lil, L881, fig. ibid, Vol. 18, (pi..300,\.plipspwedcemor.
Widespread throughout the entire Texas-Louisiana shelf area and
sometimes in large numbers. Juveniles start out closely resem-
bling Cuspidaria (smooth), but upon growth immediately form
scales, which are somewhat elongate in the direction of the
growth lines and densely cover the entire surface. Usually not
larger than 10 mm. but the species can reach twice that size.
Also taken from the mudlump fauna.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, deep-
shelf, dead; 156, Stetson Bank; 170, listed for deep-shelf
assemblage, pl. 11, fig. 3; 175, upper continental slope, common,
many dead in shallower water, living in deeper water than 65 fms.,
pl. 6, fig. 16; 201, listed for Mudlump fauna; 206, Texas Conch.,
Vol. 9, p. 83; 214, Yucatan; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251,
Yucatan.

Records H.M.N.S.: 40 lots of which 1 contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 14-70 fms.; alive at 25 fms. in shelly mud.

Geographical Range: Florida Keys, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean.

Maximum Size: 19.8 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Plectodon scaber Carpenter, 1864.
"Catalina Island, California, through the Gulf of California
and south to Panama and the Galapagos Islands, in 20 to 250 m."
(Keen, 1971).

84

Gulf of Mexico but due to its fragility, completely undamaged
material is rarely collected.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas

Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83, 1973.

Records H.M.N.S.: 11 lots, of which 2 contain live collected

material.

Depth Range: 17-75 fms.; alive 17-24 fms. (Miocene shale out-

crop and in sandy mud).

Geographical Range:
Maximum Size: Fragment of + 20 mm, (complete shell larger than

5)

Eastern Pacific Analogue: C. dubiosa Dall, 1915, "San Pedro,

California to Champerico, Guatemala in depths to 26 m.”
(Keen, 1971).

FAMILY POROMYIDAE

Small rounded shells, which in the Texas faunal province are distinctly~

granular.

Internally nacreous. In Texas, only the genus Poromya.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
part 2, p. 852-853.

Genus Poromya Forbes, 1844.

Nacreous,

with granular surface.

186. Poromya (Poromya) rostrata Rehder, 1943.

Proc. UssieNisMe, Vol. 93,.(3161), pe 289. plo 19. fics, Ti-i2-
This Strongly granular species is common in water below 30 fms.,
although it has been taken at shallow as 20 fms. Rarely alive
(50 fms.) but juveniles are not rare. These are thin-shelled
and finely and densely pimpled. Older valves are more coarsely
pimpled and often lose the granulation on the disc of the
shell. The degree to which this species is rostrate is variable
and it is debatable whether this is not merely a "race" or
subspecies of granulata. Some deep-water forms in the collection
of the H.M.N.S. have hardly any, but shallow water forms are
strongly rostrate. The only live collected specimens show a
very slight gape at the rostrum,

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 170, deep

shelf assemblage off the East Texas coast, plate 15, fig. 2;
175, listed for outer shelf, 40-65 fms., common mud bottoms,
Figure 20, plate 5 is labelled P. rostrata, but text says

P. granulata Nyst and Westendorp, 1839; 201, listed for mud-
lump fauna (as P. granulata); 206, Texas Conch., Vol. 9,

pe 83, 1973; 236, Galveston.

Records H.M.N.S.: 33 lots of which 1 contains live collected

material,

Depth Range: 20-110 fms.; alive: 50 fms., in shelly mud.
Geographical Range: "North Carolina to the West Indies", Abbott,

1974.

Maximum Size: 9.2 mm, (at 110 fms.) normally about + 7 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

187. Poromya (Cetomya?) sp. indet. A.

A single juvenile specimen from 110 fathoms is obviously
different from the previous species. It was probably live
collected because in the single remaining valve a small

85

Genus Myonera Dall, 1886.
A single species with a sculpture of strong concentric lamellae.

189. Myonera lamellifera Dall, 1881.

Neaera lamellifera (Dall), Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 9,
Diep sreelo oles

Only a few valves and some fragments of this deep-water species
have been taken offshore. Our material is immature except for

a single fragment.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas

Conch’. ,, Volts 9s per Sore

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, none alive.
Depth Range: 51-110 fms. in mud.
Geographical Range: "Off Cedar Keys to the West Indies", Abbott,

1974.

Maximum Size: Not measured,
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Genus Cuspidaria Nardo, 1840.

A number of species of this genus live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. Most
are smooth and small. In this genus and the genus Cardiomya, certain
identification is almost impossible because of the large number of des-
cribed species of questionable status. A systematic revision is sorely

needed.

190. Cuspidaria (Cuspidaria) sp. ident. A.

A single live collected pair of this species is the only material
in the H.M.N.S. collection. It belongs to the group of C. obesa
Loven, 1846, C. fraterna Verrill and Bush, 1898 and C. formosa
Verrill and Bush, 1898, but comes closest to last cited species.
The latter is known from over 1000 fms. depth (1,188 fms.),

while our specimen comes from only 170 fms. Direct comparison
with type material is necessary before a name can be assigned

to this shell.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas

Gonch,, Volc 9: p. G35 (as Cuspidartal sp. 9A)

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of one live collected specimen.
Depth Range: 170 fms. in mud.

Geographical Range: Unknown to me.

Maximum Size: 9.6 X 6.7 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

191. Cuspidaria (Cuspidaria?) c.f. jeffreysi Dall, 1881.

Neaera jeffreysi (Dall), Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. 9, (2),
Dies
This small species is in our material easily separated by the
very fine vertical line which runs from the umbo to the ventral
margin, about in the middle of the valve. There is also a
strongly developed oblique buttress under the hinge plate. Our
identification does not amount to more than a suggestion and

86

192).

193s

comparison with type material is necessary. It is a fairly
common species along the Texas-Louisiana coast and it is also
known from the mudlump fauna.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, listed;
201, listed for mudlump fauna; 206, Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83;
214, Campeche Bank,

Records H.M.N.S.: 11 lots of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 40-76 fms., and, if a small fragment proves to bé
this species 40-110 fms., alive at 70 fms.

Geographical Range: Western Atlantic.

Maximum Size: 8.8 mm., but probably over 1 cm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Cuspidaria (Cuspidaria) c.f. microrhina Dall, 1886.
Cuspidaria rostrata microrhina Dall. Bulli. Mus. Com.
Zooey Voll (125916) 3) pie 2951) 2 Lbild:sVol. 185 “ps 440;
Bea 2s S)y) idlestele)e
Of this very large species, only a single fragment, badly broken,
can be identified with reasonable certainty. The rostrum, which
is much shortened by fracture is about 10 mm. The entire
fragment is 24 mm., but probably about 16 mm. of the entire
shell is gone, It was taken together with another rostral
fragment and two juvenile shells. These are remarkable for
the fact that they look quite as normal Cuspidarias. In
fact, LI had previously identified one lot of these shelis
previously as C. glacialis Sars. (Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83).
There can be hardly any doubt that the enormously extended
rostrum is only developed in mature specimens. These smaller
specimens are coarsely sculptured by incremental growth lines
and the internal buttress is quite different from that in the
previous species. Fairly rare along the Texas-Louisiana coast.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province: 206, (as
C. glacialis) Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83.
Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, no live material.
Depth Range: 50-110 fms.
Geographical Range: Florida, N.W. Gulf of Mexico.
Maximum Size: Far in excess of 24 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Cuspidaria spec. indet. B.
A single, very small valve of a species with very pointed umbo

is in the collection and remains so far, unidentified.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Gonch., Vol. 9, p. 83.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot (no live material).

Depth Range: 167 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown

Maximum Size: 3.4 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

87

194. Cuspidaria spec. indet. C.
This small species is very close in shape and appearance to

juvenile specimens of C. microrhina Dall. It, however, differs
the quality of the surface sculpture which is extremely fine,
in fact so fine that several specimen acquire an irridescent
sheen, For the time being, I can add little by way of characters
which could make identification of this species possible.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Goncbicnn \VOlen os aD OS:

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots, of which 1 contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 23-70 fms.; alive at 50 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: In excess of 8.2 mm. (slightly broken).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

DOCTOR VAN REGTEREN ALTENA DEAD AT 69 by H. Ode’

During February of this year, Dr. C.0. Van Regteren Altena died in the
Nederlands. Although to most of our readers, he was only known by name,
it is fitting that I memoralize this somewhat shy and extremely com-
petent Dutch Malacologist here.

During my high school days, some biology students of Leyden University
introduced me to the method of sieving and picking beachdrift under

the microscope. See Basteria, Vol. 1, p. 23-30). In this manner,
rapidly a number of very small species can be collected. Most of them
proved to be unidentifiable to me. Fortunately, I was told that "there
is an expert who will be quite interested in your shells". Some letters
were written and in this manner I made my acquaintance with Van Regteren
Altena. In those days the ''Nederlandsche Malacologische Vereeniging"
was founded and started publishing its journal “Basteria". On the ad-
vice of Van Regteren Altena, I became a member and as a consequence,
forever addicted to the hobby of malacology. Van Regteren Altena was
most kind to me, gave generously of his time and advice and guided my
first steps in the field of shell study. Some of my material was
eventually published by Van Regteren Altena in his still up-to-date study:
"Bydrage to de kennis der fossiele, sub-fossiele en recente mollusken,
die de Nederlandsche shranden aanspollen, en hunner ver spreiding".

After the war was over, our paths diverged but once in a while I would
write him apropos of some of my findings concerning the Texas fauna.

It gave me great pleasure, that in spite of his frail health, he was
able to complete, after his retirement from Ryks Museum, Van Naturirlyke
Historie at Leyden, his thorough study of the marine molluscan fauna

of Surinam, which in many respects, resembles that of offshore Texas.

88

STROMBUS CANARIUM LINNE 1758, CONTROVERSY by Lloyd Meister

Strombus canarium Linne, 1758, is a very common Indo-Pacific shell.
Where it occurs; it is usually found in abundance according to

R. Tucker Abbott. It is so common that most shell shops retail them
as "basket shells" for ten to twenty-five cents each. They are
frequently used as flower buds in shell-craft flower arrangements.

The controversy arises as to whether the subgenus Laevistrombus con-
tains the one species S. canarium two: the other being Strombus isabella
Lamark, 1822, In addition, the question arises as to what to do

about Strombus turturella (Roding, 1798). I believe that all three

of these are a single species.

Original references which relate to this question are for S. canarium:
Linne, Systema Natural, 10th Ed., p. 745, No. 438 (in Latin). Réding's
Lambis turtarella is described in Museum Boltenanum, Pt. 2, p. 65, 1798
(German). (Refers to an illustration in Concholein Gabinet, Vol. 3,
Fig. 817). The Museum Boltenanum was a sales catalog compiled by
A.A.H. Lichtenstein and Peter Friedrich Roding for the Bolten family
and published in 1798. Lamark's description of Strombus isabella:.
Lamark's "Natural History of Animals Without Vertebta" Vol. 7, pz 207,
(1822) (translated. from French). This reference also refers to the
same picture:in Concholein Cabinet, Vol. 3, Fig. 817. Since I do’ not
read Latin, German, nor French, I have worked with translations~and
secondary references.

A "typical" S. canarium, Linne, may be described as follows: The shell
is solid, heavy for its size and strongly humped on the dorsal part

of the body whorl. Base color is white overlaid with light tan to
very dark, red brown axial streaks. These often form a melted pattern
and sometimes merge to form large patches of solid color. Outer lip
thickened and swollen at the upper end in the older adults. The
operature, columella and outer lip are white except for a glaze which
may appear on the outer part of the columella and the edge of outer
lip and which varies in color from light tan to almost black. The
outer lower two-thirds of the columella is swollen to varying degrees.
The parietal wall may or may not have the axial coloration. The

spire may or may not be shouldered.

The first few post-nuclear whorls may have a cancelate sculpture
because of axial and spiral ridges crossing each other. The axial
ridges begin to disappear in about the third of fourth whorl leaving
what appears to be deeply incised spiral lines which, in turn, begin
to disappear in the penultimate whorl and remain only at the base of
the body whorl. There is a weak to strong substural band which
usually begins to disappear in the penultimate whorl. There may or
may not be former varicies on the post-nuclear whorls and the spire
usually has a concave appearance. I have seen specimens from l-inch
to 4 inches (25 mm. to 100 mm.). The range of canarium is from

89

southern India to Australia and eastward to Melanesia then northward
to Japan. These areas represent the outside limits.

Dr. Abbott's description, Indo-Pacific Mollusca, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 48-49,
(1960) is necessarily more broad because he feels that there is only
One species, as do I,

Enrico Romangna-Mano ja, in La Conchiglia, November-December, 1973,
pe. 15, 16 and figures p. 16 and 17, states that Réding's description
of turturella differs from canarium only that turturella is more
slender.

He also writes “in our opinion, the specimen shown on Plate 38 of
Indo-Pacific Mollusca (Abbott's article) as turturella is not this
variety because of the outer lip''. I can only assume that this is
a typographical error as Plate 38 in the Strombus section is a
Miocene fossil, Strombus (Iricornis) merkranicus Verndenberg, 1928.
I suspect that he meant Plate 17, Fig. 16, which is the only shell
identified as turturella in the Strombus section. The shell in the
plate fits only partially the description of isabella (below) be-
cause neither the columella nor the outer lip edge are completely
white.

According to Rs Manoja, Lamark's description of S. isabella shows
many differences from S. canarium. I will take these differences
individually and try to show that they also occur in various com-
binations in typical canarium and this way to cause the two species
to merge into one.

1. “Longer, up to 95 mm., and lighter in weight"

As I stated in my description, I have seen specimens of typical
canarium to 100 mm. As for being lighter in weight, this can be
found in young adult canarium whatever its size.

2. “A more globular and humped dorsum",

I fail to see the importance of this feature since there seems to be
little, if any, difference between isabella, turturella, and canarium.

3. "A much thinner lip, the upper part of which is more
deeply slit in a slanting direction not perpendicular
to the axis of the shell as in canarium".

A thinner lip can be found in any young adult, in all sizes and in
all species of the entire genus Strombus., Most species of Strombus,
if left to their own devices, will thicken the outer lip until it
becomes grotesque in some cases. The very thickened and the thin
lip have been responsible for several misidentifications within the
genus. The "deeper slit" is a probable reference to the posterior
canal and is present in the young adult of canarium but tends to

90

diminish as the upper part of the lip is thickened where it joins
the body whorl. It is not stated whether the slanting direction is
toward the ventral or dorsal side of the shell. As far as I can
determine, this is variable.

4, ‘Whorls are more widely spaced and there are usually
light tubercules along their shoulders".

It takes widely spaced whorls to produce well shouldered specimens
and this is not uncommon in typical canarium. The use of the phrase,
"usually light tubercules" would indicate that the tubercules are
not always present. This is borne out in the photos of isabella
which are used in R. Manoja's article pp. 16-17. The specimen in
these photos does not appear to have tubercules.

5. "Very marked subsutural groove and whorls above it are
rounder",

As stated in my description of typical canarium, the subsutural
groove (band) is a variable character, sometimes weak--sometimes
strong. The groove causes the band to be formed since it, the band,
is the area between the groove and the suture above. As for the
whorls being rounder, if the whorls are more widely spaced and the
shape of the whorls are rather round to begin with, then it follows
that the area exposed below the shoulder will appear rounder. If,
however, the whorls below come up to the edge of the shoulder above,
then the area exposed will be somewhat more flat which makes the
spire appear very concave, virtually shoulderless and relatively
smooth,

6. "More extensive and thicker columellar swelling".

This is a variable character in canarium and is more dependent upon
age than anything else and is, I am sure, equally so in the turturella-
isabella forms.

7. “Fewer varicies on the first whorls".

It is not stated how many fewer. Within the typical canarium in my
own collection, the varicies range in number from none to 16. How
many fewer can you have?

8. 'Decidely different colors: completely white peristoma
without the silvery-gray of canarium; outer part of lip
completely white; golden dorsum with slight axial darker
streaks (no black zig-zag lines) and a white columella,
whereas in canarium, the dorsal pattern extends to the
ventral side as well".

The peristoma (peristome) is defined as the margin of the aperture.
This would indicate to me that what is meant is the columella and the

91

outer lip. However, Mr. R. Manoja seems not to agree. I suspect that
he is confusing the definitions of peristome and parietal, the latter
being the ventral part of the shell just to the left of the columella.
As has been previously stated, the columella, aperture, and outer lip
are white, except for the aluminum-like glaze which occurs in older
specimens of canarium. The golden dorsum with slight darker axial
streaks can also be found in typical canarium. I have not seen any
specimens with "black" axial lines, however, those from the Australian
(Queensland) coast are for some reason, probably ecological, a very
dark red-brown but not black. Most, but not all, typical canarium
have the parietal area covered with the dorsal coloration as do some
of the golden color forms. This appears to be an individual rather
than. a general characteristic. Typical canarium may have the dorsal,
or outer part of the outer lip white, although this feature does not
occur too often.

Despite the fact that R. Manoja says that he would accept S. isabella
Lamarck, 1822, as a valid species and S. turturella (Rodding, 1798)

as a synonym of that species, it cannot be. It would require a
decision to that effect from the Commission on Zoological Nomenclature,
which seems to be unlikely since both R6ding and Lamarck referred to
the same illustration (Concholien Cabinet, vol. 3, fig. 817), a fact
that seems to have been ignored by or was unknown to Mr. R. Manoja.
He did, however, mention that R6ding's was the earlier name. When
all is said and done, if Strombus isabella Lamarck is ever accepted
as a valid species or subspecies, it would have to take the earlier
name of Strombus turturella (Rdding, 1798) and the former would be-’
come a synonym of the latter.

I do not have in my collection any specimens that would fit that
description of isabella without having some features of typical
canarium intermingled which, I suppose, would tend to uphold Mr. R.
Manoja's contention that S. isabella is quite rare. I have not, to
my knowledge, ever seen a specimen that would fit precisely Lamarck's
description.

The golden color form is simply a phase that the shell goes through

as it grows, according to Dr. Abbott. This is something that I cannot
accept. I have studied the spires of all the specimens of canarium

in my collection and others as well, and can find no evidence to
support his contention. Any time I have noticed a change in color, it
has been marked by an obvious break in the shell, following which the
color was usually either a little lighter or darker and in one case
almost completely white. Any color changes I have noticed could there-
fore be considered pathological in nature, including those with the
white, dorsal, outer lip. As happens in several different families,
the animal reaches a point when they stop producing color in the shell,
which makes that amount of shell produced white in color.

In summary, it would seem that there is no need for S. turturella as
a species; for S. isabella the case is not quite so clear. I agree
with Abbott that S. canarium Linne is the only valid species, but if
a subspecies exists it would have to be named §. turturella because
of priority.

92

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

This has been a fantastic winter for low tides and good collecting,
despite the fact that the field trip dates triggered rain and
blustery weather with resultant high tides.

While it was probably wiser to stay in and run up heating bills,
many of us watched the weather reports and chose to go shelling.
I almost brought out the army because I got stubborn and insisted
on going shelling one morning I KNEW would be good and went alone.

Since we were collecting material for the educational packs, we
were delighted that the tides were especially low at San Luis Pass,
Galveston, in the bay because we were able to gather big Mercenarias
and a number of Dinocardium. The Mercenarias provided food for a
number of families. The shells have been delivered to Margie Woods
for the educational packs. Some of the Mercenarias had beautiful
purple borders, rarely so in our Mercenarias.

One January day on the sand bars out in Galveston West Bay near the
pass, Margie called to me and said she wanted to know what shell
she had. I almost flipped, because it was a large and perfect
Tellidora cristata, not often found in our area live. A later day
(my day out alone) I, too, found one dug in and happily added it

to my collection.

A number of Pandoras were in the sand out on the bars. Busycons,
both spiratum plagosum and perversum, were everywhere, luckily for
HCS needs.

If you think you are down at the Pass unnoticed by the law, think
again, folks, That day I insisted on going alone (husband had
cold) was such a beautiful one. The traffic going out of Houston
wasn't too bad; the sun shone brightly, so even though it was 19
degrees, it was great to be out; the tide was the lowest I had ever
seen it at the Pass. I was all alone on the sand bars, going, going
and going out as far as I could go. I filled the bucket brimful
and dragged along a sack of Mercenarias. Imagine my excitement as
I collected my very first live, somewhat-dug-in Anatina anitana,
and somebody really should have been there to hear me shout with
glee when I found two little live Tonnas. Anyway, I reached my
car with two loads of shells about 4 p.m. and started home, reach-
ing there about 5:30 p.m. after encountering no special traffic
problem. I walked in, still so exhilarated over the day's events
that I rather floated in and announced my satisfaction with the
day, and met a husband looking a bit upset. It seems that about
1:30 p.m. that day he had received a call from a LaMarque "police-
man'' who asked if he knew where his Buick, license number so and
so, was. Visions of kidnapping or wreck filled his mind. Informed
that the car had been spotted "abandoned" at the Pass by Texas
Parks and Wildlife rangers, he told them his wife was somewhere

95

out on the sand bars collecting, he thought. Would they go check
out the car and let him know if everything was all right? About
an hour later they called to say it was locked and all seemed
secure. The rangers never did seem to see me. But that day I do
remember a helicopter flew over and around while I was out on the
sand bars.

About 4 p.m. when I still wasn't home, Hollis called the Galveston
Sheriff's Office and got a number for the bridge toll booth. The
man on duty had just come on the bridge but said he didn't see
any car on the bay area of the Pass. Hollis then assumed I must
be on my way home. Wonder if I'll ever get to go off on such a
jaunt again without company??

During January and February we found live Raeta plicatella among
the many dead valves we picked up for the club. Many other shells
showed up in the drift. Other collecting notes include Margie
Woods digging her first angel wing, Leola Glass collecting a live
Turbonilla at the Pass, Gene Courtade getting some really huge
Busycons, a hinged-but-broken, but of very good color, pair of
Macrocallista nimbosa found by Dorothy Torrence on that January
field trip at San Luis, and a hinged-but-broken Agriopoma
texasiana by C. Boone. This latter species was also found at
Surfside this winter, a good pair and another fresh valve.

Cynthia Biasca collected some live Rangias at the Wildlife Refuge
near. Rockport. Bill Keeler retrieved a slightly broken Amaea
mitchelli from the sand at St. Joseph's Island. Mildred Tate
collected a nice large specimen of this last-named species at
Surfside Beach recently.

Going back to last November, Anne Speers collected a live
Lysonsia beana at South Padre Island. Sandy Clark collected
a live Tonna there, and a Cymatium was collected by Mildred
Elkins.

Now if just we could have a bonus of Epitoniums again this May
and if the Janthinas would float in, we would all certain this
year was a good one for collecting shells. It will be our luck
that these two species will show up in reports about the time of
the show. Don't you dare go collecting and forget to mind the
store:

94

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

Since I picked up a copy of Edwin Newman's book, ''A CIVIL TONGUE",

a short time ago, I have been trying to digest its contents
piecemeal. Some of the Newmanian message must have been absorbed.
Now, as I put down these words, I feel apprehensive that I, too, am
murdering the English language. But the deadline is here and the
Editor's patience is wearing thin. So whether or not these sentences
contain jargon, redundancies, trite phrases and cliches, the material
for this issue must be manuscriptized.

Recently, I have been scouting around for books that describe the
cooking of mollusks. Since reading Eurell Gibbons! classic ''STALKING
THE BLUE-EYED SCALLOP" many years ago, I had not kept up with that
particular subject matter. So, I experienced a sense of real dis-
covery when I came across a publication called ''THE EDIBLE SEA,"

The authors are a couple: Paul and Mavis Hill. The book is solid,
in hard cover, 276 pages, published in 1975 (price $15). A large
chunk of the book deals with the cookery of mollusks.

What sold me on the book was the picture of the abalone and the
bamboo rice paddle. It takes an old-time abalone buff to understand
the connection. This is the traditional oriental technique and it
works neatly and efficiently to separate the mollusks from their
shells. (Take it from someone who has used it hundreds of times over
the past half a century).

The authors go into the abalone recipes in a thorough manner and
describes a number of ways to prepare this delicious (in my opinion,
the numero uno) seafood. The gourmet qualities of the abalone "steak"
receive proper emphasis. But, as far as I am concerned, there is only
one way to eat abalone and that is as "sashimi'' (raw). The authors
call this "hors d'oeuvres of sliced abalone" and recommend teriyaki
sauce. I prefer straight shoyu (soysauce of the Kikkoman brand) with
either hot mustard or the Japanese horse radish. Lemon juice will

add to its taste. This is truly a king's dish in flavor.

Abalone can be fried without pounding. (Pounding takes something away.)
The meat must be sliced thin and the heat of the oil as well as the
timing of the cooking must be just right. It is really quick-fried.

The mollusk will cook tender and tasty. Overcooked, the muscle fibers
harden.

There is another dish (not included in the book) that the orientals
prepare. That is sliced cucumber salad containing diced or thin-
sliced uncooked abalone. The dressing is the sweetened Japanese
vinegar which firms up (but not harden) the abalone to a delectable
consistency.

There is no question that I am biased when it comes to talk of mol-
luscan gastronomics. But I like this book, Skimming through its pages
provides a lot of informational tidbits that can fascinate the reader.
A few can be mentioned. Ordinary cooking does not destroy all toxins
as those found in the whelk Neptunea and the Japanese clam Callista
brevisiphonata during spawning season (May to September). Diflagellate

95

poisoning of mussels is well known. Quahogs are called cherrystones
little necks, and, chowders, depending on their size. Clams that need
to be "purged" include mud clams and the soft shell clams. In my ex-
perience the surf clams (Spisula) seem to contain inordinate amounts of
sand, and do not purge easily. Even the coquinas need purging which can
be done readily.

The Pismo clam comes in for some space which pleases me no end. Not
because I grew up in the real Pismo clam country (IL spent many a weekend
plowing up the sands of Pismo Beach, Oceano, Oso Flaco, and Morro Bay)
but because I believe that Tivela stultorum is the best tasting clam
there is in the whole world.

Here again chowders are prominently mentioned. But how about the straight
clam soup oriental style - just the clam and the soup and some chopped
onion. And for both the abalone and the Pismo clam eaten raw, the
venturesome might try the authentic Japanese dressing - made from soybean
paste ("miso") and sweetened vinegar (Japanese variety) ground together
into a thin sauce. It‘s the real thing and a real treat!

One could mention several other things about abalone cookery. For
example, the dark, frilly mantle of the animal (usually discarded)

is edible. Uncooked, this part is gristly and chewy. Cooked, this
part becomes soft. In fact, the viscera too can be cooked and

eaten. (After all, in the meat eating culture, the brain, liver,
kidney and the like are consumed). The authors, however, caution that
there is such a thing as abalone poisoning. Only the Japanese species,
Haliotis discus and H. sieboldi appear to be implicated. In both,

the toxin originates from the Desmarestia seaweed which concentrates
in the liver. If the liver is consumed, poisoning can occur. The
white muscularture of the abalone is completely unaffected and is
safe.

Among the mouth-watering abalone dishes that are reciped are: abalone
relleno, tortilla abalone sandwiches, ab-burger, abalone hamburger,
abalone roast, abalone tacos, smoked abalone, abalone fondue, abalone
appetizers and abalone chowder. Not mentioned, probably because of
its scarcity, is dried abalone. As a youngster, we used to carry
around the rock hard dessicated mollusk and a pocket-knife. One
simple shaved off thin slab and chewed on them - the same as jerked
meat. In some stores, these shavings are available in high-priced
plastic bags.

An interesting bit of information noted in the book is the "abalone
tenderness scale". According to the authors, the white abalone

(H. sorenseni) is the tenderest and the black abalone (H. cracherodi)
the toughest. Pink (H. corrugata) red (H. rufescens)and the green
(H. fulgrens) increase in toughness in that order.

Among the other mollusk recipes in the book are conchs, scallops, mussels,
oysters, octopus, squid (such as "squidicious"), limpets, chitons,
periwinkles, moon snails, and sea hares,

Incidentally the section on mollusks is only one-fourth of the book. There
are chapters on cookery of crustaceans, fishes, marine reptiles, mammals,
echinoderms, seaweeds and even sea water. All in all, this book is

unusual - and a good one. It is recommended. The only drawback (not
serious) is the lack of any bibliography. Surely there are other pub-
lications which the reader may consult for additional information.

96

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The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the officia} publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc. and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage re-
quired at the beginning of each fisca! year (June).

RATES AND DUES CIRCULATION
Family membership $6.00 Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
Single membership $5.00 723-3628
Student membership $2.00 5238 Sanford Street
Single issues $1.50 Houston, Texas 77035
Extra sets mailed members $5.00

EDITORIAL STAFF

Helmer Ode, Editor W. W. Sutow Constance E. Boone
664-9942 748-7233 668-8252
4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 N. MacGregor Way 3706 Rice Blvd.
Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004 Houston, Texas 77005

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and pro-
fessionals, subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double spaced and
should be submitted to the editorial staff.

PREVIEW CHAMPAGNE PARTY

On Sunday, May 1, from 6:00 to 9:00PM, we celebrated our opening of
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
with a champagne party for members and guests, museum staff, board and

guests.

The front page of this issue reflects the spirit of the evening.

You'll note wide smiles and pleasant sipping. Identifications are as
follows:

Le

Wilson Ward, President of the Houston Conchology Society,
wearing his shell necktie and hovering near his Cypraea
exhibit.

Dr. and Mrs. T.E. Pulley (he's our honorary member, advisor
to our show committee and Director of the Houston Museum of
Natural Science) talking to one of the Museum guests.

Our big Tridacna held bottles of champagne for the opening.
During the rest of the show it attracted continual attention
from the children who visited the show.

Kaye and Herschel Sands stand in front of their beachcomber's
exhibit. Note Kaye's shells in her hair!

Chairman of the show, Constance Boone, wearing a carnation
corsage embellished with tiny shells, a gift from the Bivonas.
Member Rosemary Habermacher, smiling now that her three fine
exhibits are all safely and beautifully in place.

Cnairman for the opening party was Carol Courtade who did a magnificent
job of arranging a good event with plenty of food and drink. In fact,
we've been asked to write up the recipes by guests!

98

ROUNDUP FROM THE CHAIRMAN

For the record, I repeat much of what you have heard at the May meeting
and in the May Newsletter. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS was very much
a hit show and could have made a much longer run. It was even suggested
that it go on the road!

For our readers worldwide, we wish to emphasize that this major Museum
exhibit was a planned event, not a judged show set up according to
specific entry categories. The two-week extravaganza was designed to
educate and entertain the public. Several hundred school children from
Houston and many other Texas cities visited the show every day. With
some good advertising, we also drew an audience of many audlts each day,
and had huge groups of them on week-ends and evenings. This show was
completely free. No donations for viewing were solicited.

Exhibits were invited from members. Each member who planned a specific
display worked very hard on his display and presented a fine array of
shells to fit the billing. Members borrowed shells from each other;
members asked advice and worked hard on nomenclature. The spirit of co-
operation was one I'll always remember.

The shells and buckets of Texas Shells we offered at the Museum gift
store annex we maintained during the show were all donated for this event.
All through the year members collected and cleaned shells to make the
packets worthwhile. The tremendous efforts put forth helped us to
execute the projects and also helped cement friendships in the membership.
I note that many, many members paid for materials from their own pockets.
This helped to boost our net income. You recall that the club was not
promised much net income. The sales were to benefit the Museum and to
pay for the show expenses. We have been able to present a nice amount to
the Museum, from which the Museum's show expenses will be subtracted.

We estimate the Museum's net will be about our net.

The March issue of Texas Conchologist listed all exhibits and exhibitors.
After that went to press, we did add one more I wish to acknowledge. Mrs.
L.A.M. Barnette offered some of her shell paintings, and we had a nice
arrangement of them,

We have gained some fifteen new members from visitors to the show. We
will mail newsletters to the many other visitors who indicated they were
interested in membership. We hope they will come to the August meeting
and join the club in a new year of fun activities and programs.

Opening with our show was the new permanent display of TEXAS SHELLS on

the second floor of the Museum in the Hall of Texas Wildlife. The display
has mostly marine shells, many from the Northwest Gulf Survey members

have worked on and some others_from members of the club as donations.
Land, fresh water, and fossil shells are also exhibited to round out the
picture of Texas shells. The label for the exhibit explains that it is

a gift of the Houston Conchology Society and announces that we meet at

the Museum. This will be permanent reminder to visitors that our Society
exists and should bring us more members.

99

At the May meeting, members were asked to shake hands with each other

for their wonderful efforts in making this show a success.

If you weren't

there, this is the time to receive a note of thanks from your chairman.
LOVE AND KISSES FROM ME!

INCOME

Constance Boone

PPA 444-44-46-4-4444-44-4-4-44-4-444-4-4-44-4-4-4-4-4-44>

TOTAL FINANCIAL REPORT
"THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS"

One-half of Total of All Sales Income

EXPENSES

Opening Event

Postage and Printing of Invitations $112.83
Guard Service 18.00
Refreshments and Supplies 106.48
Donations by Members ( 60.00)
Sub-total Sii773
Displays
Signs and Lettering 68.25
Locks for Display Cases 31.68
Insurance 55.00
Materials and Supplies 50.00
Sale of Locks to Members ( 22.94)
Sub-total 181.99
Shell Shop
Materials and Supplies 203 oi

NET TO CLUB TREASURY

Explanation of Income:

One-half of total of all sales income given to

Houston Museum of Natural Science.

100

James C. Sartor, Treasurer, Houston Conchology Society, Inc.
gjunes 175) 1977

$1,851.97

($__ 562.47)

$1,289.50

$1,851.97

SUGGESTBONS FOR SHELLING ON TEXAS BEACHES

By Constance Boone,
Chairman of the WONDERFUL WORLD OF SHELLS

(NOTE: These suggestions were added to the buckets of Texas
Shells and reprinted here by request from members of
HCS).

Buy a simple shell identification guide book. Recommended is
"Identification Guide to Seashells of North America" by R. Tucker
Abbott, available in both paperback ($3.95) and hardback. Also
recommended for the beginner, who often does not know which is a
shell and which is another kind of sea animal, is the inexpensive
Zim's "Seashore Life", available for $1.95. Both are in the
Museum's Gift Store, in most book stores and even toy stores.

The tidal differences in Texas are not great, but it is helpful

to purchase a Tide Book for the U.S. East Coast each year.
(Available from U.S. Department of Commerce and from Baker, Lyman
& Co., in Houston for less than $5.00). Usually there are a few
days around full moon time when tides are low. Check the book for
minus tide days. Tides are lowest during the winter months,
November through February.

Since Texas tides are tied to wind and weather, check the sport
page for the Fishing Weather box where tides are listed at various
Texas beaches. Fishermen would rather go when tides are high. The
sheller goes when the tide is low.

It is best to think of shelling a day or so after a hard norther
when winds have calmed but tides are still low. Sand bars are
exposed then and shells are easier to find.

It is good also to think of going to beaches a day or several days
after storms, because shells are torn loose from substrates and
are dumped on beaches. None of these would get back to normal
habitat so you can feel free to collect many.

The beginning sheller should pick up dead and even broken shells to
start his study of shells. He tries to identify these and to

learn what is available. He hopes to discover living shells “at
home” in surf and bay as he pursues his hobby. He learns about the
specific trails and holes different animals make. He learns where
he is likely to find shells, in sand or on pilings or under rocks.
(Always turn back rocks in original place so that the living
animals who find their homes there can survive).

A sheller carefully records where he goes to collect, dates the
collection and keeps this separate from other collections at other
beaches. He learns to add notes on habitat observations about the
animal to add to his collection and to make it more scientifically
important.

101

10.

aS

The sheller who is disturbed about collecting a live animal may
wish to simply watch the animal a while at the beach and satisfy
his collection with a good empty shell. However, the live shell

is usually the more accurate in color and the more clearly
patterned. The shells are houses of very unique animals who design
marvelous forms. In today's world of concern for animals in nature,
the sheller will limit his collection to a series of each species
which shows size range and pattern range, or geographical range
differences.

The sheller soon thinks of learning more about shells and seeks
others to help him. The Houston Conchology Society, Inc., is

open to anyone -- families, students, adults -- interested in col-
lecting on field trips and in hearing programs designed to help
the sheller. This Society meets nine times a year at the Houston
Museum of Natural Science, publishes a quarterly, Texas Conchologist,
and maintains a fine library housed at the Museum. For information,
write Sam Miron, 5238 Sanford, Houston, Texas 77035, or register
during the show at the sales desk. Dues are $6.00 for families,
$5.00 single membership, $2.00 student membership, including all
mailings and the quarterly.

Tools for shelling include simple items such as garden trowels,
pen knife, vials for small shells, bucket, sieve for small shells,
plastic bags for specimens larger than the vials. Attire depends
on the weather. Since many HCS members trudge the flats on days
when the thermometer registers in the thirties, we have learned to
wear stocking-foot waders over which high top tennis shoes are
worn (these waders are lighter weight and easier to wear in sand
and mud than the boot kind). We wear several layers of clothing
under a wind breaker, the better to peel off as the Texas sun
comes out during the day's collecting period. Summer presents the
opposite picture, of course, but we still recommend long pants

and long-sleeved shirts. Add a hat! We've seen a lot of "burned"
beginners who didn't believe us. Once the sheller knows he needs
to collect small shells to complete his collection from Texas, he
will acquire a good lens (some inexpensive ones are available) of
10 or better power.

Cleaning your take is another story, and advice is wide ranged.
Generally, however, you will boil your live shell a few minutes
when you get home and extract the animal with a hook, bent pin or
dental tool. You will then help nature a bit by brushing off the
shell to remove dirt and some algae. Often you will be required to
work a little more than this to pick off barnacles and worm tubes
with dental picks. A brief soaking in a household bleach helps.
Then oil with light weight oil a bit to bring out the colors. Never
use shellac and never, never, never use muriatic acid on a shell
you want to be of scientific value. Many shells in gift shops are
acid cleaned. Some of us prefer to clean one shell and leave the
other as it is after removing the animal. Shells have "skins"
called periostracum. Shells also have "trap doors" (or operculums)

102

sometimes on the bottom of the foot of the animal and these need
to be kept with the shell for your specimen to be scientifically
complete. Some shells with high polish, like Olives and Cypraea,
probably should not be boiled. Cleaning is accomplished by
freezing and thawing to remove animals, and sometimes shellers
prefer to drop these in alcohol a few days and then clean.

ae We remind beach walkers and collectors that many of the shells are
edible. The surf zone Conquinas, the small "butterfly" shells
uncovered by the waves, are Donax and make good chowder. Texas
has fine Mercenarias (Quahogs) for chowder and fritters. Almost
all mollusks are edible, but some are better tasting.

"COME JOIN THE FUN”

Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote: “It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny
to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire."

DD VLP LP CLP LP OLD OLD VLP CLP CLP PLP OLPOLP LP VL CLP CLP OLD OL AL“

HELPING OUR CLUB

We are getting more and more requests for talks to schools and clubs,
and we are getting more requests for displays or help with depicting
mollusks. When we can fulfill such assignments we help to publicize

our Society also. We also meet the requirements of our stated con-
stitutional provisions of being a non-profit, scientific and educational
society. Sometimes we also gain donations for the treasury as gifts

are made for our efforts, but we do not require this. It helps to
augment our funds for books.

This summer, several club members have had displays in four Joske

stores as part of a promotion on "The Deep" movie and Charlie cosmetics.
The shells were just to add to their theme on the sea and weren't part of
advertising. Fannie and Sam Miron had their shells at Joske's on
Westheimer; Maria Carpenter exhibited at Town and Country; Fritz Lang
prepared a display at Gulfgate; and Lloyd Meister had his shells at
Northwest Mall.

Margie Woods will have an exhibit on shells and activities of our Society
at The Woodlands this summer in the hobby-leisure time day for residents.

Fannie and Sam talked to a school during our May exhibit where they had
the delightful experience of finding the teacher had already been to our
show and had our bucket of Texas shells!

Constance Boone provided shells for an advertising calendar project, with
a benefit coming to the club.

103

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

This column exists to report on the finding of shells and to give you
information on shells. Many reports on Texas are made, but we will be
happy to report on special collections or interesting notes from any
shelling areas. However, we would also like you to know that the TEXAS
CONCHOLOGIST solicits separate articles by members and readers elsewhere.
Our masthead gives you information on presenting material to the Editor
or any Editorial Staff member. The Editor, now Helmer Ode, reserves the
right to edit or to ask you to expand or to work more on nomenclature on
articles submitted.

Several publications in this country have fallen from the rank of listings
available because there were not enough articles submitted. Sometimes it
seems that one or two persons end up writing all the material, and then

it begins to be boring to readers. We do not want this to happen to TEXAS
CONCHOLOGIST. Please send in your notes and material.

Most of our club members headed out to search and seize after our May
show. A party of sixteen, led by member Ruth Fair, went to two islands

in the Fiji chain. Reports trickling in at this time are fantastic. We
expect to hear from this group at a coming fall program. It should be a
great evening. Members on this trip were Cynthia Biasca, Margaret Baldwin,
Ann Gibson, Marjorie and Wilbur Woods, Ruth Goodson, Barbara and Jim
Hudson, Jim Keeler, Clarie Van Erp, Mary Jane and Grytch Williams and Ruth
Fair. Spouses going included Frank Biasca, Lisle Baldwin and Mrs. Keeler.
The Biasca's daughter from England joined the group. Maybe this year all
the spouses will be members. Some may be, but I'm quoting from the
Membership List.

Others who traveled afar were the Jim Clarks who went to Can Cun, Mexico,
the Holimans who went to Mexico (again!) (remember their very fine Panamic
exhibit?), the Boones and Courtades to Harbour Island, North Eleuthera

and the Florida Keys. The Courtades went to Sanibel and had a collecting
day with member Carlos Cardeza in the bay, going out in his new boat.

Helen Eberspacher and a group are probably at Sanibel and the Florida

Keys now. Leola Glass spent the month of June at Port Aransas. And,
locally, a group of members decided to go to the Stone City fossil beds

on the river near Bryan, Texas.

Well, there is no better time than now to point out to you that you will
have a winter of work on naming your catch and that the Houston Conchology
Society maintains a very fine library at the Houston Museum of Natural
Science. The books are available for checkout two weeks at a time, and

we give you the privilege of calling in and reserving the books for
another two-week period. Call the Information Desk. The books are housed
in the Information Desk library area. You may take out three books at

one time for general use. Should you need everything you can find on a
specific subject for research or report, contact a member of the library
committee for special permission to take the books for a short term. We
need to have the books used as much as possible. Also, we note that we saw
we needed some books to round out requests for information and by the ©
August Meeting we will have in an order of books on Europe, another on

104

CORBICULA SYMPOSIUM by Constance E. Boone

The First International Corbicula Symposium will be sponsored by Texas
Christian University Research Foundation October 13, 14, 15, 1977 at
Holiday Inn North near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Registration deadline is October 1, 1977. Pre-registration fee is $40.00.
Registration at the meeting is $52.00. This fee includes admission to
all sessions and a copy of the Proceedings of the Symposium.

Note to members: If you are interested in this Symposium on the populations
and environmental importance of this species of fresh water clam that

has invaded our streams, you may contact Constance Boone for a look at

the program and symposium plans. Or you may write directly to Dr. Joseph
Britton, Department of Biology, T.C.U., Fort Worth, Texas 76129. Several
of you will recall that you have collected small ridged clams with purplish
interiors in beach drift, especially near rivers, and others of you have
collected specimens of Corbicula in lakes and rivers in Texas and Louisiana
bayous. Corbicula is now rather widespread in Texas. In October, 1975,
Dr. Britton and Dr. C.E. Murphy, both professors of biology at T.C.U.,

and a graduate student came to the Houston area to do some work on Unionids
with me, On a visit to Lake Houston at Atascocita we discovered that

there were many, many Corbicula in the shallows. These two biologists

had just turned in a population study on Corbicula in Texas for publication
(now published) and this information on the San Jacinto River was not
included. Also, I was able to give them information on Corbicula in the
Brazos River drainage,

For a number of years, a number of professionals have been concerned with
Corbicula's spread in the United States. It is from Asia. It would be
helpful if you will report your finds of this species to me. A sample
was displayed in the fresh water shells of Texas during the Museum show.

Ce nee ee ee he he he he hee he de he bd Ada ns Ae

SEARCH AND SEIZURE (Continued)

the Pacific, and on Echinoderms. Note to new member who asked about

a Thais (yes, it was a Thais, a guess I made at the May meeting.). Your
African shell is Thais cingulata (Linné). If you had had the operculun,
identification would have been made easier. Identification from Marine
Shells of Southern Africa by D.H. Kennelly. For library checkout, use
your membership card or be sure your name is on the list at the Museum.

105

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) - by H. Ode

Genus Cardiomya A. Adams, 1864.

A number of bivalves, all having this same characters, belong to this
genus (strong radial sculpture). Many species of uncertain status
having been described and a critical revision of the genus will un-
doubtedly reduce their number. All our identifications are doubtful
and will remain so until the range of variability of all species has
been more reliably evaluated.

195 ys Cardiomya ornatissima Orbigny, 1846.
Sphena ornatissima Orbigny. Moll. Cuba, 2, p. 286; atlas,
pive2iewetes lomo
Synonyms: Cardiomya glypta Verrill & Bush, 1898 and
Cardiomya costata Bush, 1885 and probably
this species.
The main criterion for recognition of this abundant species
is provided by a few but enormously elevated fence-like radial
costae on the shell. Some specimens have hardly any secondary
riblets in between these main costae; in others the number is
quite large, and increases with age. On the inside of the
shell are grooves where the large ridges radiate toward the
ventral margin, especially in the still rather thin juvenile
material. Another character of this species is the somewhat
flattened umbonal area which is lacking in the other species
enumerated here and which gives juveniles a very flat appearance.

It is probably that this species, as so many others of this
genus, has been described under a variety of names, the reason
being the variability of the appearance of the shell with age.
It is surprising that beach records for this species are quite
rare (Galveston, Freeport, Aransas Pass, South Padre Island,
Matagorda Bay - all mostly juveniles). Rare in the mudlump
fauna.

As in all Cardiomyas, the valves are inequilateral, the right
valve being larger and more inflated and having a considerable
ventral overlap. Many Texas specimens resemble closely Cardiomya
orbignyi Olson and Harbison, 1953, described from the Pliocene
of southern Florida which is probably the same.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 139, listed
for "outer shelf", pl. 39, fig. 48; 145, deep shelf, dead, pl. 8,
figs. 2 a-b; 147, dead on Baker Bank; 156, Stetson Bank; 175,
listed for outer shelf, 40-65 fms., common, mud bottom, rarely
alive, pl. 5, fig. 18; 201, listed for mudlump fauna; 206;
Texas Conch., Voll. 7, p-\ 59, 19735 225, Calwveston;#236-

106

196.

WOT

198.

Galveston; 251, Yucatan shelf.

Records H.M.N.S.: 42 lots, of which 2 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-50 fms., optimal: 10-25 fms.; alive 8%-20 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Yucatan, and the West
Indies and Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 9.3 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Cardiomya perrostrata Dall, 1881.
Neaera (ornatissima d'Orb. var?) perrostrata Dall. Bull.

WEOséoe 2 pg WO.

This much smaller, more elongate species is the second most
common species along the Texas-Louisiana coast in the genus.
It never develops the fence like ribs as does C. ornatissima
and its juveniles are never as flat. It also lives on the
average in deeper water.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province: 145, deep shelf,
dead; 147, dead on Big Southern Bank; 214, Yucatan Shelf.

Records H.M.N.S.: 27 lots of which 1 contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 20 fms. - 85 fms.; alive: 24 fms. one lot from
Clay Pile Shale dome at 17 fms. may be artificially shallow.

Geographical Range: ‘'Massachusetts to the West Indies" and Brazil.
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 5.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Cardiomya spec. indet. (A).
A number of valves of a deep water species with different

structure of costae was obtained at several locations. For the
time being we can state very little about this species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, of which one was possibly live collected.

Depth Range: 55-167 fms. in mud (alive? at 167 fms.).

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 9.4 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Cardiomya spec. indet. (B).
A most puzzling extremely small bivalve was dredged off the

Louisiana coast from an algal bioherm at 215 feet. It is a
minute Cardiomya without the "spoon structure". Its size is
about .8 mm. and it is apparent that the shell has already
developed substantially from a much smaller prodissoconch.
The radial structure practically covers the entire disc
except for a minute part near the umbo. Conventional micro-
scopy probably will not be sufficient to elucidate all details
of this interesting bivalve.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot off Louisiana in 215 feet.

107

12.

is}6

14.

LD ye

A glimpse of the fine posters accompanying the fabulous
display of shell stamps with the shells by Mary K. Myers.
The Giants of the Seven Seas display in the entrance foyer
drew continuous attention during the three weeks in place.
Prepared by Clarie Van Erp.

Charlie Doh's Caribbean display, one of three he did for the
show. His corals mounted on marble stands was extremely
popular with the public.

Merle Kleb's award-winning educational exhibit on mollusks
was a major part of the show.

There is no doubt at all about which exhibit was the most
popular with the children. Most of them could not believe
they would be allowed to handle the shells. At the last
minute it was decided not to label this the children's table,
and adults handled the shells as eagerly as the children.
This exhibit was prepared by Mary Edna Ragland and Maria
Carpenter.

W. W. Sutow's display of edible mollusks was a delight.

Wat did one long ago at Sharpstown Mall during one of our
shows there, and Dr. Pulley requested he do one for the
Museum show. Both these fellows eat just about every kind

of mollusk, and it is important to stress that many edible
mollusks are available here in our waters.

Next to the shells to be handled, the Beachcombing table was
almost as popular with everyone. We cleaned up sand every day,
rearranged the "water" area and replaced the items, but the

display was a really fun one. Prepared by the Herschel Sands and

the Grytch Williams.

We were very proud to display one of the authentic Sailor's
Valentine's, an antique much sought by museums and shell col-
lectors.

A slice of the interesting display of cut shells which Margaret
Baldwin arranged. We are very grateful to Mr. Goodwin for his
beautiful cutting of the shells.

109

JEWELS OF

THE SEVEN SEAS

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19.

20.

The outstanding display of Jewels of the Seven Seas prepared by
Mary K. Myers stayed in the foyer area for three weeks and could
have remained much longer! The array of rare and gem shells
sometimes caused a traffic jam in the Museum hall.

Jim Sartor's Think Small exhibit brought to the public's attention
most graphically that many, many mollusks are very tiny. Jim
showed the tools to use and the results, complete with some photos
from Texas Conchologist.

Mary Lee Bivona's growth series of species of the Genus Tonna
turned out to be very exciting. It all started with her offer to
the chairman to show her growth series of Tonna galea from the
Gulf of Mexico and expanded to include other species, some rare.
Betty Allen brought her magnificent Lyropecten nodosus (Lion's
Paws) for our show as well as her delightful story in shells of
the "Evolution of a Shell Collector".

A view of Herman Brown Auditorium at the Museum during our show
to give you an idea of arrangement of the show. In order to show
live shells and impart the fact to students and adults that the
marvelous houses of mollusks were made by living animals, slides
of animals were shown, as well as slides of habitats and shelling
areas visited by HCS members, on the wali continuously during the
show.

Fannie and Sam Miron's Pectens were BEES attractive.

This is a small segment of Frank Petway's extensive COLNee ene of
Volutes shown during the show.

A bit of the extravagantly digitated Lambis prepared for display
by Laura Montgomery.

Texas Marine Shells prepared by Leola Glass and Constance Boone
gave many visitors the chance to check out. names of their finds.

We are just sorry we don't have pictures to offer of every exhibit. Each
and every display was done so superbly for this show, your show chairman
is humbly saying THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS A SMASH HIT.

25.

BUCKET OF SHELLS from Texas was a special project prepared for sale

through the Museum gift store annex maintained during "The Wonder-
ful World of Shells" May 1-14, 1977. Under the chairmanship of
Margie Woods, the project grew as it was executed until each bucket
had 42 species of Texas shells and Echinoderms, ail scientifically
named, complete with authors and dates, with the common name given
also and with some discussion on habitat, geographical range or some
interesting fact. This educational packet was initiated to benefit
the Museum, and buckets remaining are available through the
Museum's gift store. Some buckets have been retained by the
Houston Conchology Society to be used in talks to schools. They
make ideal gifts to students, teachers, or owners of beach homes.
The Museum also has books that go well with the buckets.

Photo by Constance Boone

12

199. Cardiomya striata Jeffreys, 1876.
Neaera striata Jeffreys. Valorous Moll., Amer. Nat. Hist.,
Dec. 1876, p. 495; P.Z.S., Nov. 1881, p. 944, plea, TAlS teal, iil.
1882.
This large species belongs in the costellata, curta, corpulenta
group of Dall, (see Blake Report), species which all might turn
out to be the same. Our material is quite insufficient to settle
this matter. I only will note here that the costae in this
species are closely and evenly spaced and where crossed by
equally spaced concentric lines have developed scaly protuberances,
giving the shell a somewhat nodulose appearance.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province: 206, Texas Conch.,
Vole oS pacsse Loa.
Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots, none alive.
Depth Range: 60-70 fms.
Geographical Range: ''Arctic Ocean to Florida Strait, Gulf of
Mexico" Abbott, 1974.
Maximum Size: 13.7 X 9.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

200. Cardiomya c. £. costellata Deshayes, 1837.
Corbula costellata Deshayes. Expl. Sci. Morea, Geol.,
Dis SOs Dla, ee Lesien LSet OS7e

Because of the lack of sufficient material to form a firm
opinion about this species, it is impossible to identify this
species with sufficient certainty. Our two lots resemble some-
what, Dall's figure of C. costellata corpulenta Dall (Blake
Report, 1886), but the rostrum is longer. The species has
many points of similarity with C. perrostrata, but is much
larger. It could be a full grown deep water form of that
species. More material should settle the question.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, listed;
170, transitional shelf assemblage off East Texas, pl. 14, fig.
3; 206, Texas Conch., ‘Vol. 9, p. 83, 1973 (as Cuspidaria
costellata corpulenta).

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 50-51 fms.

Geographical Range: ‘North Carolina to Florida and the West
Indies", Abbott, 1974.

Maximum Size: 10.8 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

201. Cardiomya spec. indet. C.
A single beach collected valve JOSESBES Pass Causeway) is the
only specimen of this "species" I have separated this form

from C. ornatissima for the eoldiewine reasons: 1) its ribs
are much lower than those of C. ornatissima; 2) the umbonal
area is not flattened giving the shell a distinctly different
appearance. If comparison with similar material should prove
these differences to be constant some confidence may be felt
in the assignment as a different species. Probably it has
been given a name already: Cardiomya gemma Verrill and Bush,
1898, comes close, but differs somewhat in the details of the

114

hinge line (see Verrill and Bush, Proc. U.S.N.M., Vol. 20,
pl. 74, fig. 11). Also, C. mansfieldi Olsson and Harbison,
1953, described from the pliocene of southern Florida appears
very similar.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot from beachdrift.

Depth Range: Unknown.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 6.2 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Remarks: Other species in the records are:
Ref. 7: Cuspidaria arcuata Dall, 1881.
Ref. 145: Cuspidaria media Verrill and Bush, 1889.

FAMILY VERTICORDIIDAE

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, represented by several genera and subgenera,
including some which so far as I know have not been reported for the
Western Atlantic. Verticordiids often have strongly cordate, nacreous
shells, frequently with a strong radial twist.
Sources: M. Keen in Treat, Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
p. 854-857.

Genus Verticordia Sowerby, 1844.

In the Gulf of Mexico there are several species which possess quite
different surface sculpture and form. There are probably several dif-
ferent subgenera in this material, but more work is necessary to identify
these. They are all rather small cordate shells with strong pustulosity.
A particular feature is that the pointed marginal end of the cords of
each valve do not line up, but are alternating at the margin. We believe
that the subgenera Verticordia, Trigonulina, Spinosipella and Vertambitus
are present in our material.

202. WVerticordia (Trigonulina) ornata Orbigny, 1846.
Trigonulina ornata Orbigny. Moll. Cub. 2, p. 292, pl. 27,
Lies.) 30'-33)¢
This common species is quite different in form from all others
of the genus in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. The valves are con-
siderably flattened, locally thickened and quite inequilateral.
This species, which, as we interpret it, is in many respects
quite different from the figure given by Keen (1971, #789,
p. 301), resembles much more the figure of the smaller eastern
Pacific V. hancocki, Bernard. I believe, contrary to Keen,
that Trigonulina Orbigny, 1846 is a valid subgenus. On the
anterior part of the valve of our material are invariably only
6 ribs (Keen's figure shows 8, but it is unfortunately a drawing)
and the flat part on the right valve is much more extensive.
Opposite this part a high crest of the left valve ends. I
believe that in most publications the figures of V. ornata that
I have seen are not this species, but are figures of the species

1S

I have left unidentified (spec. A) f£.i. Abbott and Warmke,
Abbott, American Seashells 1st and 2nd editions; ref. 170.
The latter is definitely not V. ornata. Study of the type
will be necessary to settle the problem. Common along the
Texas-Louisiana coast in sandy mud bottoms.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: (none of
these appears reliable): 139, listed for "outer shelf",
pl. 39, fig. 45; 145, deep shelf (alive), pl. 8, fig. 1 A-B;
175, listed for outer shelf, 40-65 fms., "common", whole
coast, sand bottom, pl. 5, fig. 19; 201, listed for mudlump
fauna; 214, Campeche Bank, pl. 16, figs. 3, 4; 225, listed
for Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251, listed for Yucatan shelf.
Records H.M.N.S.: 39 lots, none alive, but some fresh material.
Depth Range: 134-60 fms., but optimally at 25-30 fms. in sandy
mud bottom.
Geographical Range: Unknown due to the confusion of species.
Maximum Size: 5.0 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Keen cites V. ornata from the Panamanic
Province, but it does not seem to me a Trigonulina. V. hancocki
Bernard is probably closer.

203. Verticordia (Verticordia) spec. indet. A.

I believe that this much more symmetric and equilateral
species has often been mistaken for V. ornata Orbigny, 1846.
It is fairly common along the Texas-Louisiana coast, but lives
in deeper water. The flat part on the right valve is less
wide and the number of cords on the anterior part is about 8.
Also the thickening of the valve and its flattening are missing.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 170, plate 16,
fig. 5 (as V. ornata); 206, Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 83
(Verticordia spec. A.).

Records H.M.N.S.: 20 lots, of which 1 was collected live.

Depth Range: 40-167 fms.; alive: 70 fms. in mud.

Geographical Range: unknown due to the confusion of species.

Maximum Size: 3.9 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: What Keen designates as V. ornata.

SUPERFAMILY LUCINACEA
FAMILY LUCINIDAE

The classification of this large family of bivalves ranging in size
from extremely minute to quite large is still much discussed today.
The arrangement offered here differs somewhat from the one given in
Abbott (1974). Except for the very minute species most Lucinids are
somewhat chalky, often inflated, sometimes internally colored, and
possess a characteristic hinge whose dentition may be reduced substan-
tially. Species live in the coastal bays and descend offshore into
deep water. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico one finds all four presently
accepted subfamilies:

1) Lucininae with genera: Lucina, Linga, Parvilucina, Pleurolucina,

Codakia, Ctena, Microloripes and Megaxinus.

2) Myrteinae with genera: Lucinoma and Myrtea.

3) Milthinae with genus: Anodontia.

4) Divaricellinae with genus: Divaricella.

116

Especially the arrangement of genera and the assignment of species to
these genera in the Lucininae is much debated at present. In previous
classifications hardly any use has been made of small juvenile material.
But precisely on the basis of shape and sculpture of juvenile material
(<2 mm.), I believe it is possible to distinguish between two "lineages"
of species in the H.M.N.S. collection:

1) Lucina - Megaxinus

2) Parvilucina - Microloripes - (?) Codakia - ?Linga
Linga and Codakia are here questionably assigned because I have not seen
small enough material of the species Linga pensylvanica and Codakia
orbicularis which are both rare in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

These differences can be briefly summarized as follows:
Juveniles of the Lucina-Megaxinus lineage are circular and
possess relatively few concentric ridges; juveniles of the
Parvilucina lineage are highly excentric, skewed and have
densely spaced concentric ridges.

I believe that Megaxinus should be placed in the Lucininae and that

M. floridanus is not a Pseudomiltha as some workers believe. Codakis

is close to Parvilucina and some of the small species in Ctena are almost
indistinguishable from Parvilucina as in Microloripes. Pleurolucina is
here interpreted as a full genus to which is here assigned a single
species usually not placed in that genus. About the status of Beilucina,
opinions are divided and I believe B. amianta Dall is closely allied
with Ctena.

The Myrteinae appear to be, considering juvenile shells, closely related
to the Lucina-Megaxinus lineage and could be interpreted as a related
deep water group of species. Thus a separation into subfamilies could
be made by separation of the Lucina-Megaximus-Myrtea group of genera
from the Codakia-Ctena-Parvilucina group, with equally compelling arguments
as the ones based on hinge structure used in present classifications.
However, to avoid more confusion in an already quite confused arrangement,
I shall follow here the subfamilial arrangement of Chavan as given in
the Treat. of Invert. Paleont.

Sources: Chavan in Treat. of Invert. Paleont.

Genus Lucina Bruguere, 1797.

Fairly flat, rounded bivalves with concentric or reticulate surface
sculpture. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, two subgenera: Lucina and
Lucinisca Dall, 1901.

204. Lucina (Lucina) pectinata (Gmelin, 1791).

Tellina pectinata Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 6, p. 3236, N 41.

A synonym is Venus jamaicensis "Spengler" Chemnitz 1784.
This widespread bay species lives in all coastal bays of the
Texas coast and presumably also in Louisiana although we have
no live collected material from Louisiana. Worn beach shells
are common in beachdrift along the entire Louisiana-Texas
coast, but most abundant toward the south. Small live collected

117

205.

juveniles are flat, circular and orange in color. In rare
populations, this color persists but in some specimens, at
best, only traces of color persist internally, and in the
majority of mature live specimens from Texas, no trace of
color is retained at all. The species is missing in offshore
waters and the few specimens obtained there presumably are
pleistocene fossils.

References for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed; 15,
Mustang Island, Corpus Christi; 19, alive in Keller's Bay and
dead shells in Lavaca Bay and Matagorda Bay; 21, listed; 45,
lists previous data; 58, Aransas Bay, Padre Island; 67, Port
Isabel; 69, listed in appendix 8; 98, alive in lower San
Antonio Bay; 110, Galveston, St. Joseph Island, alive in
Aransas Bay, plate 9, figs. 9-10; 131, dead in Gulf; 153, listed
160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 164, alive at Rockport and in
Laguna Madre in several types of environment; 174, listed;

175, listed for shallow hypersaline lagoon near inlet assemblage,

plate 3, fig. 7; 178, listed for upper extremity of Northern
Laguna Madre, abundant vegetation, sand and clayey bottom; 206,
Beach records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (6); 208, listed for
several environments; 225, listed; 236, listed; 260, listed
for Texas; 269, figured on page 176.

Records H.M.N.S.: 25 lots of which 8 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-12 fms.; alive: O-1 fms. in sandy mudflats.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, Texas, and to
Brazil (Abbott 1974).

Maximum Size: 51 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Lucina s.s. does not occur in the
Panamanic Province.

Lucina (Lucinisca) nassula (Conrad, 1846).
Lucina nassula Conrad. Amer. J. Sci., 2, p. 394; Proc.
Acad Nat. Scis Phila, 35)p. 924.
Only a few valves of this small reticulate species have been
obtained in offshore calcareous environments. Apparently the
offshore coral reefs off the Louisiana coast are its most
northwesterly outpost and the species is rare and probably
remains dwarfed. It has been mentioned by Abbott (1974) for
Texas, but I do not know on what evidence.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, listed.
Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, of which one contains a fresh valve.
Depth Range: 14-31 fms.
Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, Texas and the
Bahamas (Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 7.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?Lucina centrifuga (Dall, 1901) Gulf
of California to Panama intertidally and offshore to a depth
of 82 m. (Keen, 1971).

118

Genus Megaxinus Brugnone, 1880.
Rather chalky, flat somewhat irregularly sculptured bivalves, with
deeply excavated lunule and much reduced hinge.

206. # Megaxinus floridanus (Conrad, 1833).

Lucina floridana Conrad. Amer. Journ. Sci., 23, p. 344.
Although several authorities have assigned this species to
the genus Pseudomiltha Fisher, I prefer, as Britton did
(see Ref. 260) to place it in the genus Megaxinus. Pseudomiltha
is a genus in the Milthinae and thus more closely related to
Anodontia than to Lucina. In spite of its reduced hinge
Megaxinus appears on the basis of overall characters quite
close to Lucina.

The species lives in most coastal bays from Galveston West

Bay (rare) to the Laguna Madre, but is most abundant along

the southern part of the Texas coast (Aransas Bay, Laguna Madre).
Dead valves are found in beachdrift along the entire Texas

coast, but live specimens have never been dredged in offshore
waters. Some dredged dead shells are probably fossils of
Pleistocene age.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 32, p. 1378,
living on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico from Charlotte
Harbour, Florida to Corpus Christi; 45, Corpus Christi, Texas;
69, listed in appendix 8; 98, listed for the bays; 110, dead
shells occasional at Galveston, but more common from St. Joseph
Isl. to Port Isabel; 135, dead in Gulf, dead in bays; 153,
listed in Table 1; 160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 174, listed;
206, Beach records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (6); 260, mentioned
for Texas; 269, figured on page 175.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots, of which 2 contain live material.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive: 0-1 fms. (Galveston San Luis Pass,
Laguna Madre). ;

Geographical Range: West Coast to Florida to Texas (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 38 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Myrtea Turton, 1822.

To this genus, several thin shelled, deep water species are assigned,
which are separated on the basis of shape, sculpture and minor differences
in hinge structure into the subgenera Myrtea, Myrteopsis Sacco, 1901

and Gonimyrtea, Marwick, 1929. These subgenera appear in need of further
justification. Eulopia, Dall 1909, according to Chavan, is a synonym

of Myrtea. All are noticeable by the lamellar ridges which produce spiny
elevations on the dorsal edge of the valve. Whereas in Lucina, the
cardinal teeth are obsolete, in Myrtea they are not. Myrtea and Myrteopsis
are somewhat more oval in shape than Gonimyrtea, and Myrtea shows in
contrast to Myrteopsis, irregular furrows between the concentric ridges.
The Myrteinae, to which the genera Myrtea and Lucinoma belong, appear

to me deep water species closely related to Lucina.

207. Myrtea (Myrtea) sagrinata (Dall, 1886).
lucinal sagrinatay) Dally (B.M.G.Z.5 Vol. 12: (6). p. 265).
Only a few lots of this deep water species have been obtained.

119

208.

209.

However, the number of samples obtained in this depth range
is unfortunately small and it is to be expected that the
species is more widespread than our records indicate. In
outward appearance, the species resemble to a surprising
degree, juvenile specimens of Semele proficua from calcareous
environments which also possess radial furrows, but of
course, the hinges are quite different.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78 (erroneously given as M. pristophora
(sic)) ce

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 51-110 fms. in sandy mud.

Geographical Range: Florida Keys and westward to Yucatan Strait
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 8.4 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None

Myrtea (Myrteopsis) compressa (Dall, 1881).
Loripes compressa Dall. B.M.C.Z., Vol. 9, (2), p. 135.

Only a single lot of this deep water species was obtained off
Louisiana in 140 fathoms depth in mud bottom. The two valves
are quite flat but differ quite in intensity of concentric
ribbing. They are also oval in shape.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7 (Loripes
compressa Dall), listed; 206, Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78
(as Myrtea sp. A).

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, no live material, off Louisiana.

Depth Range: 140 fms.

Geographical Range: Gulf of Mexico, and the West Indies.

Maximum Size: 11.8 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Myrtea (Gonimyrtea) pristiphora Dall and Simpson, 1901.
Myrtea prestiphora Dall and Simpson. Moll. Porto Rico,

BoUsS.F.G., Vols 20, pt. 1, p: 493, pl. 55, -ftesheanmor

This quite variable, rather circular bivalve with a slight
angularity in the posterior slope is the most common species
of Myrtea in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. It is remarkable for
the extreme variation displayed in the intensity and number
of lamellar ridges on the shell surface. In some specimens,
quite elevated ridges cover the entire shell surface, whereas
in others only slight ridges are present near the posterior
slope of the shell so that the main part of the disc remains
almost smooth and shiny. Sometimes spelled erroneously
"pristophora".

Previous records for the Texas faunal province: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78 (as Myrtea sp. B.).

Records H.M.N.S.: 7 lots, one containing two fresh pairs.

Depth Range: 133-228 fms., in mud bottoms; fresh pairs at
200 fms.

120

Geographical Range: Puerto Rico (Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 10.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

Genus Lucinoma Dall, 1901.
Very chalky, with conspicuous periostracum. Resembles Lucina, but has
cardinal teeth, and strong concentric ridges.

210. Lucinoma filosa (Stimpson, 1851).

Only meager material and mostly juvenile, of this species has
been collected. Like other Myrteids, it is a deep water
species, living below 100 fathoms along the Louisiana-Texas
coast, in mud bottoms.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78; 260, mentioned for offshore Texas waters.

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 110-228 fms.

Maximum Size: 21mm. (broken valve).

Geographical Range: New Foundland to North Florida and the Gulf
States (Abbott, 1974). ‘

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ? Lucinoma annulata (Reeve, 1850).

"Essentially a northern species, this form reaches its
southern limit in the Gulf of California", 55-90 m. (Keen, 1971).

Genus Codakia Scopoli, 1777.
Of this large genus, of almost circular shape, two species have been
collected, one of which at this time cannot be identified.

211. Codakia (Codakia) orbicularis (Linné, 1758).
Venus orbicularis Linneé. Syst. Nat., 10th ed., p. 688.

Of this well known tropical Atlantic species, several lots
of dead shells have been collected (algal reef, shell bottom
and beaches). Beach material is all old and worn, and can
be found from Port Aransas southward. It is probably
Pleistocene fossils.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed
as Lucina tigrina Linné; 15, listed as Lucina tigrina L.,
3 specimens from Galveston West Beach; 45, listed for Galveston;
61, listed for Rockport area; 62, listed for Mustang Island,
Flour Bluff; 110, a few shells dredged from Aransas Pass boat
channel, Pleistocene?; 174, listed; 192, figured, plate 6,
figs. 2A, B from Alacran Reef; 206, Beach records in Texas
Conch., Vol. 3 (6), Vol. 9, p. 78; 214, listed for Campeche
Bank; 260, listed for Texas; 269, figured on p. 174.

Records H.M.N.S.: 7 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: O (beach) to 28 fms. (algal reef). Also on shell
bottoms (12 fms.).

Geographical Range: Florida to Texas and the West Indies, Bermuda,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 88 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Codakia distinguenda (Tryon, 1872)
"Magdalena Bay, Baja California, to Panama in shallow water"
(Keen, 1971).

Zaire

Codakia spec. indet. A.
Four lots of a very curious smail Codakia defy identification.
One lot of 15 valves was taken from an old reef off the Louisiana
coast. These rather thin valves (maximum size 19.6 mm.) resemble
in shape closely, Parvilucina tenuisculpta (see fig. Abbott, 1974).
They do not appear to be juveniles of C. orbicularis and at this
moment I am at a complete loss what they are. The surface is
somewhat uneven and bumpy as if they grew in unfavorable conditions.
Two other lots each of a single valve come from off the Texas
coast.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78 as Codakia spec. C.

Records H.M.N.S.: 4 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 10-28 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 19.6 om.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Genus Ctena Morch, 1861.

Rather smali to medium sized sheil, skew in outline, with the anterior
part enlarged and stronger laterals than Codakia. The Texas material is
hard or impossible to identify and I am not able to name any of the still
living species on the Texas coast. Jagonia Recluz is a synonyn.

213.

Ctena orbiculata (Montagu, 1808).
Venus orbiculata Montagu. Test. Brit., Suppl., p. 42,
pl. i2,) fig. 7.
A single lot of two old and worn valves was dredged off Louisiana
together with specimens of Codakia orbicularis, on a shale dome.
These shells are quite different from the following two species
which could be Codakia orbiculata filiata Dall, 1901.
Previous Records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78 (#805) is in error; this is probably not
C. orbiculata; 260, listed for Texas.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot of two valves taken off Louisiana.
Depth Range: 50-60 feet.
Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, West Indies to
Brazil; Bermuda.
Maximum Size: 27.6 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

"To Be Continued"

122

OFFICERS FOR 1977-1978

President: Wilson Ward

Program Vice-President: Cynthia Biasca

Field Trip Vice-Presidents: Barbara and Jim Hudson

Recording Secretary: Herschel Sands

Corresponding Secretary and Newsletter Editor: Mary Jane Williams

Treasurer: Jim Sartor

Board Members: Ruby McConnell, Max Finer, Tom Kister, Constance Boone,
Margeret Baldwin, Ruth Goodson, and Editor of the
Texas Conchologist Helmer Ode. Past-President Fritz
Lang also serves on the board.

9 00000.000020082280200000000000R0rDDDADDAADARARDAADRAAAARADA

DUES NOTICE

Our membership year runs from June to June. If you have not paid your
dues, please check the rates in the front of Texas Conchologist and

mail your check now to Jim Sartor, 5606 Duxbury, Houston, Texas F1O3)D%

A new membership list will be prepared immediately after the August 24th
meeting and will be mailed to members. It is important that you are in
good standing and have your name on the list so that you may be con-
tacted throughout the year for special events.

FHHFAFEFASSSAAASELALELELL EEE DEEL EEEE EE bE bt dob bredorbryrhby

SPECIAL BONUS OFFER ON BACK ISSUES

Because our Circulation Chairmen, Sam and Fannie Miron, are being pushed
out of living space in their home after years of accumulating extra
issues of Texas Conchologist, we are prompted to make a very special
_offer for a limited time. Issues of Volume 4 through Volume 11 are
available for the low price of $10.00. Call the Mirons at 723-3628 to
have your sets delivered at the August meeting. If you wish the copies
mailed, send your check to the Houston Conchology Society, care of the
Mirons, 5238 Sanford Street, Houston, Texas 77035. Add $100 for mailing
anywhere in the U.S.A. Add $1.00 for mailing anywhere in the U.S.A.

Add $2.00 for sea mail for any foreign mailing.

123

TEXAS
A SITEies

ba

Prepand |

25. BUCKET OF SHELLS from Texas was a special project prepared for sale
through the Museum gift store annex maintained during ''The Wonder-
ful World of Shells" May 1-14, 1977. Under the chairmanship of
Margie Woods, the project grew as it was executed until each bucket
had 42 species of Texas shells and Echinoderms, all scientifically
named, complete with authors and dates, with the common name given
also and with some discussion on habitat, geographical range or some
interesting fact. This educational packet was initiated to benefit
the Museum, and buckets remaining are available through the
Museum's gift store. Some buckets have been retained by the
Houston Conchology Society to be used in talks to schools. They
make ideal gifts to students, teachers, or owners of beach homes.
The Museum also has books that go well with the buckets.

Photo by Constance Boone

V SEPTEMBER, 1977

DIVISION OF MOLLUSKS

Ylortis and Sleud

"Underwater Photography'' will be the subject of discussion on the
program for the September 28th meeting of the Houston Conchology
Society. Jesse Cancelmo, an oil company engineer, has such photography
as an avocation and will be speaker for the evening, showing slides

of general marine life. Come at 7:30PM, downstairs classroom at the
Museum, for refreshments and fellowship.

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The program in August by the members of the 'Tex-Levu Expedition" was
terrific: One hundred and nine members of the Society and guests at-
tended. Invitational letters and Newsletters had been sent to "'signed-

up'' visitors to the May show at the Museum, and many attended this meeting

and joined the club. We welcome all of you and promise to ask for more
chairs for the meetings this year.

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A field trip to collect fossil shells on the Brazos River near Bryan,
Texas, will be held October 8th. Jim Sartor will lead this event. It
is suggested that you meet at 7:00AM in the parking lot of the theatre
at Northwest Mall to follow the leader to the collecting area which is
on Texas 21 west of Bryan. Bring your lunch and drinks. Call Jim at
723-5796 for other information. More details will be given in the
Newsletter and at the September meeting. Several members made trips to
this area this summer and found a great deal of interesting material in
the famous "Stone City beds."

(continued on Page 2)

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MAL Lot

MAY 31 1989
_ LIBRARIES

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc. and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is inciuded in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Naturat Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage re-
quired at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES CIRCULATION

Famity membership $6.00 Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
Single membership $5.00 723-3628
Student membership $2.00 5238 Sanford Street

Single issues $1.50 Houston, Texas 77035
Extra sets mailed members $5.00

EDITORIAL STAFF

Heimer Ode, Editor W. W. Sutow Constance E. Boone
664-9342 748-7233 668-8252
4811 Sraeburn Drive 4371 N. MacGregor Way 3706 Rice Bivd.
Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004 Houston, Texas 77005

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST sccepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and pro-
feesionsis, subject to approval by the editorisi board. Menuscripts should be typed, double spaced and
should bs submitted to the editorial staff.

NOTES AND NEWS (continued)

Sam Miron reports that sets of the Texas Conchologist, Volume IV
through Volume XI, are still available for the special price of $10.00
delivered at meetings to members. Add $1.00 for U.S. mailing, and
$2.00 for foreign sea mail. Sam also announces that new members may
wish to purchase back copies of Helmer Odé's Continuing Monograph
"Distribution and Records of the Marine Mullusca in the Northwest Gulf
of Mexico" which began in Volume XI, No. 2, December, 1974. Each issue
purchased separately is $1.50 postpaid. To purchase the entire set
of published ‘Continuing Monograph, December, 1974 through June, 1977,
send $14.50 to Sam Miron, 5238 Sanford Street, Houston, Texas 77035.
This Monograph was recently included in the report of systematic studies
of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean marine mollusk fauna made at the
July annual meeting of the American Malacological Union at Naples,
Florida. Dr. Donald R. Moore of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and
Atmospheric Sciences of the University of Miami, Miami, Florida,
spoke of 100 years of progress in such studies, beginning with the
first cruise of the "Blake" to present day work. His report will be
published in the AMU Bulletin of 1977. Please call Sam at 723-3628
if you wish him to deliver the T.C. Monograph issues at our meeting.
Mail delivery in U.S..will add $1.00 to price above. Sea Mail
delivery outside U.S. costs $2.00. If you wish to continue the
receipt of published Monograph, inquire about membership. This
entitles you to Texas Conchologist, a quarterly distributed to
members.

(continued on Page 5)

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance Boone

After a summer of collecting and coming home with various lots of
shells, many of which I already possess, the thought is once again
on personal collections and eventual disposition of such collections.

Much has been written about this subject. I don't think that I can
really add much new to what has already been said, but I would like
to point out to our many new members that this is a problem that
they will have to solve, too, someday, and, as they begin their
collections, they may want to consider the facts. What to do with
one's much-prized and much-loved shells someday should be in mind
early in the game, though it seldom is.

So many times in the past I have spouted out the confident formula
that "my shells are going to go to a Museum." I'm not so sure that
this will happen at all, and certainly it will not happen if I don't
make specific provisions with a specific museum and maybe provide the
money for these provisions to be carried out.

Some of my self-collected fresh water material, and much of my Texas
self-collected material should be able ta find homes in Museums,

Some of my self-collected material from other parts of the world will
find a home, especially the small and micro material with top

quality data. This might happen if I start giving it away now to
Museums requesting such material, and I should begin to send it now
while I really have the material in good shape and with data intact.

Some of the world's most valuable shells today that I've managed to
purchase probably aren't valuable to most big museums. They usually
can be obtained by those museums much more easily and much more
cheaply than I did. Museums probably wouldn't turn down such shells
if they were offered. But they would not tell you specifically what
they would do with them. No museum will promise to display your
shells or collection permanently. Well, maybe, you could find some
museum which might be inclined to display your collection if your
gift was accompanied by a huge gift of money with no strings
attached on use of the money.

Giving shells to a Museum works best when you are able to supply
shells for special needs and studies during your collecting years,
not after you are gone. There are always some fine personal col-
lections that are bought by Mollusk Departments, or acquired
through will or gift, which are of use to those departments, but
these are not common.

Many collectors face the fact eventually that they are no longer able
to collect or even to purchase shells. A while goes by as they un-
happily wonder what to do with all those shells. that brought such.
joy. Sometimes they find they would do best to sell their shells to
others who would have the chance to enjoy those shells. It has been
this way since the early days of shell collecting. It most certain-
ly is better to do this than to let the shells gather dust, get

shoved from closet to attic and then forgotten completely. The labels
get bug eaten; the catalogue gets lost, if you even had one.

aoe

It se considerably easier to continue to acquire shells and blind
one's intellect to the need to make a decision regarding your col-
lection. Some of us hope an offspring will want our shells. But I
have had a goodly share of letters from sons, daughters, and
grandchildren of collectors seeking information on evaluation of
family collections left them and seeking advice on disposition.
Usually they remember someone's great love for the collections and
remember they heard huge prices mentioned for some of the shells.
They are usually dismayed to learn that some of the prices have
changed drastically. They are hurt to think that no Museum really
wants their collections, and they admit often they have no room or
interest in them either. Beyond that, they reach a point when
they also know that not much is going to be paid for that collection
en toto. Selling it piece by piece is a job for the knowledgeable.
{ft is also the job for someone able to find buyers. Consequently,
you see such collections offered by a dealer who may take it on cor
Signment. Some dealers will not do this at all, and others will not
buy collections at all.

If you want your shells sold, leave some price reference and leave
good instructions on how to secure current price lists. The dealers
today may not be around when you leave this worid. Give general
information on how to secure lists of dealers. Make it easy to do.

If you know a Museum NOW that wants some of the material you have,
think long and hard about sending it NOW. Then don't go check up

and worry about what happens to that material you send. It may be
WANTED by that Museum you send it to, but it may sit on a shelf for
years before it gets catalogued. Many old collections by professionals
on expeditions are still in storage waiting to be assessed and

studied! Many collections by today's professionals are stored waiting
for money to hire more sorters or curators -- or money simply for the
purchase of supplies needed in curating.

You will find it best to inquire if a Museum wants your shells and
the conditions of acceptance. The more complete your data is for the
shells the more interested a Museum will be. Naming the shells is
not the most important feature; collecting data with exactness and
detail is the prime concern of a Museum Malacology Department.

Our Editor, Helmer odd, gave his land snail collection in Holland

to a Museum there before coming to Texas to live. He has now given
most of his material collected on Texas beaches to the Northwest Gulf
Survey at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Other members of
our club have given shells to this survey and also to other museums.

It isn't easy to pack up material and mail it at your own expense, but
often this is what you must do. Most Museums will present you with

a letter acknowledging your gift. Almost no Museum will offer specific
appraisals. Some Museums offer a sum on paper for each lot given to
the Museum which can be used for income tax deduction, like $1.00 or
$2.00 for a shell or a "lot" of species of common shells.

In today's world of the study of mollusks, many Museum Mollusk
Departments are really interested in live material for study which
eventually becomes "wet" (preserved) material for storage.

I expect the bottom line to all of this is to collect what you can
really truthfully use, for your collection or to share and trade,
and to leave the rest alone --- to enjoy your shells to the fullest
but know when to give them up for others to enjoy or to use for
knowledge for the future.

O00OGOQD00000000000C0000000000

NOTES AND NEWS (continued)

We are completely depleted of Texas shells to be used for our education-
al purposes. Margie Woods, Fannie and Sam Miron, Constance Boone and
éther members continue to offer talks to schools and clubs. We
especially like to leave shells with schools, and we like to have many
common Texas shells cn hand to distribute to children. You must
remember your delight in first seeing a bright and shiny Olive or

your first perfect ear shell (Sinum) and carry that thought with you
the next time you are beach picking. We do ask that you wash, Clorox
where necessary, and oil the shells, pack them dry in a cardboard

box, label. the contents on the outside, and bring this to the meeting
for storage and use during the year. Dosinias, Dinocardiums, Tellins,
Busycons, Epitoniums, etc., are all welcomed. They need not be live-
taken shelis, just clean and in good shape.

o00G000000000000000000000000

NEW FEATURE PLANNED

Sometime last year Tina Petway started on a project to find out members'
interests in mollusks. This was never completed, but we announce that
Tina has agreed to begin a feature, starting with the December, 1977,
quarterly of Texas Conchologist, designed to introduce our members and
their interests and collections of mollusks. She may expand this to
include your desire to trade. The new membership list will be completed
soon, and she will use this list to contact you for information to be
published. Several members will be starred each issue.

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

From time to time we have extolled in these pages the gastronomic
qualities of the mollusks. Over the world, millions of tons of
mollusks are harvested and consumed as food each year. In the Orient
particularly but also in other areas the custom of eating a great
deal of the mollusks in the raw state prevails. Therein lies the
danger of disease transmission should the mollusks themselves be con-
taminated.

“The Safety of Eating Shellfish" is the title of an article appearing
in the May 2, 1977 (237: 1980-1981) issue of the Journal of the American
Medical Association. The article was written by Drs. James M. Hughes,
Michael H. Merson and Eugene J, Gangarosa and was published from the
Bacterial Diseases Division, Bureau of Epidemiology, Center for Disease
Control, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health, Education

and Welfare, Atiantz, Georgia.

The communication discusses succinctly severai aspects of contamination,
the diseases transmitted and the epidemics that have occurred. The
diseases associated with eating contaminated shellfish include
hepatitis A, typhoid fever, cholera, other diseases caused by vibrios,
paralytic and neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and gastrointestinal
illnesses. Some of the comments of the authors have been extracted
from the article and are summarized below.

Vibrio parahemolyticus is a bacteria that causes gastroenteritis. It
is considered to be responsible for over 50% of all foodborne out-
breaks in Japan. In the United States 16 reported outbreaks have
occurred. Most outbreaks have been traced to inadequate cooking and
refrigeration of crustaceans. However, the organism has been recovered
from surfaces and alimentary tracts of mollusks.

In 1973, an outbreak of hepatitis involved over 280 persons who ate
raw oysters distributed from Louisiana. At low cooking temperatures
the hepatitis A virus is not inactivated. For example, clams are
commonly steamed just until the shells open. This temperature is
not high enough to kill the virus. Thoroughly cooked shellfish has
mot caused hepatitis A outbreaks.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is caused by eating bivalves
that have ingested toxic dinoflagellates. These dinoflagellates are
often recognized as the cause of "red tide'',. But cases of PSP can
occur in the absence of any visible red tide. Since 1969, eight
outbreaks have been reported. The outbreak in 1973 affected 33
people. Toxin causing PSP is relatively heat-stable; cooking does
not always inactivate the toxin.

Although written for the physician, the subject matter is presented
in easily understood phraseology. Those interested in obtaining a
reprint of this article should send a request to Enteric Diseases
Branch, Bacterial Diseases Division, Bureau of Epidemiology, Center
for Disease Control, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.

=6=

When outbreaks of disease occur that threaten the health of many

people, such as oyster-associated hepatitis, national facilities for

the detection and control of the outbreak are mobilized on a massive
scale. The story of the activities generated rivals the grimness of

an unrelenting manhunt in murder mystery or spy novels. A retrospective
summary of the experiences associated with the outbreak of hepatitis
that occurred in Texas, Georgia and Louisiana in October and November
1973 is presented in the article "Oyster-associated hepatitis: lessons
from the Louisiana experience." The article was published in the
American Journal of Epidemiology, 103: 181-191, 1976. The authors

are Philip A. Mackowiak, Charles T. Caraway and Benjamin Portnoy.

Drs. Mackowiak and Portnoy were Epidemic Intelligence Officers
associated with the Center for Disease Control. Dr. Caraway is Chief,
Section of Epidemiology, Louisiana Health and Social and Rehabilitation
Services Administration, Department of Health Maintenance and Ambulatory
Patient Services, New Orleans.

These authors with others published earlier the details of this out-
break in the medical report: "Oyster-associated hepatitis - failure

of shellfish certification program to prevent outbreaks" by B.L. Portnoy,
P.A. Mackowiak, C.T. Caraway, J.A. Walker, T.W. McKinney and C.A. Klein,
Jr. This report appeared in the Journal of American Medical Association
233:1065-1068, September 8, 1975. It described the outbreak that
occurred in Houston and Georgia during October and November, 1973. The
report was annotated in the Texas Conchologist (12:35, December, 1975),
under the heading "Oyster and Hepatitis."

In the new report, a final reconstruction of the sequence of events
has been done based on analyses of available epidemiologic and environ-
mental information. The scope of this reconstruction is impressive.

1. From April to August, 1973, much of the Mississippi valley
experienced one of the worst floods in recent times. Pollution
closed 85 percent of Louisiana oyster-growing waters.

2. Salinity data indicated that the greatest degree of fresh
water intrusion occurred in the bays of the East Louisiana
Salt Marshes (designated as Area II by the Louisiana Wild-
life and Fisheries Commission) closest to the Mississippi
River.

3. Much of the fresh water which escaped into Area II remained
"bottled up" in the region of American Bay and Bay Crabe
because of the prevailing wind direction.

4. Bay Crabe was opened to oystermen on September 1, 1973.
The initial catches from the wild reefs were replanted as
"seed oysters" in private beds. Sale of Area II oysters
began about September 16, 1973.

a

5. It is postulated that exposure of oysters to the hepatitis
virus occurred at the height of the flooding. It is further
postulated that the oysters concentrated the virus in their
tissues, retaining the virus from one to two months sub-
sequently. The authors cite evidence that mollusks can do
this.

6. Oysters from these waters did not reach the consumers until
the last of August. Assuming an average incubation period
of one month for hepatitis A infection, the hepatitis cases
would not be seen until early October.

The potential magnitude of this type of health problem is suggested
by the statistics of oyster fishery in Louisiana. The state produces
500,000 barrels of oysters per year (1 barrel = 3 bushels = 2 sacks =
40 dozen oysters). Also chilling is the fact that countless towns
and cities along the Mississippi empty untreated sewage directly

into the river. Study of local environmental factors indicate that
no major source of human pollution exists in the area itself or

among the oystermen.

900000000000 0DDCDD00GO00000000

BOOK REVIEWS by W.W. Sutow

Our recent acquisition for my conchological library is a book entitled
'"'PSEUDOTHECOSOMATA, GYMNOSOMATA AND HETEROPODA" by S. van der Spoel.
This 484-page work was printed in 1976 by Bohn, Scheltema and Holtema
in Utrecht but the text is written in English. This book completes
the set, the first volume of which was published by an author in 1967
with the title '"EUTHECOSOMATA- A GROUP WITH REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENTAL
STAGES ."'

The author has included only the "basic information for the correct
approach of the groups"'. These are the "holoplanktonic molluscs"
which have been classified under the ORDERS: THECOSOMATA, GYMNOSOMATA,
and HETEROPODA. In the ORDER THECOSOMATA are two Sub-Orders:
EUTHECOSOMATA and PSEUDOTHECOSOMATA. A separate volume is promised

to cover the biology of the planktonic molluscs. The literature
references are intended to be comprehensive and include those that
were listed in the previous volume.

The book is a scientific treatise, written for the highly professional.
Nonetheless, it appears useful for the amateur, providing him with
information that is difficult to obtain.

The text is divided into 7 parts. In the introductory section, the
phylogeny and classification of the HETEROPODA are discussed as well
as aspects of speciation and distribution of the orders. Then
systematic indices of the THECOSOMATA, GYMNOSOMATA and HETEROPODA
are given. The indices also indicate the page where a given species
is pictured.

BOOK REVIEWS (continued)

The second section (144 pages) provides data on taxonomy. The

general morphology of the order as well as the identifying features

of individual species are given. Information on each species consists
of synonymy and description of all species as well as other information
(such as anatomy, reproduction, remarks, etc.) on some.

The third section (24 pages) discusses the distribution of the species.
The text is supplemented by a number of global maps (80 pages)
graphically depicting the distribution of individual species. Con-
centrations of pelagic animals are difficult to quantify but the
density gradient on the maps is indicated in terms of the degree of
certainty of the records of the taxon.

The fourth section (21 pages) lists the type specimens and the lo-
cations from which they were collected. The place where the type
specimen is kept and the state of the specimen (e.g. "mounted dry",
"alcohol collection", etc.) are also documented. The appendices
constitute the fifth section (17 pages). Diagrams of the dispersal
over the faunal centers provide easy determination of the species to
be expected in a special area or fauna. The diagrams include ail the
taxa discussed.

The references (83 pages) are alphabetically arranged by author. Each
_teference is characterized as to its subject matter, such as, paper

on a general topic, paper on GYMNOSOMATA, paper on <THECOSOMATA, paper
on HETEROPODA, paper on PTEROPODA in general. and paper on fossils or
subfossils. The references are as current as 1975.

Then, there are 80 pages of pen and ink drawings illustrating the
various species as well as characteristics of the animal for many
species. The illustrations depict the shells with sufficient
magnification so that identification from the figures should be
facilitated,

The book should prove to be useful and informative library addition

for most serious shell collectors. It is recommended. For orientation,
some of the genera covered in this book are: Limacina, Peraclis,
Atlanta, Carinaria, Cavolinia, Clio and Curierina.

KREKEKEKERERERRERRERERERERERER

A compact paper-back, regionally oriented, entitled "SEASHELLS OF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST" was published in late 1976. The author is James
Seeley White, the training officer and diving safety chairman of the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The price is $6.50.

In its content (and intent) the book is very reminiscent of Tom Rice's
A comparison of the two books is inevitable, Both are of the same size
(5% X 8% inches). Both are soft-cover issues. The Rice book has 102
pages, the new one 127 pages,

There are several differences, Tom describes 254 species whereas the
new book limits itself to 83 ("most available") shells. White has up-

5 (Continued on Page 13)

214.

215%

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) by H. Ode

Ctena Spec. Indet. B.
A very similar shell, but much more regularly sculptured living
in precisely the same environment. Probably the same species
as the previous one, although this is difficult to see when
considering extremes of both forms.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78 (as Codakia sp. B.).

Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots of which one contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 10-28 fms., in calcareous environment or on Miocene
shale domes.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 11.3 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Ctena mexicana (Dall, 1901) seems very
close. "California to Ecuador, intertidally and to depths of
80 m. (Keen, 1971).

Ctena Spec. Indet. C.
A third species of Ctena was obtained in a single lot of seven
valves from Heald Bank. They are in outward appearance sur-
prisingly close to Linga amianta Dall, with which they were
confused and mixed up. Most remarkable is the radial row of
imbrications along the posterior slope of some of these valves.
The hinge however, is much less massive than that of Linga
amianta. These shelis appear different from those of Ctena
Spec. A. and B, and although its outward sculpture shows some
correspondence with that of Codakia costata (Orbigny, 1842)
I do not believe it to be that species, because of its well
developed laterals.

Previous records of the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: Two lots, one from Heald Bank (fossil?), one
from the '18" fathom lump.

Depth Range: 6 fathoms in shelly muddy sand and 30 fathom in
calcareous algae.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 5.7 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Genus Pleurolucina Dall, 1901.

Considering the evidence available to me it seems most logical to place
here in Pleurolucina a species usually not assigned to this genus.
Pleurolucina contains rather thick shelled small lucinids with strong,
often undulating radial sculpture. There is little doubt that

=40=

P. sombrerensis is a Pleurolucina. About the status of Bellucina
amianta, Dall, I am much less certain, but after studying all material
available to me I believe that Bellucina is close to Ctena and not

a Pleurolucina as Britton believes. Opinions about the interpretation
of Bellucina,to which it has been usually assigned, differ. In hinge
topology P. leucocyma, Dall of Florida and P. sombrerensis of the
entire Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean are quite close, but the hinge of
P. amianta, Dall is closer to that of the unidentified species of
Ctena. I must leave the matter to the experts.

216. Pleurolucina sombrerensis (Dall, 1886).

Lucina sombrerensis, Dall. B.M.C.Z., Vol. 12, (6), p. 264.
This common species usually assigned to the subgenus Here Gabb,
1866 of Linga can sometimes be collected in great numbers in
depths between 20 and 30 fathoms. Live specimens are quite
rare. I have only seen a single live collected juvenile
specimen in the H.M.N.S. collection. The species is somewhat
variable in several characters, expecially in the spacing
of the strong lamellar ridges, which varies between densely
and widely spaced and in the development of these ridges which
rarely become reflected at their crests. The crenulations
of the ventral margin apparently are developed periodically.
In most juveniles and sometimes in mature specimens, they are
lacking. In a fully grown but broken specimen where part of
the ventral margin was missing, crenulations were missing on
the most recent part of the margin, but had become visible
along that part of the break which followed an old incremental
growth line.

Radial undulations are present at the anterior and posterior
area close to the umbo and can be especially well observed in
fairly juvenile specimens but are lacking in very small (<1 m.)
material. The species is quite rare in beachdrift. We have
only a single worn valve from Port Aransas, which could be
fossil. Abbott (1974) has figured this species twice (5283 and
5294) but labels the latter mistakingly Cavilinga blanda, which
is quite different.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 145, dead
on deep shelf, Mississippi Delta; 156, Stetson Bank; 175, listed;
206, Beach Notes, Texas Conch., Vol. 7, p. 94, also listed
Vol. 9, p- 78, (No. 813); 214, Campeche Bank; 251, Yucatan
Shelf; 260, listed for Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 34 lots, of which 1 contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 16-75 fms.; optimal 20-35 fms.; alive: 26 fms. in
sandy shelly mud. One specimen from beachdrift at Port Aransas.

Geographical Range: Entire Gulf of Mexico, into Caribbean.

Maximum Size: 7.2 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Pleurolucina leucocymoides (Lowe, 1935)
Gulf of California to Manzanillo and Tres Marias Island, Mexico,
in 37 to 110 m. (Keen, 1971).

(Continued on Page 14)

-11-

TEXAS SHELLS

This is a view of the new case of Texas Shells on display permanently
at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It is located in the Hall
of Texas Wildlife on the second floor of the Museum. Not every Texas
shell, not even all the common ones, are displayed, but the exhibit
will be very helpful in assisting you to determine your finds on the
beach, in the fields, and in the streams and bayous.

A panel of small shells, a panel of fresh water shells, a small display
of land snails, a few fossil shells and a great wealth of marine shells
should at least give you a glimpse of the many shells from the Texas
scene.

A color coding for the ranges of marine shells should be studied care-
fully. It will help you to understand geographic patterns of marine
mollusks, ‘

Some of the most unusual shells from the Northwest Gulf of Mexico
Survey are now displayed. You will see one of the finest specimens

of Spondylus americanus in star position on the top of the revolving
pyramid. Taken by a diver on one of the trips to offshore reefs, this
bright lemon-yellow specimen is superb. There's a gorgeous winged
Siratus beauii. There are hugh Lyropecten nodosus. The comments from
visitors and classes of children all express amazement that Texas has
these shells.

Photo by Don Williams, Museum Exhibits Department

BOOK REVIEWS (continued)

dated the names of several species. For example, the genus Acmaea
is now mostly Collisella or Notoacmaea and Hinites multi osus is

again H. giganteus.

Tom has prominently numbered each species for easy reference, both in
the text and on the photographs. In the new book, the items are not
numbered and the association between text and figure becomes clumsy.

Tom indexed the shells by both generic and specific names. The new boak
is indexed only by generic designation, The one problem with the Rice
book was the small pictures of the minute shells but the new publication
has omitted most of these. The photographs that are present in the new
book are magnified to provide details of the smaller shells. However,
the concept of the relative sizes of the shells is harder to derive. White
provides considerably more detail and more information on individual
species. The new book has no list of references.

After comparing the two booklets side by side, I believe that the begin-
ning collector will profit from either if collecting in that geographic
area. If one has the book by Rice, one will not need the book by White.
If one has only the latter, one will eventually require the book by Rice.
But if one has the more complete treatise by Abbott, one probably does
not need to have either of the smaller publications.

ml sts

Genus Linga deGregorio, 1884.

Strong, thick shelled, concentrically lamellated bibalves often with
well developed posterior sulcus. Abbott (1974) considers Bellucina,
Pleurolucina and Here as subgenera, an arrangement largely taken from
Chaven (1969). Bellucina Dall, 1901, is undoubtedly close to Linga, but
still differs substantially in many respects and by the study of whatever
material I have available, I believe that Bellucina amianta Dall is close
to Ctena.

217. Linga pensylvanica (Linné, 1758).
Venus pensylvanica Linne. Syst. Nat., 10th Ed., p. 688. |

In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, this is an extremely rare species.

I have seen some quite large live collected specimens dredged
in waters off Louisiana, west of the Mississippi delta. In the
H.M.N.S. collection only a single valve, somewhat worn, dredged
south of Galveston. Most records for this species for the Texas
coast must be considered unreliable.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 61, listed for
Corpus Christi area (error for L. pectinata); 62, listed for
Mustang Island (error for L. pectinata); 145, listed; 192,
listed for Yucatan platform; 225, listed as Lucina c.f.

pensylvanica Linné, 1758 for Galveston; 236, similarly listed
for Galveston; 260, listed for offshore waters south of Sabine,
Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, contsisting of a single worn valve.

Depth Range: 30 fms., in shelly sandy mud (fossil shell?).

Geographical Range: North Carolina to South Florida and the West
Indies (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 36 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

218. Linga (Bellucina) amianta (Dall, 1901).

Phacoides (Bellucina) amiantus Dall, 1901. P.U.S.N.M.,

Vol. 23, No. 1237, pp. 810, 826, pl. 39, fig. 10, New mame

for hueing costata Dall, 1889; not Orbigny, nor Tuomey and

Holmes.
The ending of amiantus, because it is an adjective, should con-
form to Linga, but most authors don't follow the rule (see Abbott,
1974). Although, as stated, I believe that this species is close
to Ctena, I report the species here in the conventional arrangement
(see also Keen about Bellucina). Along the Louisiana and Texas
coast the species is widespread and common in shallow offshore
waters and in the bays, where it lives in sandy mudbottoms
(Timbalier, Christmas Bay (Galveston), Matagorda Bay, becoming
gradually more common further south. Also common as dead valves
in beachdrift and probably living also in calcareous environment.
It is (only dead valves available) a quite variable species which
is already strongly costate when quite immature (1-2 mm.) and
thus differs considerably from Parvilucina. When mature, the
surface sculpture is quite variable and the strong cancellate
sculpture of juveniles assumes more and more a concentric appear-
ance. On the posterior side, there are two rows of strong

A=

imbrications which are also present but to a lesser degree in
some of our unidentified Ctena Spec. Indet. Compared to Ctena
the hinge of Bellucina is much more massive but topologically
very much the same. Worn, beach material often displays close
radial furrows as some Ctena have, Except for some different
material from Heald Bank, I believe that in spite of the
diversity in shape, inflation and surface sculpture, all Texas-
Louisiana material should be labelled Linga amianta Dall.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are; 15, listed as
L. costata, Tuomey and Holmes, for Galveston, beachdrift; 21,
listed as L. costata Conr.; 45, Galveston; 66, Marine Pleistocene
of Texas; 110, rare at Galveston, common at Port Aransas; 135,
alive in Gulf, alive in bays; 136, reported for many locations
off East Texas in 33-54 feet, alive; 145, Mississippi delta
region, upper sounds, inlets, shallow shelf, deep shelf, plate
4, figs. 16A, B, 153, listed; 156, Stetson Bank; 160, Matagorda
Bay, dead; 164, alive at Rockport, dead in Laguna Madre; 170,
alive off East Texas; 174, listed; 175, listed for inlet and
deep channel assemblage, common on salty sands, pl. 3, fig. 19;
206, Beach Records, Texas Conch., Vol. 3, No. 6; 225, Galveston;
236, Galveston; 253, common in mud samples on reef off Padre
Island; 260, listed for Texas; 261, listed for shallow offshore
Galveston; 269, figured on page 174.

Records H.M.N.S.: 86 lots of which 13 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-62 fms. (optimal 0-25 fms.); alive at 9-15 fms. in
sandy, shelly mudbottoms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Gulf of Mexico to Brazil.

Maximum Size: 8.4 mm., but usually about 6 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Bellucina cancellaris (Phillippi, 1846)
(assigned by Keen to Pleurolucina) "Cedros Island, Maja
California, to Panama in 7-70 m.".

219. Linga (Bellucina) c.f. waccamawensis (Dall, 1903).
Phacoides (Bellucina) waccamawensis Dall. T.W.F.I.S., Vol.
SH oDteu OMe DientL SSO apiliccho 2) rdioree iD).
Some specimens which resemble this Pliocene species were dredged
from Heald Bank. They appear more inflated and more reticulate
and smaller than comparable specimens of L. amianta. It is
probably that these specimens are fossils. The species has also
been mentioned by Smith (Ref. 196) from Louisiana, It is possible
that this species is merely the precursor of the recent amianta.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 196, listed
for the Pliocene of Louisiana.
Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot of dead shells from Heald Bank.
Depth Range: 34-40 feet, in shelly muddy sand.
Geographical Range: Described as fossil (Pliocene) from the S.E.
United States.
Maximum Size: 3.8 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Same as above.

-15-=

220.

Linga (Bellucina) Sp. Indet. A.
From the same location (Heald Bank) a completely different
species in the same subgenus was obtained. It is old and weather-
ed and for the time being it is not possible to identify it. The
radials are much less developed and the shell is much more
ovate. Probably also fossil.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: A single lot of a single valve.

Depth Range: 34-40 feet in shelly muddy sand.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 5.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Genus Parvilucina Dall, 1901.

Small, rather inflated shelis, with closely spaced concentric sculpture,
and crenulations on the ventral margin. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, the
genera Parvilucina and Cavilinga, Chavan, 1937.

221.

222.

Parvilucina (Cavilinga) blanda (Dall & Simpson, 1901).
Phacoides trisulcatus blandus, Dail & Simpson, 1901.
BsUSSREsGe VOL. 920 pte ls ipintO3, pie 0), ede euelste
This small species with a range from N. Carolina to Brazil
(Abbott, 1974) is quite rare off Louisiana but does not reach
the Texas offshore area. In the H.M.N.S., are only two lots
from western Louisiana. The species is probably a direct
descendant of the Miocene P. trisulcata (Conrad, 1814).
Abbott, 1974 by mistake figures P. sombrerensis instead of
P. blanda.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots.
Depth Range: 30-40 fms., in calcareous environment off western
Louisiana.
Geographical Range: North Carolina to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).
Maximum Size: 7.0 mn.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: ? Cavilinga prolongata Carpenter, 1857.
Baja California to Mazatlan, Mexico (Keen, 1971).

Parvilucina (Parvilucina) multilineata (Tuomey and Holmes, 1857).
Lucina multilineata, Tuomey and Holmes. Pleist. Foss., S.
Carolina, p. 61, p. 18, figs. 16-17.

Syn. Phacoides (Parvilucina) crenella Dall, 1901.

P.U,S.N.M., Vol. 23, No. 1237, p. S05 625), pl 39h area.
This very common species is taken in beachdrift along the entire
Texas coast from Galveston to the Rio Grande, but while rare
at Galveston, it becomes gradually more abundant to the south.
It lives also commonly in offshore waters less than 15 fathoms,
(off Galveston-Freeport and Louisiana, Isles Dernieres, Ship
Shoal) and probably in Galveston West Bay, although we have no
live material. Dead shells are not uncommon in Matagorda Bay
but in the southern Texas bays (Aransas Bay, Corpus Christi
Bay, Laguna Madre) it has been taken alive. It is a quite
variable shell, usually orbicular, fairly thick shelled and
with varying intensity of radial sculpture. In some valves,
no radial lines can be seen at all, in others, they become
outspoken. From three locations, we have another form, which

-16-

223%.

is so out spokenly costate, and different in outline that we
believe it to be a different species. The ventral crenulations
of P. multilineata are, apparently, as in Bellucina amianta,
during periods of growth covered but formed anew periodically.
Very small juveniles are often collected, but among them two
different forms can be discerned. One is exceedingly small
and finely concentrically ribbed and is provisionally assigned
to the subgenus Microloripes, already reported by Altena from
Surinam (1968). The other is perhaps somewhat larger and rib-
bed by lamellar ridges, which are wider apart. It could belong
in another genus. The maximum size of Parvilucina multilineata
in Texas never reaches 10 mm. as stated in Ref. 269, but stays
below 7 mm. The species is quite rare on the offshore reefs.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 15, (as
L. crenulata Con.) common at Corpus Christi, not at Galveston;
18 (as L. crenulata Con.) Corpus Christi; 45, listed for
Galveston and Corpus Christi; 61, Rockport area; 62, Mustang
Island; 66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas; 98, listed for the
bays; 110, dead shells rare at Galveston, common at Port
Aransas; 135, dead in the bays; 132, at many stations (33-48
feet depth) off East Texas, alive; 145, Lower Sound, Upper
Sound, inlets, deep shelf, Mississippi delta (all dead), pl. 3,
figs. 4A, B; 160, Matagorda Bay, dead; 164, dead in bay of
Rockport area Texas, and Laguna Madre; 170, listed for
transitional shelf-assemblage off East Texas; 174, listed; 175,
listed for inlet and deep channel assemblage, common on silty
sands, pl. 3, fig. 21; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch.,
Vol. 3 (6); 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251, Yucatan shelf;
253, common on offshore reef Padre Island; 260, listed for
Texas; 269, figured on page 175.

Records H.M.N.S.: 80 lots of which 8 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms. (optimal 0-15 fms.) in sandy mud bottoms.
Alive: 0 (South Padre Island - 12 fms. in muddy sand.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to both sides of Florida;
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 6.9 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Parvilucina mazatlanica, (Carpenter,
1857) Gulf of California to Panama in depths of 4 to 1024 mn.
Keen, 1971).

Parvilucina (Parvilucina) Spec. Indet. A.
Three lots of a quite costate somewhat skew and very inflated

species were collected on Heald Bank, Stetson Bank and the
Flower Gardens. Those from Heald Bank show intermediates with
P. multilineata, but in the normal habitus I do not hesitate
to consider these shells specifically different. Those from
the Flower Gardens are recent, those from Heald Bank and
Stetson Bank could be fossils. The species is much smaller
than P. multilineata and also differs from this species in
that the concentric ribbing is considerably coarser.

Previous records for Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 6-25 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Eastern Pacific Analogue:

-17-

224.

225.

Parvilucina (Microloripes?) Spec. Indet. A.
Altena (1968) has reported this subg subgenus for the first time
for the esoeern Atlantic. The Surinam species is exceedingly
smal] cc 1. mm.) and resembles quite closely, juveniles of
Parvilucina multilineata, except for the much finer ventral
crenulations shown in Altena's figure of M. clenchi. Gulf of
Mexico juveniles of P. multilineata would be indistinguishable
from Microloripes. However, in our material are two dif-
ferent microscopic species which appear different from juvenile
P, muitilineata. Our material is too insufficient to draw
any definite conclusions and it is always possible that they
are pathological specimens. The difference between both
species is in the outline of the shell and in the density of
the concentric ridges. In Spec. A., they are quite densely
packed, in the other there are fewer rather lamellar ridges,
The prodissoconch of these species is quite small.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, one of which contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 224-28 fms.; alive at 28 fms. on algal reef.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: .8 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown in Panamanic Province.

Microloripes Spec. Indet. B.
Previous records for the Texas faunai province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 2 lots.

Depth Range: 4-11 fms. in sandy shelly mud.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 0.9 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown in Panamanic Province. .

Genus Anodontia Link, 1807.

Large chalky and orbicular shells with a reduced hinge. It is not
certain that the first species, in the subgenus Pegophysema Howard, 1930,
still lives along the Texas coast.

226.

Anodontia (Pegophysema) philippiana (Reeve, 1850).
Lucina philippiana Reeve. Conch. Icon., Lucina, 5 (49),
pl. 5, figs: 23) a; Db.
According to Abbott (1974) this is the same as Lucina schrammi
Crosse, Journ. d. Conchyl., 24, p. 166, an opinion not
shared by Britton, (Ref. 260), who believes the correct name
of this species is A. schrammi (Crosse, 1876). Whatever the
truth of the matter will be, it is a fairly common species,
sometimes dredged in pairs. So far, we have not seen live
specimens of this, the largest Lucinid in the N.W. Gulf of
Mexico. The H.M.N.S. collection lacks truly juvenile material.
Locally not rare in dredged offshore material to a depth of
70 fms., and occasionally collected on Texas beaches west of
Galveston. At,Galveston it is quite rare (San Luis Pass), but
increases in frequency towards the south. Our smallest
material is flatter and thinner and more angulate at the posterior
side than equal sized material of A. alba, but distinction
is not always easy.
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45, Matagorda

-18-

ae

227 e

and Corpus Christi, Texas; 69. listed in Appendix 8; 110, (as
Loripinus schrammi Crosse, 1876) occasional on Gulf beaches
from Matagorda Island to Port Isabel. Plate 9, fig. 6; 135,
dead in Gulf, dead in bays; 156, Stetson Bank; 206, Beach
Records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (6); 260, listed for Texas;
269, figured on page 173.

Records H.M.N.S.: 20 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: 0-70 fms. mostly in shelly mud bottom, or on the
beach optimal 20-30 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to east Florida, Cuba and
Bermuda (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: >92 mm. (broken), beach shell from Padre Island.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Anodontia (Pegophysema) spherica Dall
and Ochsner, 1928. Fossil on Galapagos Island and Ecuador

(see Keen, 1971).

Anodontia (Pegophysema) alba Link, 1807.
Anodontia alba Link. Beschreib, Nat. Samml., Univ. Rostock,
3, p. 156. Syn.: Lucina chrysostoma Philippi, 1847. Abb.
Beschr. n. Conchyl. 2, p. 206, pl. 1; fig. 3.

It is regrettable that Meuschen's very appropriate name "chryso-
stoma'' of 1787, first validated by Philippi in 1847, cannot
be used. However, to Texas material, the name "alba" is
perhaps better applied because seldom, traces of the vivid
yellow internal coloration remain after the animal dies.
Occasionally dead shells of this species are found on
Matagorda Beach and further south, few of which show traces
of coloration. Rarely dredged in offshore waters in contrast
to the previous species. So far, I have not seen any
juvenile material and the smailest material studied was
about l-inch in largest dimension. It is more rounded, more
inflated and thicker shelled and the muscular impressions
are slightly different from those in A. philippiana Reeve.
The scant material dredged offshore Galveston may be fossil
(Pleistocene?). Live specimens have been reported from
Rockport and Port Aransas,

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed
as Loripes edentula Linné; 15, (as Lorpies edentla), Corpus
Christi Bay; 19, (as Loripes edentual) Matagorda Bay, dead;
21, listed as Loripes endentula Lamarck; 61, Corpus Christi
area; 62, Corpus Christi area; 65, Corpus Christi area; 66,
Port Isabel; 98, Padre Island; 110, dead shells on St. Joseph
Island, Mustang Island and Padre Isl., pl. 9, fig. 5; 135,
alive in bay, dead in Gulf; 160, dead in Matagorda Bay; 164,
Rockport area, dead in various types of environment, alive
in shallow hypersaline; 174, listed; 206, Beach Records
in) exas) Conch... Vols (6) su 2L4aiplol2afies. 9, 0052605
listed; 269, figured on page 173.

Records H.M.N.S.: 9 lots, no live material.

Depth Range: O-12 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, the Gulf States

and West Indies, Bermuda (Ver) (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 54 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?Pegophysema edentuloides (Verrill, 1870).

"Cedros Island, Baja California and through the Gulf of

California. to Tenacatita Bay Mexico in 33 to 165 m. (Keen, 1971).

-19-

Genus Divariceila von Martens, 1880.
Inflated, rather circular valves with deeply incised grooves crossing the

growth increments at an angle. In Texas a single species in the sub-
genus Divalinga Chavan, 1951.

228. Divariceila (Divalinga) quadrisuicata (Orbigny, 1842).
Only a few lots in the H.M.N.S. collection of this widespread
western Atlantic species have been collected in the N.W. Gulf
of Mexico. Five come from offshore Galveston locations and
from South Padre Isiand where they were collected in beach-
drift. The species may no longer live offshore Galveston, but
South Padre Island may be the northerly limit of the species
which becomes more common on Mexican beaches. Also reported
as a fossil from East Texas (ref. 45).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45, well at
Saratoga, Tex., at 940 feet; 66, Marine Pleistocene of Texas;
145, deepshelf, dead (Mississippi delta); 180, Alacran reef,
Yucatan shelf; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (6);
253, dead in reef offshore Padre Island; 260, listed for
Texas.

Records H.M.N.S.: 8 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.

Geographical Range: Massachusetts to south half of Florida and
the West Indies to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 16.0 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Divalinga eburnea (Reeve 1850), Baja
California to Peru, intertidally and to depths of 55 m.
(Keen, 1971).

FAMILY THYASTRIDAE DALL, 1901

A family of thin, somewhat trigonal often inflated small bivalves,
mainly living in deep water. The hinge is thinly developed. Many
species of uncertain status have been described and a critical review
of all Atlantic species is needed before the N.W. Gulf of Mexico species
can be assigned their proper labels. In the Texas faunal province, the
genera Thyasira, Axinulus and Leptaxinus. Sources: Chavan in Treatise
of Invert. Paleont., Vol. N. p. 508-511.

Genus Thyasira Leach in Lamarck, 1818.

Thin, white rather inflated, with well developed dorsal fold. In the

N.W. Gulf of Mexico, live several species of uncertain status which for
the most part I cannot assign to any of the subgenera currently recognized.
Only two species of the genus Thyasira and none in other genera are

cited by Keen, 1971 for the Panamanic Province.

229, Thyasira trinsinuata Orbigny, 1842.
Lucina trisinuata Orbigny. Mol. Cub., 2, p. 300; pl. 37,
figs. 46-49, 1846.
This isa rather common species in a depth range of 7%-140 fms.
No live material is present in the H.M.N.S. collection. The

230,

231.

232.

species confirms fairly well with figures and descriptions
available to me.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 140,
listed dead for Baker Bank; 166, listed for upper continental
slope, 65-600 fms., few, ranges shallower to the south, pl. 6,
file, 12; 2065) Texas Conch.,; Vol. 9, (4), p. 78.

Records H.M.N.S.: 26 lots, no live taken material.

Depth Range: 7%-140 fms.; optimal 25-50 fms.

Geographical Range: "Nova Scotia to Florida, Gulf of Mexico and
West Indies".

Maximum Size: 9.8 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Acc. to Abbott (1974) also in the
eastern Pacific.

Thyasira (Conchocele) bisecta Conrad, 1849.
This by far the largest Thyasirid species of the N.W. Gulf
of Mexico, but the species is uncommon and has only been
obtained in a depth range of 110-167 fathoms. Its rarity is
probably due to poor collecting. Like the other species of the
genus, it is inflated, white and thin, but its shape is quite
different: very oblique and backwardly enlarged, so that the
shells have a somewhat quadrate appearance.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
Thyasira sp. C), listed on p. 78, Vol., Texas Conch.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, no live taken material.

Depth Range: 110-167 fms. in mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: Caribbean and northern Pacific (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 19 mm. for a complete shell; fragments indicate a
much larger size.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: The same species also lives in the
northern Pacific (Oregon-Japan, according to Abbott, 1974).

Thyasira Sp. Indet. A.
This rather small species differs from T. trinsinuata by its

much less pronounced development of the dorsal ridge. Its
surface is often somewhat granular, but on such tenuous
grounds it can hardly be assigned to T. granulosa Monterosato,
1875, listed by Abbott, 1974 for the Gulf of Mexico and the
West Indies. It also resembles T. conia Dall and Simpson,
1901, rather closely (not listed in Abbott, 1974).

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 9 (4), p. 78 (as Thyasira Sp. G).

Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots (no live material).

Depth Range: 14-140 fms. on sandy mud bottoms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 4.6 mm., but fragments indicate’a size of 6-7 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

Thyasira Sp. Indet. B.
Some very minute Thyasirids without dorsal ridge are here with-
out further annotation reported as Thyasira Sp. B. They
probably are juveniles and will be difficult to identify. Also
taken from the mudlump fauna.

-21-

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206,
(as Thyasira Sp. D), Texas Conch., Vol. 9 (4), p. 78.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, no live material taken.

Depth Range: 150-170 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 1.3 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

233. Thyasira Sp. Indet. C.

Only one small valve, broken during photography, probably
represents another minute species, which from the material
at hand probably will remain unidentifiable.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
Thyasira Sp. C), Texas Conch., Vol. 9 (4), p. 78.

Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot, no live material.

Depth Range: 110 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: Broken (+ 1.2 m.).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

Genus Axinulus Verrill and Bush, 1898.

The shape of the minute shells of this genus is so clearly different
from Thyasira that I consider this, as does Chavan, as a full genus. It
is characterized by a somewhat ovate shape and an angle on the posterior
side. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, a single minute species.

234. Axinulus c.f. pygmaeus Verrill and Bush 1898.

Quite different in shape from minute species in the genus
Thyasira. Their shape is more or less oval with a pronounced
angulosity on the posterior margin. There is no dorsal ridge.
Only a few lots of this interesting but minute bivalve has
been collected so far. In outline it comes close to a species
described from the New England coast, but so far we have not
made a direct comparison. Also known from the mudlump fauna.

Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
Thyasira Sp. F), Texas Conch., Vol. 9 (4), p. 78.

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots, no live material taken.

Depth Range: 63-110 fms.; also collected in mudlump fauna off the
Mississippi delta.

Geographical Range: Northern Atlantic.

Maximum Size: 2.1 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Unknown.

Genus Leptaxinus Verrill and Bush, 1898.

Minute bivalves, quite inequilateral with almost opisthogyrate beaks.
The hinge is characteristic for the genus and possesses as Chavan terms
it, "tuberosities",. These are a series of bumps which sometimes give
the impression that the hinge is similar to that of Isognomon. In the
N.W. Gulf of Mexico two species, of which one is quite widespread and
common.

-22-

235. #Leptaxinus Sp. Indet. A.
A quite widespread and common species, usually associated

with Vesicomya pilula and collected in a range of 20-170
fathoms. The only live specimens came from an anomalous
location of 8 feet depth (Timbalier Bay, mouth of channel
near Timbalier Island). Although always the greatest care
was taken during our collection trips, contamination with
another sample cannot be excluded here. The species occurs,
sometimes, numerously in sandy mud bottoms. It could be
very well L. minutus Verrill ance Bush 1898, but so far no
comparison with type material has been made. Also in the
mudlump fauna.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206,
Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78. (as Thyasira Sp. A).

Records H.M.N.S.: 23 lots, of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 20-170 fms.; live material: 8 feet, Timbalier
Island, (doubtful locality data).

Geographical Range: Unknown, probably north Atlantic.

Maximum Size: 1.3 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Not determined.

FAMILY DIPLODONT IDAE

The western Atlantic species of this family have never been adequately
described, figured and compared, and are in need of a critical revision.
In it are brought together a group of small to medium sized bivalves,
without color but with a characteristic hinge. The laterals are much
reduced or missing and one of the cardinals is bifid. In the N.W. Gulf
of Mexico, the genera Diplodonta, Felaniella, Phtyetiderma and Timothynus
can be distinguished on the basis of minor differences in the hinge
structure and surface sculpture. A study of juvenile material shows

that the generic distinction is significant because this very minute
material can be easily split into different species.

A summary of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico genera is as follows:

Diplodonta Form: Depressed, subquadrate when mature, blunted
triangular when juvenile.
Sculpture: Irregular radial pattern, as if water
ran along the surface and left traces.
Hinge: Very short posterior part, with a simple,
not grooved area for attachment of ligament.

Felaniella Form: Somewhat depressed, circular with slight
sinuosity in the ventral margin when mature,
slightly triangular when juvenile.

Sculpture: Regular growth lines, rougher on
anterior and posterior sides; irregularly spaced
circular pits.

Hinge: Very short posterior part, with short deep
groove.

-23-

Phiyctiderma Form: Inflated, circular when mature; much more
depressed, with prominent umbo when juvenile.
Sculpture: Rather coarse growth lines and with
pustules or lamellar ridges when mature (missing
in juvenile material).
Hinge: Rather heavy, with a long posterior part.
Narrow and long attachment area for ligament,
bordered by a flange-like ridge.

Timothynus Form: Very inflated, often more oval than
Phlyctiderma.
Sculpture: Rather regularly spaced growth lines,
no pattern of grooves and pustules.
Hinge: Long posterior part, with wide shelf for
ligament.

Sources: Chavan in Treat. Invert. Paleont., Vol. N,
pe 514-517, Keen.

Genus Diplodonta Brown, 1831.
Inequilateral, medium sized, colorless bivalves. Only one species in
the N.W. Gulf of Mexico.

(to be continued)
OGOCD00000000000000000000000000000

A current story in the newspapers detailed the. fabulous collection of
gifts housed by GSA at Washington, D.C., gifts from all over the world
given to dignitaries of the nation and not kept because the law pro-
hibits such individuals from retaining gifts over $50.00. Among the
gifts sitting in the vaults quoted as "not coveted" and wanting for a
home was a three foot long and two foot wide shell from the Philippines.
I can only guess it must have been a Tridacna. GSA tries to farm out
the gifts to suitable Museums. Judging from the delight of children
and adults visiting our show at the Museum last May and touching the
Tridacna display, surely some kind of Museum would welcome that shell!

o000000000000000000000LN00000

This summer the newspapers carried stories about the recent radio
carbon dating of living clams from off the New England coast, deep
water clams used for food. They were aged at 100 years! Can you

imagine eating a 100-year-old animal! This really makes one wonder
just how old one of the big Mercenarias from West Bay, Gailves-onay

might be. They are probably much older than you think. Certainly,
we do know that they must be ground up to make fit-to-chew chowder.

YAS

1977

>

a
— :
—_
—— ab
i

Tey!
] ‘on
VOLUME XIV NO.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc. and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage re-
quired at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES CIRCULATION

Family membership $6.00 Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
Single membership $5.00 723-3628
Student membership $2.00 5238 Sanford Street

Singie issues $1.50 Houston, Texas 77035
Extra sets mailed members $5.00

EDITORIAL STAFF

Helmer Ode, Editor W. W. Sutow Constance E. Boone
664-9942 748-7233 668-8252
4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 N. MacGregor Way 3706 Rice Blvd.
Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004 Houston, Texas 77005

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and pro-
fessionals, subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double spaced and
should be submitted to the editorial staff.

EIGHTY YEARS YOUNG --- Dr. William J. Clench, a much-loved and an outstanding
malacologist in our country, was eighty years old on October 24, 1977. Having
been in the field with this gentleman several times in recent years, includ-
ing this last summer on the St. John's River in Florida, it seems appropriate
to publish this picture of Bill rigged out for a "lig" hunt on the field

trip into the Everglades in Florida during the annual meeting of the American
Malacological Union at Naples, Florida. Co-founder and past editor of
Johnsonia and Occasional Papers on Mollusks, Harvard University, and curator
of the Department of Mollusks of the Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard
from 1926-1966, this man has a long and wonderful history of working with
mollusks and teaching others about them. Still hard at work on current
studies, a recent letter revealed the following: "I have finished working
up the Watanga River material ........ I am working up the Florida material
which I collected last May ........'' We are looking forward to having you
back in Texas, Bill!

Photo and Story by Constance Boone

26

BEACH SAMPLE FROM CORPUS CHRISTI

by Peggy Jehn

(From the Editor: This example of working a sample of beach drift by our
member from Austin, Texas, is printed with pleasure to
show all our members the value of examining and re-
searching such shells. The nomenclature is the author's
except for the notes in the Addendum. )

On July 16, 1977, I had the opportunity to go shelling on North Beach,
Corpus Christi Bay, where there had been some offshore dredging and
because the beach drift taken from the intertidal zone at low tide was
so rich I decided to make a count. Approximately 3% pounds of drift was
taken from the North end of the beach (near the picnic tables), and the
same amount was taken from the South end. I went through the beach drift
by spreading 2 tablespoons out on a paper towel, letting it dry and then
inspecting it with a 5X loupe bit by bit, and taking the shells out with
tweezers. The total number of shells taken is 16,976 - 4,858 GASTROPODA
and 12,078 PELECYPODA (mostly single valves) and 40 SCAPHOPODA. It did
take a long time, and the enclosed table is the result of this work.”

For convenience the families in each class have been put in alphabetical
order. In many cases identification was difficult as can be seen by the
question marks. I would attribute this to possibly a poor specimen, a
juvenile, and certainly to my lack of experience. If anyone is so in-
clined and has the time, I would like to show them the shells and have
them answer some of the questions that came up. For instance: Lucina
nassula have not yet been reported off the Texas Coast, yet these valves
were suspiciously like L. nassula. They may be Parvilucina multilineata
with strong radial lines.“ I don't know?! Also, have Astarte nana ever
been reported in Texas?3 The VITRINELLIDAE, I did not try to classify,
needing better magnification. There are at least 5 different species.

Many of the shells were surprisingly fresh specimens; however, I did not
separate the fresh from the beach-worn, and therefore, cannot say what
percentage is fresh. The North end of the beach produced a greater

number of shells totally, but not necessarily more in each species. It
may be noted that there are no Mulinia lateralis listed for the North end -
this is because I did not decide to collect them until going through the
South end drift. My reasoning was that they are so very common, and
nearly always present in beach drift from our Texas Coast.

Hopefully, there is some small scientific value in this collection; and
if not, it was a most enjoyable experience.

27

- GASTROPODA

ACLIDIDAE
Henrya goldmani Bartsch (?)

ACTEOCINIDAE
Acteocina canaliculata Say
Rictaxis punctostriatus C.B. Adams

CAECIDAE
Caecum nitidum Stimpson
Caecum pulchellum Stimpson

CERITHIIDAE
Alabina cerithidioides Dall
Cerithiopsis greeni C.B. Adams
Diastoma varium Pfeiffer
Seila adamsi H.C. Lea
Triphora perversa nigrocinta C.B. Adams

COLUMBELLIDAE
Anachis obesa C. B. Adams
Anachis semiplicata Stearns
Mitrella lunata Say

CREPIDULIDAE
Crepidula fornicata Linne
Crepidula convexa Say

EULIMIDAE
Balcis cf. jamaicensis C.B. Adams

Melanella sp. (?)

ELLOBIIDAE
Melampus bidentatus Say

EPITONIIDAE
Epitonium rupicola Kurtz
Epitonium apiculatum Dall
Epitonium albidum Orbigny
Epitonium sericifilum Dall (7?)
juveniles (?)

F ISSURELLIDAE
Diodora cayenensis Lamarck

LAMELLARTIDAE
Lamellaria cf. L. leucosphaera Schwengel (7)

LITTORIDINIDAE
Texadina barretti Morrison

28

North End

50*

16

South End

177

33

GASTROPODA - 2

North End South End
LITTORINIDAE
Littorina sp. 1
MELONGENIDAE
Busycon contrarium Conrad 9* 9
WW ut (Juveniles) 6
NASSARTIDAE
Nassarius acutus Say 6 4
Nassarius vibex Say 1 3
NATICIDAE
Natica pusilla Say 9
Polinices duplicatus Say 7*
PYRAMIDELLIDAE
Eulimastoma sp. 15
Odostomia dux Dall & Bartsch 7 2
Odostomia gibbosa Bush i 4
Odostomia impressa Say 9 105
Odostomia laevigata Orbigny (7?) 15
Odostomia seminuda C.B. Adams 3
Pyamidella crenulata Holmes 3 3
Turbonilla sp. 124 34
RISSOINIDAE
Rissoina catesbyana Orbigny 5 41
Zebina browniana Orbigny 1
TERE BRIDAE
Terebra protexta Conrad 5 3
TURRIDAE
Pyrgocythara plicosa C.B. Adams 1
VITRINE LLIDAE
Vitrinella sp. 26 40
UNIDENTIFIED
A. 14
B. 33
C. 1
D. 7

29

ANOMIIDAE

Anomia simplex Orbigny

ARC IDAE

Anadara transversa

ASTART IDAE

Astarte nana

CARD ITDAE

Laevicardium mortoni

PELECY PODA

Dall (2?) (See 3.)

Conrad

Trachycardium muricatum Linne

Juveniles

CHAMIDAE

Arcinella cornuta

CORBULIDAE

Corbula swiftiana

CRASSATELLIDAE
Crassinella lunulata

LUC IN IDAE

Anodontia alba
Linga amiantus

Lucina nassula
Parvilucina multilineata

MACTRIDAE

Mulinia lateralis

Spisula solidissima similis

MYIDAE

Paramya subovata

MYT IL IDAE

Geukensia demissa granosissima C.B. Adams

NUCULAN IDAE
Nuculana acuta Conrad

Nuculana concentrica

C.B. Adams

Conrad

Conrad (?) (See 2.)
Holmes

North End

aL

113

10*

27
1 dbl.

1897

Ax
2134

35
3773

Say (Juvenile) (7?) 1

Conrad (7)

30

10

406
11 dbl.
10

South End

24

lil

23

14
valve

1S)7/

64
valves
26

dlb.
valve

dbl.
valve

dbl.
valve

PELECYPODA - 2

North End South End
PECTIN IDAE
Argopecten irradians amplicostatus Dall 4x 2
PSAMMOBTIIDAE
Abra aequalis Say 68 313
SEMELIDAE
Semele bellastriata Conrad 2 4
Semele proficua Pulteney i
SOLECURT IDAE
Tagelus divisus Spengler 10
TELLIN IDAE
Strigilla mirabilis Philippi 3
Tellina sp. 10 71
UNGULIN IDAE
Diplodonta soror C.B,. Adams 1 13
VENER IDAE
Callista nimbosa Lightfoot 2*
Chione cancellata Linne® 96*
mu My (Juveniles) 68 112
1 dbl.
valve
Mercenaria campechiensis texana Dall
(Juveniles) 117 119
Dosinia discus Reeve (Juveniles) 35 Sik
SCAPHOPODA
DENTALTIDAE
Dentalium texasianum Philippi 21 19

Shells were collected from approximately seven (7) pounds of beach drift
(3% lbs. from the north end of the beach and 34 lbs. from the south end)
taken at low tide, North Beach, Corpus Christi Bay, Texas on July 16, 1977.
The numbers that are starred did not come from the drift, but were just
picked up in the intertidal zone.

1. Mrs. Jehn has now reported that the dredging was bay sand and mud from
the bay to enrich the beach area and that in November, there were not
as many drift shells as river sand is also being used now.

2. lLucina nassula has been reported in offshore waters in Texas; however,
Dr. Ode has checked two samples from Mrs. Jehn and reports the specimens
are Parvilucina multilineata.

3. Astarte nana is reported offshore Texas; Dr.Odé reports Mrs. Jehn's
specimens, however, are young Anomalocardia auberiana.

31

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance E. Boone

This column was originated to report on a continuing basis the collection
of mollusks in Texas, although from time to time, the author does digress
to discuss collections elsewhere and to relate news about mollusks in the
literature. This issue I dwell on several species collected in recent years
that need to be included in mollusks available to Texas collectors and

to discuss probabilities of collecting success of other species you read
about and want to add to your local collection.

Marginella (Prunum) apicina Menke, 1828, the beautiful little ivory, or
orangish, Marginella so common on the grasses in Florida and Caribbean
areas, has been collected in Texas. I have two adult specimens, with
animals still dried in, collected in May, 1971, on the grasses near the
Coast Guard Station, channel area at South Padre Island, Texas. I was
sieving with my long-handled large fish net (which 1 fill in with nylon
netting or similar material such as the plastic netting available in
hardware stores) and recovered these specimens from the muddy area, in
about four feet of water, where Argopectens have been available recently.

In a discussion with Betty Allen of Port Isabel, Texas, recently, I
learned that other live specimens have been taken from the South Padre
Island jetties.

A species I reported as having collected live near Palacios, Texas, one
recent winter, Polymesoda caroliniana (Bosc, 1801), is currently being
sought by Dr. Clifford E. Murphy of the Department of Biology of Texas
Christian University at Fort Worth, Texas, for research with the live
animals. Dr. Murphy and his students made a trip to this area recently
to seek help in collecting in the Galveston Bay area. Dr. T.E. Pulley,
Director of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, had collected
specimens in this bay and bayou area. He had taken live specimens in
Dickinson Bayou, Mustang Bayou and Kemah areas of Galveston Bay in the
1950s. Reports have been made of shells from the Lavaca Bay area, but
I do not know of live beds. Efforts of Dr. Murphy and Dr. Pulley
failed to discover live specimens although many dead and some seemingly
fresh specimens were taken. Dr. Helmer Odé reports that through the
years he remembers seeing only one specimen taken live by another col-
lector. Please report your experiences in collecting live specimens

in Texas. There may be good live beds in the Palacios area we don't
know about. My live specimens (two) were taken with Rangias in t he

mud near shore. The species prefers brackish or less saline waters.
Expect to find it in bayous dug in the muddy banks or bottoms.

SEO SSS

On a recent trip to the Port Aransas area and North Padre Island Sea-
shore area, collecting was rather slim with little drift line. This
made me work harder to find something to ''crow'' about. While Anomia
simplex Orbigny, 1845, is certainly reported live in Texas bays and
rocky areas, it hasn't seemed to be very common live in recent years.
It has always seemed to be more available in the southern Texas beach
and bay areas. I used to find nice specimens on the rocks and old
shells around Rockport and Aransas Pass. Many of you may not have
this species live-taken yet from Texas. My recovery of six live

32

specimens came from diligent look inside every old pen shell at North
Padre, all inside one Atrina., I spent a lot of time searching in old
shells, shaking bamboo and Sargassum and peering into old beer cans.
Another member of the Seminar field trip (U. of Houston and Houston
Museum Continuing Education) began to follow my lead and came up with
a number of live Cantharus cancellarius (Conrad, 1846) in an old beer
can, It reminds me that Dr. Pulley once told one of the biology
Continuing Education classes that we should throw the cans in the
Texas waters since they made such excellent habitats for a number of
mollusks. Texas has so few rocks for mollusks to cling to. (Now don't
go write me letters about littering the beach. Dr. Pulley was simply
making the point of what Texas sandy beaches are like for mollusks to
trying to eek out a living.)

If you want to pick up a handful easily of the jingle shell valves, the
shell bank along the beach at Indianola is a good place to try.

—_— —_>—> 2] |] @ w@] w@ wD w@ @ VB VP

Leola Glass spent a month at Port Aransas this last June. Pickings
were not fabulous until you realize that modestly she reports she
collected over 200 Janthina exigua Lamarck, 1816. She took as many
juvenile Janthina janthina also, but it is J. exigua that continues

to be on Mustang Island in such great abundance. I reported taking
some both springs of the last two years. I report this so that you will
examine the small Janthinas. You may be missing collecting this deep
purple one-fourth inch shell with a prominent notch in the outer lip.

I have only a small number taken on immediate area beaches and prized
getting every one. It seems hard to believe so many have been available
at Mustang.

_> > > 2] 2 w@ ws 2 wS sc BS VP

By the way, you new collectors in the Club, have you bought your field
lens yet? By now you probably realize that many, many shells in the
books from Texas are small or tiny or micro. The Museum carries inex-
pensive 10-power lens that are good to carry on the beach. It won't up-
set you if you get them in salt water or lose them in the sand like it
would if you did that to a good Bausch and Lomb lens.

oS SO = OS = EOS

I bring to your attention the publication of Part Ila of Dr. George
Radwin's systematic discussion of Columbellidae of the Western
Atlantic in The Veliger,Vol. 20; No. 2, Pages 119-133 (we have this
in our library). Most of what is available to us for collection live
in our beach and bay areas is discussed in this report. Dr. Helmer
Ode will report offshore material and include other species, I am
sure, but what Dr. Radwin records as full species for Texas beach
area is the following list: Costoanachis floridana (Rehder, 1939),
Costoanachis lafresnayi (Fischer and Bernardi, 1856), Costoanachis
semiplicata (Stearns, 1873), Parvanachis obesa (C.B, Adams, 1845),
and Parvanachis ostreicola (Sowerby, 1882). !

33

You may find the most common of the larger species, C. semiplicata,

in algal mats on jetty rocks, more commonly from Freeport south,
especially at Port Aransas and South Padre Island, and also in

algae on rocks in those area bays. I have a few also from around the
pilings at San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, and an occasional one from
the Galveston and Bolivar jetties. At South Padre Island on the
jetties I have more often encountered the species I have wondered
about and recognize that Radwin regards these as C. floridana. Our
specimens vary and seem very close to C. avara but are probably
morphological forms of floridana. What I see is that sometimes the
silky periostracum covering the shells exhibits somewhat wavy horizontal
almost micro lines and sometimes has these finely and closely set.
After cleaning off the periostracum to see if the lines are still on
the shell, I see really micro suggestions of such lines there but not
much incised at all. The vertical ribbing is not consistent either.
Some of the shells seem fatter in the body whorl also.

My specimens of C. lafresnayi have been found at inlet areas on Gal-
veston Island and farther south and almost always in old Thais shells.
It is slender and very ribbed and not hard to determine.

Last year in the spring I happened to be on the beach at Galveston
near the jetties when seiners were harvesting fish. I always like

to see what the haul is like. This time the nets brought in many,
many strings of Busycon egg cases, all fresh. Living on these, I

saw many, many "Anachis'' (Radwin says we have only one recent Anachis
s.S. in the Western Atlantic and none appears in our beach areas)

on the egg capsules. At home, I carefully collected these from the
capsules and observed them under a microscope. They hung by threads
from the capsules and were depositing egg capsules on the Busycon

egg capsules. I observed two forms of what I now know are Parvanachis
obesa,some ivory with brown markings and some all purplish brown.
Radwin makes these both obesa. However, I also noted that the
purplish brown ones sometimes also had a different initial whorl after
the protochonch, having both axial and horizontal ribbing. Most of
the obesa only had the vertical ribbing. I also observed a capsule
hatching out complete minute shelled, veligers which resemble micro
Naticas to my unprofessional eye.

P. ostreicola is a different shell1now that I realize once and for
all that there are forms of P. obesa. P. ostreicola can be taken in
our bays at Galveston and all down the coast inside old shells and in
bay algal mats on rocks and debris. They are tiny, dark, much-ribbed,
crossed with ribs also, barrel-like shells.

1. It is with deep regret I report that Dr. George E. Radwin died of
an apparent heart attack in San Diego on September 30, 1977. He had
been curator of marine invertebrates at the San Diego Natural History
Museum and was only thirty-seven years old. Most of you know him
from his papers on Murex and his recently-issued (co-authored) book on
Murex. We hope that his work on Columbellidae will be published to
conclusion.

34

From the Fall Newsletter of the American Malacological Union I read
that Dr. Myra Keen, professor emeritus of Stanford University, gave
a preliminary report on the spectacular modern find of mollusks by
the submersible craft Alvin or dives along a rift zone northeast of
the Galapagos Islands at the recent meeting of the Western Society
of Malacologists. Many of you may have seen the article on the Alvin
dives in the fall issue of National Geographic. The largest clam
specimen brought back was 250 mm. in length and the shell alone
weighs 18 ounces. Dr. Keen reports this seems to be an undescribed
species of Calyptogena. Photographs of the bottom showed limpet -
like snails in abundance, large mussels and crabs, and numbers of
other invertebrates.

Whelk soup on the menu at Harbour Island, North Eleuthera, Bahamas,
puzzled me since I didn't think Busycons were found there. On in-
quiry, LI discovered the shells used for this dish are Cittarium pica
(Linne, 1758), the West Indian top shell. This brought back the
memory that these shells are more highly prized for food on the island
of Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Mexico, than Strombus gigas.

This summer [I was told of a successful method of cleaning Helmet
shells. It seeme that one pours a small amount of oil (like baby

oil, mineral oil or cooking oil) in the aperture and sloshes it around
with the animal. Then the shell is turned down from a perch. The
animal is not able to maintain its attachment because of the oil and
finally slips completely out. Hope it works!

Sea Grant Field Guide Series #6 of the University of Miami Sea Grant
Program is titled "Commoner Shallow Water Gorgonians of Florida, Gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean."' Published in March, 1977, the author
is Stephen Cairns. Order it for $1.25 from Information Services,
University of Miami, P. 0. Box 248106, Coral Gables, Florida 33124.

A copy has been ordered for the Houston Conchology Society's library.

35

MICROSCOPES by Tina Petway

mecT ME UNOER THE MICROSCOPE
SY TINA PETWAY

As most of you are aware, our Club membership has nearly doubled in
the past two years. With so many comparatively new members, it is
difficult to get acquainted with everyone. So in this continuing
article I hope to introduce members and give a little background about
them to help us to know each other better. In each issue of The Texas
Conchologist, five or six members will be spot-lighted. I hope this
will help you to make some new friends.

—<_—— So OO oOo aS

For more than twelve years Mrs. Betty Allen has been a member of our
Houston Conchology Society. She and her husband, Larry, own and run

a lovely shell shop called Shop of the Seven Seas in Port Isabel, Texas.
Betty belongs to several other shell clubs, among them, South Padre
Island Shell Club (of which she was shell show chairwoman for eight
years), Hawaiian Malachological Society, Keppel Bay Shell Club and

New York Shell Club. Mrs. Allen became interested in shells in 1949
when she and a friend saw an issue of National Geographic Magazine,

of that year, which was devoted to shells. She and her friend were
bitten!

Larry, on the other hand, was interested in Horticulture until he

met Betty. He was on an exploratory vessel out of California, working
Mexico and Central America. This vessel put in at Port Isabel, where
Larry soon met a reporter for the weekly newspaper who was anxious to
do an article about him. That reporter was Betty, and she says it

was almost love at first sight. After they were married, Larry went
into shrimping and would bring shells to Betty. And in 1956, they
opened their Shop of the Seven Seas. They will greet you most happily
if ever you are in Port Isabel; so stop in and get acquainted. (Most
of you "met'"' Betty through her delightful display, "Evolution of a
Shell Collector", at our Museum show last May.

— oe ee

Mrs. Ruth Goodson is an enthusiastic member of H.C.S. and has been

for the last eight years. She became interested in shelling in a most
unusual way nine years ago. She had been in an accident, and while
recuperating, a friend asked her to go on a trip to Baja, Mexico. So
off they went. They found live Olives, pink-mouthed Murex, Murex
nigritus and many others. That did it for Ruth! Her next trip was

to Tahiti and Australia where she also became interested in scuba
diving.

36

Her favorite families of shells are the Pectens, Cypraea, Murex, and
Cones in that order. But she says she loves them all. Her husband,
Charley, enjoys looking at the shells but he prefers hunting.

Ruth lived in Mississippi for eighteen years and also in Alabama.
She has been here in Houston for ten years. Although shelling has
become a passion, she still has time for other varied interests -
among them, making oriental rugs by hand, quilting, making silk
flowers, needlepoint, original design shell pillows and creative
stitchery, are only a few.

Ruth has a fine shell collection and welcomes anyone to come visit
her and see her shells any Sunday afternoon.

~~ ———O-So oO OD DP

One of our newer members is Ms. Betty Andrews. She has been a member
of our Club for less than a year, though she has been interested in
shells for several years. Betty says she has always loved walking

on the beaches and that her curiosity about the little she found
washed up there was all it took. She thinks the Olividae family is
her favorite; and she was lucky enough to find quite a few live Oliva
Sayana on the November field trip. Betty would be interested in
trading shells with anyone who also had that interest.

Betty is a secretary for a drilling contractor here in Houston. She
was born in [Illinois but has lived in Houston for the past twenty-
seven years. Besides shelling, she also enjoys bicycling. Betty
says she has really enjoyed being a member of our group and feels
happy to be associated with a group of people which she says is the
most wonderful and helpful ever.

=? Oo | |S 2? =] 2] @ 2D

A little over a year ago the members of H.C.S. welcomed to Houston
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Fair and family. Mrs. Ruth Fair is well-known to
most older members as the author of two books and numerous papers on
shells. Her Murex Book has proved invaluable to collectors. Her
other book, Shell Collector's Guide, has been well received and en-
joyed by all. Ruth was also awarded the Smithsonian Institute Award
for her study and research into the migratory movements of shell
populations of Oahu, Hawaii, from shallow to deep water. This
research in shell migrations and the family of the Murex are her
favorites.

Ruth became interested in shells some thirteen years ago when she

and her family moved to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Her fourth son, Tom, got both his parents into collecting shells
there. They continued to enjoy their new hobby in San Diego,
California; Manilla, Philippines, and Hawaii where they also lived.
While in Hawaii, Ruth was an active member of the Hawaiian Malacology
Society, and I know they were sorry to see her leave.

Jim is also an avid collector and seems to have the luck of the
family because he somehow always finds the best "goodies", Jim's
other favorite things include golfing and photography in general.

SN,

Ruth has other interests too. She is an excellent watercolorist. And
she enjoys making pottery by hand in imitation of the American Indian's.
Shell craft and other hand crafts are some of her favorites too.

Ruth recently led a group of our Club members to Fiji, where shelling
was fantastic and the scenery was fabulous. Those of us who didn't
get to go with them hope Ruth will be going again before very long
and will take the rest of us along.

»> 2? 2 2? 2 2 w@2 ws ws \

This year the Houston Conchology Society was invited to give a shell
show at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It was a huge success,
especially in the number of new members it brought us. One of these
new members was Martin Miller. Martin says he has always been in-
terested in shells and, like a lot of us, collected his first shells
from the beaches. In high school Martin took several oceanography
courses to learn more about the seas and the life that inhabits them.

Martin does not have a favorite area of interest, but he really likes
all shells. He would like to trade shells with someone either locally
or world-wide and would really enjoy corresponding with someone from
another country.

A medical technologist, Martin works at Baylor College of Medicine.
He has lived here in Houston for ten years, and lived in San Antonio,
Texas, before coming here.

Besides collecting shells, he also likes stamps. Being on the beaches
or in the Gulf has another interest for Martin because he loves salt-
water fishing. Ane come November you can find Martin sitting in a

cold wet blind waiting to get a shot at a flock of ducks. This pastime
seems to rob many of us of our shelling partners.

38

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.

The discussion this month will focus on books - some recent publications
of conchological interest.

The first one represents the all too few books that deal not with shells
but with the animals living within them. The book is entitled LIVING
MARINE MOLLUSCS and is authored by C.M. Yonge and T.E. Thompson (London,
William Collins & Company, l1td., 1976, 288 pages).

The book is very reminiscent of the American publication ''THE SHELL
MAKERS" that was written by G. Alan Solem (1974). The emphasis is on
the animal - how they achieve locomotion, how they function, etc. In
some ways the new compact book serves as a synopsis of the much more
detailed dissertations that appeared in two volumes as "THE PHYSIOLOGY
OF MOLLUSCA"edited by K.M. Wilbur and C.M. Yonge in 1966.

The print is small (and hard on the eyes of those in the older age
brackets) but the pages are packed with information concerning the "ex-
traordinarily diverse results of molluscan evolution". The chapter
headings give a good perspective of the contents:

Historical

The nature of molluscs

Classification

Chitons

The first gastropods

Limpets and top shells

Mesogastropods

Mesogastropods - burrowers and drifters
Neogastropods - scavengers and predators
10. Opisthobranch sea-snails

11. Sea-slugs

12. Origin and nature of bivalves

13. Evolution and adaptation of bivalves

14. Ark shells, mussels, fan and file shells, scallops and oysters
15. Shallow and deep burrowing bivalves

16. Borers in rock and timber

17. Anomalous bivalves and scaphopods

18. Cuttlefish, squids and octopods

OANADUHPWNHE
e

To top off the informative text in the chapters, the authors have added

an unusually meaty epilogue (7pages) which summarizes the various chapters
and puts them into context - one in relation to another. The bibliography
appears to be short but the titles are well selected. Most of the books
listed, however, are well known and provide only general discussions.
(Surprisingly, the two-volume PHYSIOLOGY OF MOLLUSCA is not included.)

While there is a definite British flavor with descriptions of many species
from the British and North Atlantic shores, the handling of the text
provides information applicable to similar species elsewhere. In tune
with the title, the photographs (including the pecten on the jacket

cover) emphasize the living creatures. Eight of the plates are in

color and the photograph of the Janthina is particularly striking.

39

Of the eighteen numbered chapters, C.M. Yonge has written 16; the
contributions of T.E. Thompson are the chapters on opisthobranch
sea-snails and sea-slugs. In typical expressive British style of
writing (for example, in discussing opisthobranchs the authors say

"they are to molluscs what the butterflies are to arthropods, or orchids
to other flowering plants") the general areas are well covered. Little
bits of information are tucked away in the paragraphs such as the state-
ment that carnivorous gymnosomes are "the only molluscs other than
cephalopods to possess tentacles armed with suckers"

The book is highly recommended. It is well-written, interesting and
authoriative - from the historical narrative about Lister and Linnaeus
in the first chapter to a short but fascinating discourse on the habits
of the cephalopods in Chapter 18. The authors truly bring the marine
molluscs to life in these pages.

~~ _ |S |] —|] |] ws w@ w@ wm wz wD] ———

The second book is entitled "THE PLEASURES OF SEAFOOD", a 376-page
hard-backed publication by Rima and Richard Collins (New York. Holt,
Rinehart and Winston. 1976. $12.95.) This well-known twosome, eaenone
of "NEW ORLEANS COOKBOOK" and "NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANT GUIDE" presents
a personally tested variety of seafood recipes.

The bulk of the dishes described in this 'basic practical guide for the
kitchen" concerns fish and crustaceans. But the mollusks are not
neglected. In the main, the mollusks are characterized simply as "soft-
shell clams", "hard shell clams", "conch", "oyster", "scallops", "squid"
and ''mussels''. Somehow the reviewer senses a strong creole and southern
flavor to most of the dishes - even though recipes for such regionally
oriented favorites as ''New England clam chowder" and ''Manhattan clam
chowder" are included.

The authors very deliberately indicate that the selections are based on
personal preferences and experiences. Understandably, therefore, the
major molluscan "goodies" of the U.S. Pacific Coast (such as the
abalone, Pismo clam, geoduck, and the razor clam) are not mentioned.
While a number of squid dishes are described, the octopus is omitted.

One interesting feature of the book is a short list of "Seafood Markets"
in the various cities of the United States. For Houston, two are
mentioned: The Fishery and Bill's Fresh Fish Market. Two items are
missing from this book. One is a bibliography of other books dealing
with the subject of seafood cooking. The second is the absence of
photographs. (The small black and white illustrations seem to be
almost all decorative and incidental.) .. Visual stimulation would have
added greatly to the gastronomic anticipation engendered by the

written text.

_—__> > > 2] —»—> w2 w»—~ ws] ws @~ ~~] —_

The third book is only indirectly concerned with conchology. None-
theless, the publication is thoroughly enjoyable and should be useful
in most libraries. This is the "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL INDEX 1974-1976"

published by the National Geographic Society this year (1977) (451 pages

40

$8.95). Of particular interest to the conchologist is the comprehensive
index to the various articles on mollusks that have appeared in the
National Geographic during the past 30 years. Since the National
Geographic articles are almost always illustrated in impressive color,

a listing of the articles on mollusks should be of interest to the shell
collector. (It would seem prudent to seek out and purchase some of these
back issues of the National Geographic for one's own library while such
copies are readily available.)

(1). SHELLS TAKE YOU OVER WORLD HORIZONS by Rutherford Platt. 96:33-84,
July, 1949. This is perhaps the most well-known article on seashells

to appear in this magazine. Since its publication, this lengthy and
beautifully illustrated article has had a tremendous impact on numerous
shell-collectors. Preceding by many years even R. Tucker Abbott's first
edition of American Seashells, the dazzling display of United States
mollusks provided considerable stimulus to the hobby of shell collecting.
(And certainly, the pictures and text did a supercolossal public re-
lations job for Sanibel Island in Florida).

The U.S. shells are prominently pictured starting with the "stern and
rockbound coast" of New England. The abundance of seashell treasures

in Florida is definitely emphasized. (Five full pages in color portray
a fine selection of the dazzling beauties). Of particular note is the
great number of bivalves that are included in the photographs. There
follows a page full of coquinas (Florida) one page of pectens (world-
wide), and one page of thorny oysters (world-wide). In addition, the
volutes, terebra and turritella shells, and cones each occupy full pages.
The chitons are displayed separately. Full pages showing a collector
by a tide pool (Maine), miscellaneous mollusks, and abalone (California)
complete the first section of 16 pages of color photos.

The second section (also 16 pages of color photos) include the chambered
nautilus, South Pacific shells, Philippine shells, 'wonder shells"

from New Caledonia, shells from the Molluccas (East Indies), "fantastic
shells", some of the rarest shells from the U.S. National Museum, "tiny
shells", highlights of the Frederick A. Constable collection at the
American Museum of Natural History, colorful univalves, bivalves,
Florida tree snails, Cuban tree snails, Cuban land snails, Philippine
tree and land snails, and cross-sectional views of some large gastro-
pods. Each one of these color pages has a descriptive legend at the
bottom. Additionally, information regarding each of these pages is
given in the text. (It might be pointed out that copies of this
particular issue of the magazine are increasingly difficult to locate.
One dealer has priced it at $10.00 per copy when available.)

(2). THE MAGIC LURE OF SEA SHELLS by Paul A. Zahl. 135:386-429, March,
1969, Twenty years after the appearance of the previous article, another
major contribution to popular conchological literature was published.
Here, the pictorial representations emphasize the living animal. For
example, the cannibalistic feat of Conus striatus attacking and ingesting
a small fish is photographically recorded. Many of the shells are

shown in geographic groupings under such intriguing headings as
"Caribbean cornucopia", ''East Coast bounty", ''Pacific largess",
"Indo-Pacific: paradise of shells", "Australia's reef treasures",

"Gifts of the Mediterranean'"’ and Philippine gallery".

41

The text is non-technical but informative. This article clearly sup-
plements the earlier publication. It is highly recommended.

(3). X-RAYS REVEAL THE INNER BEAUTY OF SHELLS by Hillary B. Moore.
1073;427-434. March, 1955. In a non-technical pictorial dissertation,
the author provides a sampling of the shell structures revealed by
radiographic techniques. The X-ray photographs were prepared by Dr.
Charles E. Lane at the University of Miami Marine Laboratory. The
photographic reproductions are marvelous and the beautiful hidden
designs of such shells as the nautilus, volute, cowry, marginella,
bailer shell, telescope shell, Scotch bonnet and spindle shell are

displayed.

(4). BLUE-WATER PLANKTON: GHOSTS OF THE GULF STREAM by William M. Hammer,
Ph.D. 146:530-545. October, 1974. This fascinating article deals, in
part, with some strange planktonic mollusks. One, Gleba cordata, feeds
on organisms trapped in a six-foot-wide webb of secreted mucus. The
Gleba draws most of the web to its proboscis "and consumes it along with
the food''. Another mollusk, Corolla spectabilis, spins a web which
floats in the water like a lace hankerchief. Descriptions of these
unusual feeding behaviors form a part of the discussion of the living
food chain as seen 80 feet below the surface of the Gulf Stream off

the Bahamas. Incredible photographs of living Corolla spectabilis,
Gleba cordata and the pteropod Cavolinia tridentata are reproduced.

(5). SHIPWORMS, SABOTEURS OF THE SEA by F.G. Walton Smith. 110:559-566.
October, 1966. The author describes research aspects of the war against
these wood-boring mollusks ''that topple wharves and sink ships." Some
interesting information is packed into this short article. For instance,
borers cannot enter wood unless the current of water passing across the

wood is moving relatively slowly, less than 1% knots.

The Dicyathifer species in Australia exceed an inch in diameter and six
feet in length. Pictures show Australian aborigines harvesting these
shipworms and downing them raw. (Perhaps the designation ''shipworm"
instills a wrong connotation. Teredos are not "worms", They are as
much mollusk as the oyster.) In Thailand, it is reported, pieces of
wood are planted at mouths of rivers to cultivate these bivalves.

(6). TREE SNAILS, GEMS OF THE EVERGLADES by Treat Davidson, 127:372-387.
March, 1965. This is another issue of the National Geographic that

most collectors probably should own. Here is a pictorial atlas of the
color variations of Liguus fasciatus found in Florida. Im addition, there
is a personalized description of the life style of these banded

creatures. Along with the several pages of photographs provided in the
1949 articles by Platt (see above) one will have a good set of photographs
of the tree snails of Florida and Cuba.

(7). UNSUNG BEAUTIES OF HAWAIIAN CORAL REEFS by Paul A. Zahl, Pld.D.
116:510-525. October, 1959. Among other enticing color photographs

of the reef life of the Coconut Islands lagoons off Kaneohe Bay of Oaha,
Hawaii, are nudibranchs in all their glorious color. Shown are Hexa-
branchus, Glossodoris species, Glossodoris lineolata, Cyerce nigra,
Glossodoris festiva, Pteraeolidia semperi, and Aeolidiella species.
This is one group of mollusks where the camera is the best way of

"preserving" the specimens.

42

(8). THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS - EXQUISITE LIVING FOSSIL by Douglas
Faulkner. 149:38-41. January, 1976. Some of the most stunning and
unusual pictures of the living cephalopods - commonly known as the
chambered nautilus - are reproduced in this article. The photographs
were taken by Douglas Faulkner over a period of eight years. (Those
who have been fortunate enough to get to Palau Islands will remember
that some of the Faulkner photographs are shown there at the
Continental Hotel.).

(to be continued)

ANNOUNCEMENT OF AUCTION DATE

Ruth Goodson and Lloyd Meister will co-chair an auction of shells and
shell-related items donated by members at the April meeting, 1978.

This kind of event usually gives members the chance to purchase shells
for small sums, and it affords us the opportunity to help the Houston
Conchology Society maintain the library and support the Texas Concholoe
gist. Plans include a silent auction, sale table and the regular special
auction.

To make this evening a success for you and for the Club, you are urged
to give specimen shells, with data as complete as possible, to either
of the chairmen at one of the coming meetings. You may call either
chairman for pickup of material you wish to donate. You are asked to
bring home extra shells for the Club if you are shelling out of Texas
before April. The Club will appreciate gifts of shells for the auction
from our correspondents anywhere in the world.

The auction is for MEMBERS ONLY. This is a policy in accord with rules
set by the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

With so many new members, it is hoped that long-time members will
present shells from Texas for the auction. A good Murex fulvescens,
some beautiful Epitonium angulatum, a Sinum with operculum ----we
think these would be in demand: You think of others you have to
spare.

43

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) by H. ode

236. Diplondonta (Diplodonta) punctata Say, 1822.

Amphidesma punctata Say. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila.,

De S08
This species differs from the abundant Felaniella soror by
its strongly prosogyrous umbos. In my opinion, there is a
difficulty about the identification of the two species. I
have no doubt that the most abundant of the Texas Diplodontas
is identical with Adams‘ Diplodonta soror, which is quite
differently shaped and which is minutely pitted by irregular-
ly placed circular pits. The species commonly figured and
described as D. punctata - the name also chosen here - is
not pitted but somewhat radially sculptured. Under certain
illuminations this might give the effect of being minutely
pitted. Because these pits are often cited as a character
for D. punctata there is some contradiction. If it is still
in existence, Say's type specimen should be re-examined. I
do not think it impossible that Say's D. punctata were
identical with Adam's D. soror or perhaps another species of
that group (Felaniella). In that case, the species named
here D. punctata Say should be assigned one of the many
synonyms in existence.

Diplodonta punctata Say, is a fairly widespread species all
along the coast of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, where it lives
in water of 5-26 fms. depth. Dead specimens are uncommon in
beachdrift (Galveston, Matagorda, Port Aransas). This
species is usually dredged from sandy bottoms and from the
Miocene shale uplifts (Stetson Bank, Clay Pile Dome). Juvenile
material already possesses the peculiar surface sculpture. It
is quite triangular in shape and strongly blunted on the
posterior side thus resembling the Diplodentid genus
Microstagon Cossmann closely.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 45,
Galveston?; 69, listed; 110, dead shells are rare at
Port Aransas; 156, common on Stetson Bank; 206, Texas
Conch., Vol. 3 (5), 1966; 253, rare, off Padre Island;

170, listed for deep shelf assemblage off East Texas
1685. 261o.. 23.

Records H.M.N.S.: 27 lots of which 3 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-51 fms.; alive: 5-26 fms.

Geographical Range: Uncertain.

Maximum Size: 18.3 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Diplodonta subquadrata (Carpenter,
1856). "San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, through the
Gulf and south to the Galapagos Islands on mud flats and
offshore to depths of 137 m. (Keen, 1971).

44

Genus Felaniella Dall, 1899.
A single, abundant species, which might be placed in the subgenus

Zemysia Finlay.

PSV e Felaniella (Zemysia?) soror C.B. Adams, 1852.
Lucina soror C.B, Adams. Contr. Conch., 7, p. 247.

I report this species as a Felaniella because its hinge
characters are closest to those of this genus as defined
by Chavan in the Treatise and I disagree with its assign-
ment to Phlyctiderma by Olsson and Harbison (1953). The
species is widespread in shallow coastal waters along the
Louisiana and Texas coast. On rare occasions it has
been dredged from the coastal bays (Christmas Bay, Aransas
Bay). Dead shells are often taken from beachdrift,
especially along the south Texas coastline and live beach
material is known from San Luis Pass and St. Joseph Island.
From its distribution, I infer that it prefers sandy
bottoms. The figure in Clench and Turner (Occ. Pap. Moll.,
Vol. 1 (15), pl. 45, figs. 11-12) shows the Texas form
very closely. Although taken from the mudlump fauna, I
suspect that the scant material is recent and mixed in. It
was also reported as Lucina kiawahensis Holmes from the
post Pliocene of South Carolina and a single valve was
reported from the Pliocene of St. Petersburg, Florida by
Olsson and Harbison (1953) as Phlyctiderma soror (C.B.
Adams). A specimen figured as D. soror by Usticke from
St. Croix does not appear to be this species. Presently
the species (D. soror) appears to be restricted largely
to the Texas faunal province and the western Caribbean
(Jamaica).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 27, living
at Jamaica, in the Antilles and on the coast of Texas
(p. 1188); 45, Texas to Jamaica; 56, "North Carolina to
Texas and Jamaica''; 145, (as D. punctata Say), upper
sound, Mississippi delta (dead), pl. 3, figs. 2, A, B;
160, (as D. punctata), dead at several locations in
Matagorda Bay; 164, (as D. punctata), alive in open bay
center and open bay margin environment at Rockport, Texas;
175, (as D. punctata), listed for open sound or open lagoon
assemblage, few in mixed sediments, pl. 2, fig. 10; 206,
Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (5), 1966, Beach Records; 208, (as
D. punctata), listed for open bay center and bay margin
environments; 269, figured on p. 177.

Records H.M.N.S.: 82 lots, of which 8 contain live collected
material,

Depth Range: 0-50 fms.; alive 0-32 fms. (optimal 6-28 fms.).

Geographical Range: Western Gulf of Mexico, Jamaica, North
Carolina (fossil),

Maximum Size: 17.2 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?Felaniella sericata (Reeve, 1850)
Baja California to Northern Peru. Intertidally but more

commonly dredged in depths to 75 m. on sand and mud bottoms
(Keen, 1971).

Genus Phlyctiderma Dall, 1899.
Very globose, somewhat pustulose or lamellar bivalves, often found
encased in rocks or old shells (oysters).

45

238. Phiyctiderma semiasperum Philippi, 1836.
Diplodonta semiaspera Philippi. Wiegman Arch., Vol. 1,
Pie 225), uP Lois RELeS iy v2ma—ds
Syn: lLucina granulosa C.B. Adams. Proc. Bost. Soc.
Nat. Hist., 925 p.. 9).
Lucina semireticulata Orbigny. Voy. Am. Merid., p. 585,
pl. 84, figs. 7-9.
The very inflated and almost spherical shape of this species,
together with the pustulosity of mature specimens is
characteristic. The pustules appear to be local thickenings
in the growth lines and often have a somewhat elongated
shape. In some specimens, the growth lines have become
strong lamellar ridges. The species is remarkable for
living within rocks or old oyster shells. How it manages
to grow at all, I do not understand. Specimens collected
from rocks or sheils are never as big as those that can,
although rarely, be collected alive from local mudflats
or sandbars. A population of large living specimens was
once found at Port O'Connor and similar large-but-dead
valves are occasionally found at San Luis Pass. I have
erroneously reported these specimens as Diplodonta turgida
(Tex. Conch., Vol. 7, 83, 1971), which is a deeper water
species, much larger, and which belongs in the genus
Timothynus. Phlyctiderma semiasperum is widespread along
the Texas coast and enters the coastal bays as a borer
(?) of old oyster shells.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 21,
listed; 40, listed; 66, listed for the marine Pleistocene
of Texas; 143, listed for Matagorda Bay; 145, Mississippi
delta, pl. 3, figs. 3 A-B; 160, alive in Matagorda Bay;

164, alive in Rockport area and dead in Laguna Madre.

Records H.M.N.S.: 29 lots, of which 4 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms. (normal 0-5 fms.); alive O-1 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Gulf of Mexico to
Brazil.

Maximum Size: 14.1 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Also Ecuador to Peru (Abbott, 1974).
Keen cites (1971) Phlyctiderma discrepans, Gulf of California
to Panama (to 18 meters) as very similar.

Genus Timothynus Harris and Palmer, 1946.
Very globose, small to medium sized shells, with a wide shelf area
for ligament attachment.

239. Timothynus c.f. verrilli, Dall, 1899.

Diplodonta verrilli Dall. Journ. Conch., Vol. 9, p. 45.
New name for Diplodonta turgida Verrill and Smith, 1881
(mot Conrad, 1848).

This, by far the largest Diplodonta of the Texas coast,

is widespread in waters between 20-30 fms., although it

has been found as shallow as 8 feet and as deep as 70

fathoms. The original name, under which I reported it,

is Diplodonta turgida Verrill and Smith, 1881. Out-

wardly it resembles a thin blown up Pitar, but of course,

46

its hinge is that of a Diplodonta with a hook-like bifid
cardinal in the left valve. It is mostly dredged from
shelly sandy mud bottoms, A figure of the species is in
Bull. 37 (Dall, 1889), and in Reference 170, plate 8,
fig. 2 (labelled Diplodonta Sp. B.)

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 170, (as
Diplodonta Sp. B.), pl. 8, fig. 2; 206, Texas Conch., Vol 9,
Wo Biile/3e5

Records H.M.N.S.: 23 lots, of which one contains live collected
material;

Depth Range: 8 feet - 70 fms.; optimal 20-30 fms.; alive
25 fms.

Geographical Range: Massachusetts to North Carolina.

Maximum Size: In excess of 32 mm. (slightly broken).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ? Diplodonta suprema Olsson, 1961.
"Panama'"' (Keen, 1971).

240. Timothymus Sp. Indet. A.
A much smaller species, much more round and mainly dif-

fering in the sculpture of the early shells has been
sparsely collected along the Louisiana and Texas coast.
In contrast to the previous species this one has some
ribs on the initial shell. Otherwise, it is mainly a
much smaller and much rounder version of the previous
species. Comparison with the recently described T. rehderi
Altena and possibly Diplodonta nucleiformis Wagner is nec-
essary.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, (as
Diplodonta Spec. A), Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 78.

Records H.M.N.S.: 12 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 15-37 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 13.0 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Perhaps Diplodonta mirae (Hertlein
& Strong 1947). "Gulf of California to Panama in depths
of 11-64 m. (Keen, 1971)".

SUPERFAMILY CHAMACEA
FAMILY CHAMIDAE

This is the only family in this group of remarkable bivalves and

it is characterized by strong torsion of the shell experienced during
growth. In a sense, these bivalves are analogous to the now extinct
Hippuritoidea, which developed strongly discrepant valves and bizarrly
contorted shapes in the Cretaceous.

In the Chamidae, one valve, the deeply cupped one, is attached to

a hard substrate and is closed off by a much flatter valve. Some
species can form clumps of a large number of specimens (C. congregata).
The strong rotation causes the hinge line to shift continually during

47

growth with the result that the chitinous ligamental material is
progressively covered by new calcareous material. In Texas and
Louisiana the genera Chama, Pseudochama and Arcinella.

Sources: Keen, M. in Treat. Invert. Pal., Vol. N,

a Bul}.

Before we discuss the separate genera and their species, it will be
necessary to review some fundamental data about these remarkable
bivalves. Most literature available to me is not too helpful in
understanding the relationship of the genera and as is so often the
case, no data are available about juvenile material, which, I believe,
in this family is of paramount importance for the classification.
Chamas are, as many bivalves related to the Lucinacea, difficult to
classify and the extensive material available to me does often not
allow a clearcut separation into species to be made. The presence
of full grown specimens of certain species is proof that those
species live in the N.W. Gulf of Mexico (or lived), but most material
up to %-inch and even larger is so similar in appearance, it hardly
can be separated. The situation is further aggravated because from
the earliest moment the attached and the unattached valve develop
differently. The attached valve develops strong lamellae which
buttress this valve against the substrate so that both valves when
seen separately and carefully cleaned from substrate material appear
quite different.

On the basis of the superficial likeness of Chama and Pseudochama
(Chama is attached by the left valve, Pseudochama by the right
valve) it has been suggested that the genus Pseudochama might not

be a valid genus, implying that individuals in this genus merely
represent bivalves in which the rotation took place in the opposite
sense to the usual one of Chama. According to this view Chama

would be comparable to those gastropod genera in which the torsion
can produce either left handed or right handed spirals. Froma
study of the material available to me from the N.W. Gulf of Mexico,
this theory can be proven to be untenable. The prodissoconch of
Pseudochama is completely different from that of Chama and in

fact appears much closer to that of Arcinella than that of Chama.
In Chama, the prodissoconch is smooth and quite small (on the order
of .1 mm.) and the nepionic shell immediately develops a crinkled,
corrugated appearance, which, without discontinuity, develops into
the mature bivalve. In Arcinella however, the prodissoconch is
larger but the nepionic shell is larger and smooth with a few
concentric fence-like ridges. This development is quite discontinuously
stopped and the "normal" spiny and scaly development of Arcinella begins.
In Pseudochama the development of a large nepionic shell also can be
seen with concentric sculpture, but the strong discontinuity between
mature and nepionic stage is less outspoken than in Arcinella. Thus
Pseudochama is somewhere inbetween Chama and Arcinella. In mature
specimens of Pseudochama, these facts can be seldom observed because
mature valves corrode strongly.

Remarkable is the strong disparity between right and left valve in
Chama and Pseudochama. To some extent this is due to the three
dimensional torsion in the attached valve which is as it were a
tubular spiral as in a gastropod shell, whereas the torsion in the

48

unattached valve is mainly expressed as a rotation in a single plane.
Also the sculpture of both valves becomes from the earliest stages
strongly discrepant. The attached valve develops strong lamellar
scales which serve as attaching mechanisms and buttressing rein-
forcements. These are lacking in the unattached valve. In Arcinella,
the discrepancy between the valves is much less than Chama or
Pseudochama. The reason for this is that although Arcinella goes
through an attached phase during a short period in its juvenile life
it soon becomes unattached (it also starts unattached).

Genus Chama Linne, 1758.

Medium sized, strongly sculptured bivalves, attached by left valve.
The N.W. Gulf of Mexico species are often difficult to identify
because juvenile shells of most species appear to be very similar.
In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico five (5) different species.

241. Chama congregata Conrad, 1833.

Chama congregata Conrad. Am. Journ. Sci., Vol. 23,

p. 341.
This bivalve is one of the most common species on the Texas
offshore shelf where it is found alive, attached to shells,
rocks, pebbles, etc. Although seldom mentioned in faunal
lists, beach worn specimens are not rare in beachdrift and
have been taken along the entire Texas coast, but almost
never in the bays (Matagorda Bay). Beach specimens
probably derive either from deeper water in the inlets
and thus may be of Pleistocene age or are derived from the
jetties or other man made structures. Here they live at
the deepest submerged parts. The species is rare on the
coral reefs.

It is by no means certain that our material is uniform

and it may include another species. Some lots contain
rather round shells in contrast to the somewhat oval normal
shaped ones. A different and much smaller form inhabits
the coral reefs and is also different in color. The round,
small form from sandy mud bottoms, I have not separated
out, but the small, whitish form with a scarlet streak in
it is here classified separately, although ultimately it
may turn out to be only a morph of C. congregata.

As can be expected with an attaching species, its shape

is somewhat variable, but its surface foliations are quite
changing from specimen to specimen. For that reason perhaps
few of the figures I have seen labeled C. congregata
resemble the Texas specimens closely. One of the confusing
aspects of Chama, (this and probably all other species)

is the rotation as seen in the flat valve. This rotation

is best observed in juvenile specimens when they still are
quite flat, and it appears to occur in discontinuous steps.

49

In a small sketch I have indicated this process in a small
valve of Chama congregata. 1 is the small protochonch, 2

3 and 4 are various

stages of growth and the
arrow indicates the di-
rection of rotation.

(Total size of figure

about 4 mm.). Often one
sees in the early growth
stages changes in direction
much larger than sketched
here, occasionally even

as large as 180° mainly for stage 1 (with respect to 2). In
Chama congregata stage 1 is completely smooth, stage 2 and
most of stage 3 are crinkled, but in stage 3 appear the first
somewhat pipe-like scales. Some of our species can be dif-
ferentiated by their muscular impressions. Unfortunately

C. congregata is similar in this respect to 2 other species
which I cannot name yet. Only C. macerophylla and C. sinuosa
can be fairly easily differentiated.

In the figures A and B, a quick sketch is given of Chama

congregata (A) and Chama macerophylla (B), looking into the
cavity of the deep valve, to show the difference in muscular

(A) (B)

Substrate Substrate
ee ee |

impressions. This difference is almost the only way to
distinguish l-inch sized specimens. Chama macerophylla

may be on the average somewhat more strongly foliaceous.

The coloration of C. congregata in Texas is brownish-orange,
either as large blobs or streaks on a grayish-white background
or almost completely of that color. Internally there are
reddish-purple spots of color. Spines are developed in
juveniles as small strongly curved foliae, so that they
resemble pipe-like tubes. In older specimens these corrode
to a certain extent and the surface of the unattached valves
becomes irregularly corrugated. Often in mature specimens,
the middle part of the disc from umbo to ventral margin is
smoother and flatter than the anterior and posterior ends.
Only rarely one finds on mature, unattached valves, a few
large spondyloid spines. In the H.M.N.S. collection there

50

is one lot of a few valves in which the color of the shell
is even greenish-gray. On the Texas coast, this modification
is quite rare.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 136,
reported from 13 stations off East Texas in-depths between
33-54 feet, plate 6, fig. 5; 139, outer shelf, pl. 39,
fig. 47; 147, alive .on Baker .Bank, dead -in:Big Southern
Bank, alive on West Flower Garden (this may be another
species all to me); 156, common on Stetson Bank; 152, alive
at Port Aransas in 1955; 170, off East Texas; 174, listed;
175, listed for calcareous banks assemblage, pl. 6, fig. 25;
201, mudlump fauna; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch.,

Vol. 3(1); 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 251, Yucatan Shelf
253, reef offshore Padre Island; 269, figured on page 171,
(very typical Texas specimen).

Records H.M.N.S.: 100 lots of which 43 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms.; alive: 6-43 fms., always attached to
hard substrate.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas; to Brazil, Bermuda
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 32.6 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

Chama Spec. Indet. A.
A species basically very similar to C. congregata has been
collected in a few lots off Louisiana, unfortunately not
alive. It is rounder in shape, reaches a larger size, and
most importantly is quite differently sculptured.: It is
crowded, somewhat ruffled ridges and the only small spines
formed are some lamellar extensions of these ridges close to
the umbo on the anterior part of the valves. In spite of
a large number of unattached valves we do not possess a
single attached valve indicating that this species may no
longer live off the Mississippi Delta. This might be
Chama lactuca Dall, but until I have seen authentic material
of this species, I prefer to leave this species unnamed.
As with all Chamas, juvenile specimens become practically
indistinguishable from C. congregata. What remains of the
color pattern is different from C. congregata, but resembles
the next, much smaller species: there is in some specimens,
a radial color band radiating downward from the umbo to
the ventral margin. The ventral crunulations in this
species are much shorter than in Chama congregata and con-
sequently appear somewhat ''knobby".

Previous records from the Texas faunal province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 51-85 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 40.5 mm. (unattached valve) so that the
species probably reaches larger sizes.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Undoubtedly close to Chama corallina
Olsson, 1971 Gulf of Panama (Keen, 1971).

51

243. Chama c.f. floridana Lamarch, 1819.

A number of lots of a small white, rather thick shelled
Chama are here provisionally named as Chama floridana
Lamarck. They live exclusively in carbonate environment.
Usually round in circumference, many valves are quite
irregular in outline, and most miss the somewhat diamond
shaped outline of Chama congregata. Very young material
is indistinguishable from that species. Chama floridana
often has a vivid scarlet color streak, and probably never
is blotched by orange. The interior is often blotched by
scarlet. C. congregata lives on the Texas reefs (rare)
and because its juveniles are often also reddish colored,
there is considerable occasion for confusion. On the
whole C. floridana is coarser, its foliae are more
irregular and species might well turn out to be a morph
of C. congregata, to which it was assigned in a previous
listing (Texas Conch., Vol. 9, p. 79, 1973).

Previous records for Texas are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 9 lots, of which 3 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 9-55 fms.; alive: 10-28 fms., calcareous
environment.

Geographical Range: West Florida, West Indies to East Brazil
(Abbott 1974).

Maximum Size: 13.0 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

244. Chama sinuosa Broderip, 1835.

Never in large numbers and rare throughout the calcareous
environment along the Texas and Louisiana coast. The color
pattern of the species is different. Internally the N.W.
Gulf of Mexico species have a dark brownish margin, while in
the middle of the valve there are spots and suffusions of
yellow. There are often no ventral crenulations, although
occasionally minor to faint crenulations can be seen, in
contrast to all other species of Chama. This species comes
closest to being the mirror image of Pseudochama.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Gonch.,, Vol> 9, p. 79).

Records H.M.N.S.: 6 lots of which 3 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 8-15 fms., alive 10-11 fms., in coral environment.

Geographical Range: South Florida and the West Indies, Bermuda,
Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 48-0 m.

Eastern Pacific Analegue: ?

(to be continued)

yu

-CONCHOLOGIS

VOLUME XIV NO. 3 rile

— WILLIAM 4
Te SECTIONAL
NDIVISION OF 1,

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc. and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception
that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage re-
quired at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES CIRCULATION

Family membership $6.00 Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
Single membership $5.00 723-3628
Student membership $2.00 5238 Sanford Street

Single issues $1.50 Houston, Texas 77035
Extra sets mailed members $5.00

EDITORIAL STAFF

Helmer Ode, Editor W. W. Sutow Constance E. Boone
664-9942 748-7233 668-8252
4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 N. MacGregor Way 3706 Rice Blvd.
Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004 Houston, Texas 77005

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and pro-
fessionals, subject to approval by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double spaced and
should be submitted to the editorial staff.

At San Felipe, Baja California, on the Gulf of California, last Decenm-
ber, collection was made of the pictured hermit crab occupying an adult
Muricanthus radix (Gmelin, 1791) (or M. nigritus Philippi, 1845, the
name given the northernmost form of this Panamic black Murex). The un-
usual part of this hermit crab story is the attachment of five juvenile
M. radix hitching rides. Removed from the water and retained for photo-
graphy, the crab and all five Murex specimens remained firmly "at home"
for two days. Whether the hitchhikers derived some benefit from the
association is not known.

The March, 1978, issue of Hawaiian Shell News also pictures a hermit
crab, with the title ''Hermit Crabs Are Not Welcome!". Hawaii does not
permit the importation of pet land-dwelling hermit crabs from the Carib-
bean; the state fears such introductions would upset the balance of
mature. Other immigrants have become serious pests, like the giant
African snail. Hawaiian hermit crabs are all marine, the article notes.
HSN also reported that two experts from California are working on a

monograph on hermit crabs.

Photo and story by Constance E. Boone

o4

MOLLUSCANA by W.W. Sutow, M.D.
(continued from previous issue)
Comments on various publications will be continued from the previous

issue of TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST starting with reviews of additional articles
that have appeared in the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine.

(9). Squids - Jet Powered Torpedoes of the Deep by Gilbert L. Voss.
Photographs by Robert F. Sisson. 131:386-411 (March) 1967. In this
article, Voss (from Miami's Institute of Marine Science) presents some
fascinating information on the squid, called "the virtuoso of the inver—
tebrates". Although these mollusks teem in the oceans, they apparently
do not survive well in captivity.

These creatures vary tremendously in size. One caught in 1958 measured

47 feet long. The author thinks that the largest squids can weigh about
2 tons and reach an overall length of 60 feet. The eyes of some squids

can be a foot in diameter.

The life span of the squids may extend to several years but their exist—
ence is obviously precarious. Squids constitute a popular food source
not only of the larger creatures of the seas by also of man. At the
time of writing, Voss estimated that the United States harvested about
10,000 tons annually. Japan, on the other hand, took in 650,000 tons

of one species alone (Todarodes pacifica).

Interesting descriptions about the squids are presented concerning such
aspects as reproduction, growth, eye, camouflage and jet propulsion.

And as usual, the article is superbly illustrated by numerous color

' photographs plus a two-page panoramic drawing of the squids in the ocean
environment.

(10). Shy Monster, the Octopus by Gilbert L. Voss. Photographs by

Robert F. Sisson. 140:776-799 (ecember) 1971. One of the authorities

in the field has prepared another informative dissertation on the cephaio-
pods — this time concentrating on the octopus. Dr. Vess provides a
personalized description of the fascinating behavior of this animal.

An exceptional series of photographs graphically supplement the narrative.

(11). Natures Night Lights: Probing the Secrets of Bioluminescence
by Paul A. Zahl. 140:45-69 (July) 1971. Although this particular _
article is concerned with the general subject of bioluminescence, a

large portion discusses one species of small squids, Watasenia scintillans.
These finger-length cephalopods swirl up by the billions near the sur-

face of the sea in Japan during spawning season and provide one of nature's
awesome fireworks. (This is the species pictured on a Japanese stamp,
Scott #883.) Some remarkable color photographs emphasize the brilliance
and the mystery of the phenomenon.

(12). The Sailing Oystermen of Chesapeake Bay by Luis Marden. 132:367-369
(December) 1967. This is an illustrated story of the skipjacks - the
intrepid men who work under sail to dredge molluscan goodies - the oysters -
from the Chesapeake Bay. As such, the text is primarily concerned with

the industry and the men and ships that are part of it.

55

(13). ‘Twenty Fathoms Down for Mother-of-Pearl by Winston Williams.
Photographs by Bates Littlehales. 121:512-529 (April) 1962. This
narrative was published more than 15 years ago. The time when the
events actually occurred is unknown. The place was the Tuamotsus of
the French Polynesia in the South Pacific. The central subject is the
“"pearl-shell" - the shell of the bivalve and not the mollusk itself or
the pearl it may produce. In fact, it is stated that gem pearls are
found only rarely. The species are not identified although the shells
are shown in the photographs.

The large oyster shells from French Polynesia have “black lips". Simi-
lar shells from the Indian Ocean have “yellow edges". The Australian
counterparts are “pure white". The black-edged shells at the time of
the writing was selling for about $1.20 per pound in New York. The
price had been as high as $1.70 per pound. With the expansion of the
synthetics industry, the demand for the natural "mother-of-pearl" has
become uncertain.

The story is interesting. The photographs, both underwater and above,
provide the atmosphere for an informative and enjoyable article.

REERKEEREREE

THE MUSSEL COOKBOOK by Sarah Hurlburt. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard
University Press. 1977. 169 pages. $8.95. :

In the short foreword, Dr. Frederick J. Stare, Professor of Nutrition,
Harvard University School of Public Health, summarizes the nutritional.
qualities of the mussels as being: low in fat, particularly saturated
fat; an excellent source of high-quality protein; and, good sources of
minerals. The author underscores this by writing: "No shellfish is
substantially more nutritious than mussels and no other shellfish gives
such a high yield of meat".

The recipes are divided into 8 sections: simple dishes to enjoy indoors
and out; appetizers, many doubling as main dishes; soups and stews, both
light and main dish; salad.: or as a meal; down-home, everyday main dishes;
casseroles American style; main dishes with a foreign accent; and, elegant
party entrees. Each section contains 8 to 22 different recipes all
utilizing, as the main ingredient, the mussel.

The author does a masterful and convincing job of selling the mussel
to the reader. The directions are clear, concise, meaningful. The
feeling of authenticity is imparted by short hints and comments that
indicate that the author speaks from experience.

The first 34 pages discuss the mollusks, chiefly the "edible blue mussel"
or Mytilus edulis. Two other mussels, namely, the California mussel
(Mytilus californianus) and the horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) are
mentioned. Descriptions of the history of mussels in North America and
of the farming or culture of mussels for eating purposes are most inforn-
ative and interesting.

The only criticism that the reviewer has concerning the book is the in-

adequacy of the discussions of shellfish poisoning or Gonyaulax intoxi-
cation. The toxin from the dinoglagellate may be lethal. For situations

56

where many deaths have been recorded over the years, much more detailed
information should have been given to the reader - the potential con-
sumer of mussel cookery.

RKEKKRERKE

SYSTEMATICS OF MOLLUSCA IN JAPAN. BIVALVIA AND SCAPHOPODA by Tadashige

Habe. Zukan-no-Hokuryukan, Japan. 1977. 372 pages. 4800 Yen.

This is a hardback publication. The text is Japanese but the scientific
names are printed in Latin. The volume represents a long-time effort
by the author to provide a multi-volume "Systematics of Mollusca in
Japan". Between 1951 and 1953 Dr. Habe published a monograph incorpo-
rating his many publications from 1949-1950. This work was entitled
"Genera of Japanese Shells". The current volume includes material

from the monograph in much more comprehensive treatise. The new publi-
cation also contains the information that appeared (in English) in the
Fauna Japonica series from the Biogeographical Society of Japan. The
latter book was entitled "SCAPHOPODA (MOLLUSCA)" and was published in
1964.

The major problems with this book for the usual collector (apart from
the language) are: first, the absence of color photographs, and second,
the relative lack of discussions at the species level. At the generic
and subgeneric levels, there are both written and pictured (line draw-
ings) information but only selected species have been shown. The text
mentions only the geographic distribution and the habitats of some of
the species. Although all books specializing in bivalves are welcome,
this scholarly volume appears too basic for most practical purposes.

RRRKKKEREE

THE FREE FOOD SEAFOOD BOOK By Peggy Ann Hardigree. Harrisburg, Pa.

Stachpole Books. 1977. 228 pages. $6.95.
Here is a find!

Every so often those who review books will come across a publication
that is uniquely attractive and satisfying. The above soft-cover book
impressed this reviewer just that way. The style is very reminiscent
of Euell Gibbons.

It is obvious that the book was not written for the shell collector.
There are passages such as "lay each whelk on a firm surface and break
the shell by striking it sharply with a hammer" and “use the sharp blow
of a hammer to shatter the shell (moonsnail)" which clearly indicate
that the intent of the maneuvers was not exactly preservation of the
shell. The book was written to describe "how to find, gather and cook

...Cdams....and....other delicacies from the sea". The book does
these things well.

Yet a considerable portion of the book should be very informative for
the conchologist. In describing the American seacoast where molluscan
goodies can be gathered, the author very capably provides a panoramic
view of the distributions of edible mollusks. And a lot of edible
mollusks are included: native oyster, Pacific oyster, Olympia oyster,
mangrove clam, quahog, surf clam, butter clam, scallops, pen shells,
cockles, wedge shells, geoduck, horse clam, razor and jackknife clams,

o7

bent-nose clam, white sand clam, and purple clam. In another section
entitled "Exotic food from the edge of the sea" 11 of the 12 chapters
(52 pages) discuss mollusks: abalone, whelks, periwinkles, dog whelks,
moon shelis, turban shells, conch, limpets, chitons, octopus and squid.

The pages contain a surprising amount of scientific information. Although
the common names are used as chapter headings, the species are also identi-
fied by scientific nomenclature. Both the animal and shell are concisely
but accurately described. Even more important, the living habits of the
mollusks are mentioned.

And for those who seek the mollusks to eat - there are paragraphs of
specific instructions on how best to capture them. Yes, the recipes are
there too - as part of the text - spiced with personal experience. The
author does a good job of whetting the appetites of the reader. The
book is recommended. (The reviewer is going te take his copy along with
his gear the next time he spends a few days at the seashore.)

6-4-4-4-44-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-44-4444

AMU PLANS SUMMER MEETING AT NORTH CAROLINA

A workshop on “The Hows, Whys and Wherefores of Building a Scientifically
Valuable Shell Collection" will highlight the 44th Annual Meeting of

the American Malacological Union July 16-21, 1978, on the campus of

the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, N.C. Specialists will
tell of varioué techniques used in curating marine, freshwater and land
moliusks collections, and examples of museum labels, cards, catalogs,
etc., will be displayed.

Scientific paper sessions will be held throughout the week. Repre-
sentatives of all member shell clubs are invited to tell about their
organization's activities and show slides at Shell Club Night. The
Houston Conchology Society is affiliated with AMU, and we have a number
of members of AMU.

Field trips will be available to those members and visitors attending

and paying the registration fee. They will include a choice of one of
several trips, including a Naiad collecting trip to Lake Waccamaw, a
canoe trip to the Green Swamp area of Waccamaw River, a boat trip -to an
island containing an undisturbed deposit of Eocene fossils and a marine
trip. Housing will be on the campus at $15.00 per day per person in
air-conditioned dormitories and including food at the university cafe-
teria. Registration will probably be $12.50 before the mid-June deadline
and $15.00 thereafter. If you need details, please call Constance E.
Boone, 668-8252.

58

SEARCH AND SEIZURE by Constance E. Boone

The winter months this year proved to be especially good for collecting,
according to several reports along the coast. I am grateful to members
and friends who take the time to call or write and help continue current
news on collecting in Texas.

In late February, Mildred Tate called and told about the great finds
being made at Surfside between the fishing pier and jetties. Every

Texas shell collector is weaned on the search for Amaea mitchelli (Dall,
1896), named for an early Texas conchologist. This large brown-banded
wentletrap lives offshore but washes in occasionally and is always prized
even when broken. Mildred reported that "about eighteen" had been found,
large two-inch specimens in good shape for the most part. She surmised
that these shells and the other species being collected were being dis-—
turbed offshore by either dredging at the end of the channel at the
jetties or some other adverse condition offshore. Collectors were find-
ing nice pairs, some live, of the rarish Agriopoma texasiana (Dall, 1892),
and there have been live Phalium granulatum, Architectonica nobilis, and

Pholas campechiensis.

A live Phalium was collected by a member's sister on the ast HCS field
trip to San Luis Pass, Galveston Island.

From Linda Serrill, our member at Matagorda, comes a note that she, too,
collected a live Architectonica nobilis on her beach this winter, as
well as many other shells.

Betty Allen, member from Port Isabel, Texas, reported that hundreds of
Architectonica nobilis were collected this winter on the South Padre
Island beaches, most moribund but intact. This brought forth a dis-
cussion with her that through the years of collecting on her home beaches,
she recalls that most of the Architectonicas that washed in were mori-
bund. The animals might be still active but not really lively. They

are apparently torn out of habitat and tossed inshore from offshore sand
bars. Architectonicas are dredged by shrimpers, and on the east coast
they are brought in with scallops. The only ones I have collected that
seemed to be in their natural habitat and very lively were the two I
captured from receding intertidal waves at Venado Island, Panama Bay,
Pacific coast area. It is the same species but always seems to be smaller
in the Panamic region. They were in sand near the rocky areas of the
island and were "swimming" out with the waves.

RAARREKERER

Members might like to know about the formation of another area shell

club. Collectors in Brazoria County have formed "Sea Shell Searchers",
meeting at the sponsoring institution, the Brazosport Museum. A publi-
cation, "The Searcher", is being distributed to members. Delores English,
president for 1978, reports that the club has over fifty members, over
one-half are beginning collectors. The newsletters I have received
reflect the enthusiasm of field collectors, and I am sure that there

will be many field trips since they are so close to beaches. If you

are interested in information, contact Delores English, 311 N. Yaupon,
Richwood-Clute, Texas 77531.

REKKKEREAE

On March 14, 1978, Ruby McConnell, our member now from Austin, and I

59

made one last trip driving the beaches of Galveston Island before the
regulation forbidding vehicle traffic went into effect. At the present
time, the new law from Galveston states there will be no traffic on the
beaches from March 15 to September 15 each year. I have not been able
to determine the fine points of this law. For instance, new posts are
sunk in at the beach line at the beach area at the "winding road"
entrance from off the sea wall some distance south toward Stewart's
Beach from north jetties. I do not know if there will be a way to
drive to the jetties or if the area on the channel will be closed to
cars. 1 suppose so. I understand the law means no traffic all the
way to the Pass. The bridge authority retains control of 60 feet on
either side. I presume that the beach front side will be closed to
traffic. "Rooster" Collins has informed me that he has a "100 year
lease" on all the bay side to the Pass itself. He has the bait camp,
camping space, and pier at the bay side of the Pass, you recall. He
says that he had never fenced off the area from the lagoon to the Pass.
This area is subject to change, we know. However, he has now erected
signs of "No Trespassing'' at the knoll or dune area where we have been
parking to enter the bay flats. He says he wishes to protect nesting
gulls and encourage gulis to return to nest here, and he also is think-
ing of the new summer restrictions on the beach front and does not want
campers on the bay side since he is actually in business to supply
camping space. He has been generous to shellers, as you know. We
usually go to the area when very few other visitors are there. However,
he is anxious to protect his pier area. He remarked that some shellers
have walked right around the pier while there were "paid customers"
there. I have to admit this has been true. Once last winter, I was
merrily collecting Busycons and Mercenarias in the mud near the pier
when a customer pointed out that the people on the pier had paid to be
there. I did move on away from there.

Club members have reported that February tides were extremely low at the
Pass and collections of the edible Mercenarias (the Baldwins, Keelers
and Biascas had a big pot of clam chowder), Busycons and other usual
shells were very, very good. Margaret says the Pass was reported to

be as low as ever known.

Ruby and I did very well on our “last hurrah" collecting day. At the
Galveston jetties we encountered masses of worm tubes and debris washing
in and spent a couple of hours patiently digging through it and dodging
the waves as they rolled in with more “goop". We collected the usual
Epitonium angulatum but were more delighted with some unusual finds.

There were many large, live Cantharus cancellarius and a few Trachy-
cardium muricatum. However, I was most pleased to collect a nice,

shining fresh pair of Lioberus castaneus which I usually find farther

south along the coast. Perhaps the best find were the good pairs of
Diplodonta (Phlyctiderma) soror C. B. Adams, 1852, including my one live,
big specimen. I remind you that Dr. Helmer Odé discussed Diplodontas y
in the September and December, 1977, issues of Texas Conchologist. Dr. Ode
disagrees with the Abbott (1974) designation of soror as Phlyctiderma

and places soror in Felaniella because he feels the hinge line places

it in this genus. There has been some confusion on this species. Con-
sequently, I was delighted to get a fresh, live pair, in measurements

of height 19 mm, length 19 m, and breadth 10 mm. My specimen is gray-

ish with a silky periostracum. The minute pitting which has posed a pro-
blem in identification with this and Diplodonta punctata is present,
especially at one umbonal area. Dr. Odé suggests it is not impossible

to think the two may be the same. The pitting may very well be part

60

of the periostracum. Where the periostracum has been smoothed away,
the shell seems smoother with less pits.

Ruby collected a very fresh, hinged pair of Mytilus edulis Linne,
1758. This species is the edible blue mussel from New England and
has been known from other coasts where it has been either introduced
or established otherwise. If shouldn't be here. It likes cold water,
but we have had that this year?

(Now confirmed by Dr. T. E. Pulley.)

RKEKKKKEKE

We are now receiving Malacologia again for our library. Our issues
begin with Volume 16, No. 1 and No. 2 of 1977.

Vol. 16, No. 2 contains a comprehensive report by K. Elaine Hoaglund
Davis of the Department of Biology, Lehigh University, and Research
Associate, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, on Crepidula.

Titled "Systematic Review of Fossil and Recent Crepidula and Discussion
of Evolution of the CALYPRAEIDAE", this study of the “boat shells" and
"slipper shells" presents a review and revision of the systematics of
the genus in the Northern Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, with special
attention to the fossil forms, as quoted in the introduction. There-
fore, species in the Texas area and in our general region are discussed.

Since samples of brown streaked Crepidula plana have been consistently
noted by this columnist, and since such specimens had been sent to the
author, the article does relate that some specimens from Texas have the
brown pigment.

After reading the paper, confusion arose in my mind about the Crepidulas
we find on Argopecten irradians amplicostatus in Texas. Samples were
sent to Dr. Hoagiund. Correspondence indicates that further study needs
to be made. They may not be C. convexa.

FILLERS NEEDED

One of the greatest needs we have for the Texas Conchologist is small
articles that can be used as fillers. We hate to waste space on pages
where longer articles end. Shellers always have stories to tell about
the "ones that got away", and you certainly encounter "shelly" stories
on your vacations. Share them with us, please.

61

mezT MG Suese THE MICROS=OPE
SY TINA PETWAY

We in our club have a really super group of people with many varied
interests besides shells. Here are a few more friends for you to get
to know better. :

Our out-of-town friends will be receiving by mail a questionaire which
will enable me to include you in this column. Please fill them out and
return them to: Tina Petway, 2431 Brookmere, Houston, Texas 77008, USA.

Two of the first members of the Houston Conchology Society were Admiral
Carlos Cardeza and his wife Mary Elizabeth. And Admiral Cardeza was a
member of the first Board of Directors.

During World War II Carlos was stationed at Ulithi Lagoon with the Navy.
He says during those days the only beer available was very bad. So
while his buddies were relaxing with their beer, he was walking the
beaches and reefs looking for shelis. He soon became very unpopular with
the others because, not knowing how to clean the shells, he would leave
them on the deck of his ship.

Mary Lou was also in the Navy at that time and was stationed in Harris-
burg, Penn. At the end of the war she got a new Commanding Officer
who turned out to be Carlos.

Mary Lou is now a Management Consultant and author. She has a book
coming out this Spring titled How To Be A Financially Secure Woman,
published by Rawson, Inc.

After retiring from the Navy they moved to Houston in 1951. But Admiral
Cardeza had become such a shelling enthusiast that in 1964 they built

a second home on Sanibel Island, Forida. (Author's note: Sanibel Island
is well known as one of the best shelling spots in this country.) Here
you will find the Cardezas five months of the year. They enjoy showing
others how to find and clean shells there.

Carlos and Mary Lou also enjoy boating in Florida. Another hobby of
theirs is searching shops for antiques.

62

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Johnson are very new members of HCS, joining in
October of last year. Jerry has been interested in shells since 1972
when he was stationed on Guam in the Pacific. Walking on the reefs
there he found many beautiful shells and he was hooked.

The Air Force also sent Jerry to Udorn, Thailand where he met and
married his lovely wife, Trayong. They have a daughter, Jennifer, who
is five years old. The Johnsons now live in Channelview, Texas.

Jerry's favorite shell family is Murex; Cones are his second favorite.
But he also likes the "Thorny Oysters" (Spondylus americanus). Jerry
would be interested in trading shells with others with those same
interests.

Jerry is an electrician with Exxon Research and Engineering. He also
enjoys "Birding" as a hobby. And hunting, especially for deer, also
takes some of Jerry's and Trayong's free time.

RKKKKKEKREK

As it happens with so many of our club members, Fanny and Sam Miron
first became interested in shells while walking our beaches and picking
up the shells they found. Fanny found a live Oliva sayana on the beach
near Lake Jackson, Texas. She went to the library to find out what it
was and began reading all she could find on sea shelis. Then Sam and
Fanny saw our club's display at a local department store and met some
members of HCS. They promptly joined the club. That was 9 years ago.

Fanny's favorites are Murex, while Sam favors Pectins and Olives.

But they like everything else really. They also seem to have fantastic
luck beach collecting too. Five years ago Houston had three snows in
one winter. After one of these they went to the beaches at Galveston.
Fanny calls it the "bonanza" because they found hundreds of Busycon,
many very large Oliva sayana, two or three species of Epitonium in
large numbers, plus many others. They have also collected the beauti-
ful lemon yellow Neosimnia uniplicata live. Sam and Fanny would like
to trade shells, so if interested contact them.

They have two children and two young grandchildren. Sam was a geologist
with Sheli Oil Company before retiring. Fanny taught nursery school
before becoming a fulltime housewife. They are both native Houstonians.

Fanny also enjoys bowling, walking, stitchery and needlepoint. She
collects recipes and loves to cook. Sam collects stamps and loves
sifting through bushels of shell dredgings. He also raises Cactus and
succulent plants as a hobby.

REKKKKKEERE

About two years ago Vesta and Al Mohle became aware of the world of
shells. Vesta says she had quit working and was awaiting the birth of
their daughter, Angela. She began going to the Public Library and get-
ting books about shells just to have something to do. Then, in the
local paper, she saw an announcement of an up-coming seashell exhibit
at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. So she and Al came to see
the shells and stayed to talk to some of the members of the club who
were helping out there, and shortly became members themselves.

See page 64
63

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) By H. Odé

(In order to understand and fully use the material presented in this
Continuing Monograph, new members and others who do not have the

reference issue should purchase the September, 1974, (Volume XI. No. 1) issue
of Texas Conchologist in which Dr. Od@ numbers and lists the 272 references
he uses in his monograph on Northwest Gulf mollusks. Since that issue, no
numbered references have been added, although Dr. Odé may list by complete
reference others he may use. You may purchase the September, 1974, issue
from the Circulation Chairmen, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Miron. 5238 Sanford StEEEE:
Houston, Texas. 77035, (telephone 723-3628) for $1.50.)

FAMILY CHAMIDAE (continued)

245. Chama macerophylia Gmelin 1791.
Syst. Nat., p. 3304.

This, the largest of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico species of Chama,
is seldom collected in large specimens. These are probably
mostly fossil and have lost their foliage. Most specimens
are small and resemble Chama congregata closely, but differ
in the muscular impressions from that species. However, I am
not convinced that some of these lots are correctly identified,

continued page 65

Al has become another "cone nut", while Vesta's interest has turned

to land snails. Vesta would like to talk to others also interested

in land snails. They would both like to talk about trading shells
with others of our club.

Al and Vesta have a carpet cleaning business by the name of Host
Carpet Cleaning of Houston. Vesta taught Home Economics at the Junior
High level for several years. She was born in Louisiana and lived there
till she was 14, when her family moved to Houston. Al has lived here
nearly all his life. They love driving and exploring in their 4-wheel
vehicle. They also like fresh water fishing and deer hunting. Vesta
raises African Violets and shows them at exhibits much like our shell
shows.

64

and the separation of both species at an early stage
remains difficult.

The species has been reported from the banks. In the
H.M.N.S. collection is no live material from these lo-
cations. Only one of two doubtfully identified live
collected rather juvenile specimens comes from Stetson
Bank, the other from a shelly bottom. The strongly frondose
specimens usually figured in conchological texts I have
never seen for the N.W. Gulf of Mexico and the figured
specimen, Ref. 269, probably does not derive from the Texas
coast. Some larger, but completely worn Chamas collected
on beaches of Padre Island probably are fossils of this
species.

Previous records for the Texas faunal provice are: 144,
reported offshore at location 1801; 147, dead on Baker
Bank, Big Southern Bank and west Flower Garden; 156, Stetson
Bank; 175, listed for calcareous banks assemblage, common
mostly on deeper banks; 192, Alacran Reef, Yucatan, plate
GhiekilcsomAGe Bis269), ka cured onlspeuie/ ln

Records H.M.N.S.: 10 lots, of which 2 contain live collected
material,

Depth Range: 15-55 fms., alive: 25 fms., beachdrift (?).

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida, West Indies
to Brazil (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: In excess of 84 mm. (broken ) (Stetson Bank).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ? Chama frondosa Broderip, 1835.
"La Paz. intertidally on rocks and offshore to depths of
a few meters" (Keen, 1971).

Genus Pseudochama Odhner, 1917.

Immediately separated from Chama by the fact that the animal is attach-
ed by the right valve. In the N.W. Gulf of Mexico, there are at least
two species.

246. Pseudochama radians, Lamarck, 1819,

Chama radians Lamarck. Anim. S. Vert., 6(1), p. 96.
Along the beach, this species has only been collected in
worn specimens near the jetty of South Padre isiand from
where specimens have been taken by divers. The dead
specimens are beach worn and have lost their surface
sculpture. Also collected live by diving at Port Aransas
(Ref. 159). Locally offshore the species can be quite
common, for instance on Stetson Bank where it lives in
profusion. Most common on shale outcrops rather than
calcareous reefs. There appear two forms of the species,
one with strong foliaceous surface sculpture and one which
is rather smooth. Both appear to merge. In the previous
list of N.W. Guif of Mexico material, I reported the
strong foliaceous material as Pseudochama Sp. A., but I
now believe that it is merely a form of P. radians. There
is however, a quite different species among our material
discovered since the listing in the Texas Conchologist.
Juvenile material of the ''spiny'’ form is quite red and
almost resembles a miniature Spondylus. The smooth form
is probably a consequence of strong erosion of the valves.
Remarkable about Pseudochama is the fact that in many
specimens, the deeply cupped valve has evoived a peculiar

65

mechanism for attachment. Under the umbo, some lamellae
have developed into initially hollow tubes which progressively
get filled with shell material. These lamellae penetrate
the substrate so that the shelis get anchored quite firmlv
on a set of "pilings"™. The phenomenon is especially
observable in specimens from Stetson Bank where the sub-
strate is dark-blue deep water, Miocene clay, pushed up
by salt movement.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 159, alive
at Port Aransas; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch.,
253, on reef off Padre Island, uncommon; 289, figured on
page 172.

Records H.M.N.S.: 14 lots, of which 9 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-23 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida; West Indies to
Brazil, Bermuda (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 73 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Possibly Pseudochama corrugata
Broderip, 1835. "La Paz, Baja California’ (Keen, 1971).

247. Pseudochama Sp. A.
A single, quite different species was obtained from
Hospital Rock off Port Aransas. The single, deeply cupped
valve, does not appear to have ever been attached to a
solid substrate. It does not fit the description given
by Abbott of P. inezae Bayer, and more material is needed
before it can be identified. The valve is strongly foli-
aceous, red colored, ventrally crenulated, with a nepionic
shell quite different from P. radians, in that it is roughly
punctate. However, part of the nepionic shell is covered
by later shell material and is “tucked under".
Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Depth Range: Top of Hospital Rock off Port Aransas (4200 feet).
Geographical Range: Unknown.
Maximum Size: 42 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue:
Genus Arcinella Schumacher, 1817.
Both vaives equally inflated and rotated. Attached only during a short
period, but adult free-living. Strongly spinose. Echinochama
Fisher, 1887 is a synonym. Large prodissochonch. The two socalled
Western Atlantic and the rare Eastern Pacific species are probably
not more than subspecifically different.

248. Arcinella cornuta Conrad, 1866.

Arcinella cornuta (Conrad, 1866). Amer. J. Conch.

22) ps ate
The identification of the Texas material is not without
some uncertaintity. It is apparently widely accepted
that there are two species in the Western Atlantic which
differ in various respects such as the amount of inflation,
thickness of the shell, size of mature specimens and number
of radial rows of spines. In the second edition of
American Seashells, Abbott (1974), mentions that A.
cornuta has 7-9 rows of radial rows and A. arcinella
has 16-35 usually 20 rows. Most Texas specimens have 13

66

rows of spines and a single specimen has 16, and a few
10-12. A. arcinella is reported to be slightly larger
(up to 2 inches), thinner, less inflated, and more
spinose. Whether it is the deep water morph of

A. cornuta, we shall leave for experts to decide. Beach
collected shells on South Padre Island of Arcinella often
must be classified as A. cornuta, (very heavy, fewer radials,
but in excess of 2 inches) whereas live collected, dredged
specimens are lighter, more densely spinose and are somewhat
intermediate in character. Beach shells are uncommon at
Galveston, but increase in frequency towards the south. Off-
shore it is an abundant species, although live material
is not common. Parker (Ref. 175) lists it for the calcareous
environment but widespread over sandy and shelly bottoms in
rather shallow offshore waters (0-40 fms.). Giant specimens,
probably Pleistocene fossils can be taken from the beaches
off South Padre Island, where aiso, a few rare live specimens
have been taken. The length of the spines is quite variable
and tend to be longer in deeper water specimens; often the
valves show an internal red color. In this genus the
nepionic shell is large and offset from the post nepionic
shell (see Treat. Invert. Paleont., part N, Vol. 1, p. 101).
These nepionic shells are quite common dredgings (always
reddish in color) ,and are quite different from aduit
Arcinella; however, they are easily observed on mature .
specimens. With Chama congregata, this species is among
the most common bivalves of the N.W. Gulf of Mexico. In
spite of the large spines, the species is not exempt from
attack by Natica or Thais. Neatly drilled specimens

with a hole right in the middle of the spines have been
dredged. The spines themselves, are formed from scales which
become rolled up like a cigar. They show clearly, a groove
and are hollow when broken.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: (Most
references are to Chama arcinella or Echinochama arcinella
Linne). 1, Galveston; 7, listed; 19, beach valves; 21,
listed, 45, Matagorda, Texas; 67, Point Isabel; 69, listed
in Appendix 8; 98, listed for Padre Island; 110, beach
worn shells, rare at Galveston, fresh shells occasionally
on Mustang and Padre Island, living off Freeport, Port
Aransas and Port Isabel, Pl. 9, figs. 11-12; 123, live
shells are not uncommon on the shell banks in the area
(11-16 fms.) east and southeast of Freeport, Texas; 132,
off East Texas (dead in 7 to 9 fms.); 144, reported off-
shore; 145, dead on deep shelf; 156, Stetson Bank; 170,
off East Texas; 174, listed; 175, listed under calcareous
bank assemblage, pl. 6, fig. 24; 201, Mudlump fauna,
Mississippi delta; 206, Beach Records in Texas Conch.,

Vol. 3(1)3; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 253, rare on
reef off Padre Island; 269, figured on page 172.

Records H.M.N.S.: 89 lots of which 16 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms.; alive 0-28 fms., mostly on shelly,
sandy bottoms. Rare on outcrops or calcareous reefs.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, West Indies to Brazil ,
Pacific?

Maximum Size: 52 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Arcinella arcinella californica
(Dall, 1903) "Gulf of California to Panama" (Abbott, 1974).

67

SUPERFAMILY ARCACEA

FAMILY ARCIDAE

It is customary to divide this large family of taxodont bivalves into
a number of subfamilies which are all represented in the N.W. Gulf of
Mexico. Arcinae with genera Area, Barbatia and Acar; Anadarinae with
genus Lunarca, Anadara, Bathyarca and Bentharca; Striarcinae with genus

Arcopis.

Noetia is here, because of its completely different juvenile form
("Sheldonella' stage) placed in a different family, but this is here
considered a point of minor importance. Much more important is a clear
and reasonable insight into the relationships between the various
categories, and this is exceedingly difficult to get from a study of
Texas material only. Especially the genus Anadara is beset with problems
and available literature (Treat. Invert. Paleont., Abbott, Keen, Rost,
McLean and others) is so contradictory and unclear that I must largely
rely on my own observations.

Of all the areas along the Texas-Louisiana coast, only three species
have ventured into the coastal bays but none goes as far in brackish
water as some Tellinids do.

Genus Arca, Linne, 1758.

Easily recognized by the long straight hinge line with numerous teeth.
The animals are attached byssus which protrudes through a notch in the
ventral margin. In our area two species.

249. Arca zebra (Swainson, 1833).
Navicula zebra, Swainson, Zool. I11, No. 26, p. 118
(exparte)

Syn. A. occidentalis, Philippi, 1847, Abb. u. Beschreib

III, p. 29, pl. 4, figs. 4 A-C.
Widespread, but never in large numbers as A. imbricata and
preferring deeper water, where it is restricted to shelly
bottoms, miocene shale uplifts and calcareous environment.
Sometimes beach specimens are found close to the jetty at
South Padre Island, where once two juvenile live specimens
were taken (see ref. 206, vol. 3 (3)). Some juvenile
material in the H.M.N.S. collection is very narrow and slender
with a large posterior wing, and almost appears another species
(Arca Sp. A., ref. 206, vol. 9, p 77, No.701 ), but is nothing
more than a somewhat abeecane form.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 61, Rockport
area (note: possibly A. imbricata); 62, listed for Mustang
and Padre Island (possibly erroneous ideneleieneionye 67, Port
Isabel; 69, listed in appendix 8; 110, taken on Coral banks
100 miles off Galveston, and beach shells occasionally at
Port Isabel; 145, listed, 147, alive on Baker Bank, dead on
Big Southern Bank; 156, Stetson Bank; 170, listed for
transitional shelf assemblage, pl. 5, fig. 3; 192, Alacran
Reef (Mexico) pl. 6, figs. 8, A, B; 206, Beach Records, Texas
Conch., Vol. 3, (3), 19; 251 Yucatan shelf; 253, reef off Padre
Island, uncommon, also outside of Oct®pus vulgaris den;

68

250.

figured on page, 150.

Records H.M.N.S.: 25 lots of which 14 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-55 fms.; alive 6-55 fms. Probably living at base
of Port Isabel jetty.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Florida, South Texas and
the West Indies to Brazil, Bermuda (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 83.8 mm. (beach shell Port Isabel).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Arca pacifica (Sowerby, 1933) "'... the
intertidal zones or dredged in depths to 137 m. from
Scammon 's Lagoon, Baja California, to Paita, Peru (Keen,
LSTA;

Arca imbricata Bruguiere, 1789.

Arca imbricata Bruguiere, Encycl. Method; vol. 1, p. 98.

A. umbonate Lam . 1819 is synonymous.
The main habitat of this locally abundant species are the
Pleistocene rock ridges off Galveston and Freeport. Here
the species lives in countless numbers, some specimens form
the substrate for a very remarkable brachiopod which attaches
itself on the smooth shelf between the umbones. Truly common
on the beach and sometimes taken Live in the inlet at South
Padre Island on rocks. The dense tangle of byssus in clusters
of Arca imbricata is a favorite habitat for small bivalves and
gastropods. It also lives in calcareous environment, the
miocene shale uplifts and rarely-is taken from shelly bottoms.
Juveniles are already quite different from those of A. zebra,
which are much more slender.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, Galveston
Island; 7, listed; 19, beach worn valves all along the Gulf;
21, cited; 45, alive, Galveston; 58, Matagorda Peninsula; 67,
Port Isabel; 98, beach Padre Island; 110, worn specimens at
Galveston; fresh shells on St. Joseph, Mustang and Padre
Islands, pl. 6, figs. 13-14; 135, dead in gulf; 136, some-
times very abundant (70 feet); 147, dead on Baker Bank; 156,
Stetson Bank; 159, alive at. Aransas Pass; 174, Listed; 175,
Calcareous Banks assemblage, 10-60 fms., attaching, pil. 6,
fig. 22, 206, Beach Records Texas Conch., Vol. 3, (3), 1966,
236, Galveston, 251, listed Yucatan Shelf; 253, most dominant
pelycepod on reef off Padre Island, heavily preyed upon by
Octopus vulgaris; 269, figured on p. 149.

Records H.M.N.S.: 26 lots of which 10 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-35 fms.; alive 0-12 fms.

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas and the West Indies

to Brazil; Be da (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: .O mm,

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Arca mutabilis (Sowerby, 1833).

From Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, through the Gulf of
California and south to Ecuador and may be dredged to depths
of 82 m. (Keen, 1971).

69

Genus Acar Gray, 1857.

Along the Texas-Louisiana coast the genus Acar is represented by two
different species. They each live in totally different environments.

It is possible that both are widely divergent morphs of the same species
each adapted to its particular environment. However, the morphologial
differences are SO striking that I present the two forms as different
species.

Because juveniles of Acar are already somewhat different in shape and
ornamentation from those of other species in Barbatia I believe that
it is significant to consider Acar as a full genus, as Rost already
has suggested.

251. Acar domingensis (Lamarck, 1819).
The difference with the other species can be summarized as
follows: A. domingensis: reaches the relative large size
of 30 mm, is irregular in shape and is often quite coarsely
ornamented: there almost aiways is a strong median sulcus
and the outline is rather quadrate. Many valves show signifi-
cant interruptions in growth. In coarsely sculptured
material, the umbonal ridge often carries on its posterior
end strong spines.

The other species is much smaller (up tv 8.0 mm.) is wedged
shaped (narrow anterior end), without interruptions in
growth, there is no sulcousin mature specimens, which always
possess a regular and fine, almost cancellate, ornamentation.

The umbonal ridge is subdued and without spines.

There exists a deep-water morph of A, domingengis which
may constitute a third species, but which appears to be
connected to the shallow water form by a continuous series
of intermediates, This form is less inflated and |
has very coarse, almost cancellate sculpture, (the radial
elements are mich more subdued than in A. domingensis). We
shall list this morph separately, but consider it part of
A. & snsis. :
Acar domingensis is sometimes taken from veachdrift at Sargent
and farther to the southwest, all the way to the Mexican
border. It lives offshore BEE Galveston and Freeport mainly
on Pleistocene rock ridges on muddy environment. In general,
it is a rather variable species in which mature valves are
often somewhat misformed, due to cramped living conditions
(boreholes).
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: 7,
listed as Acar reticulata fm; 45, Texas; 56, listed; 110,
from the coral banks 100 miles off Galveston and 50 miles
off Port Arthur; 136, alive off East Texas at 70 feet; 145,
listed in table 1; 140, dead from Baker Bank, dead from
Big Southern Bank, alive from West Flower Garden, alive from
East Flower Garden; 159, alive at Port Aransas during 1955;
170, listed for transitional shelf assemblage off East Texas,
plate 13, fig. 3; 174, listed; 175, listed for calcareous |
bank assemblage, pL b, fig. 23, 192, pl. 9, fig. 7 A, B;

70

201, listed in appendix, Mississippi Mudlumps; 206, Beach
records Texas Conch., Vol. 3(4); 251, listed for Yucatan shelf;
253, abundant, attached to rocks, a single rock measuring

140 X 140 X 140 mm. yielded 64 live individuals; 269, figured
on page 151.

Records H.M.N.S.: 36 lots of which 12 contain Live collected
material. 30 (1i alive) are shallow water, 6(1) alive are the
deep water modification.

Depth Range: Shallow water morph, 0-27 fms; alive: 0-27 fms.,
most on rocky bottoms or shell bottoms; rare on coral reefs.
Deep water morph: 35-85 fms., alive at 55 fms., on shelly
mud bottoms. The specimen from 85 fms. is probably
adventitious. .

Geographical Range: North Carolina to Texas to Brazil, Bermuda

(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 29.5 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: Acar gradata (Broderip and Sowerby,
1829.

Baha, California to Negritos, Peru, intertidally on rocky shores
or dredged in depths of 37 mw. (Keen, 1971).

2526 Acar Sp. Indet B.

This very much smaller species only lives on the coral and
algal reefs. As stated, it is very pointed anteriorly, its
sculpture is almost evenly cancelliate and it is more evenly
inflated so that the umbonal ridge is not outspoken. Ai-
though some rare Acar domingensis are also taken on the
coral reefs, these in general, except for very small juveniles,
can be easily separated. from Acar spec. indet. B.

Previous Reference for the Texas Faunal Province are: None.

Records H.M.N.S.: 7 lots, of which two contain Live collected
material.

Depth Range: 60-168 feet, alive at 60-90 feet.

Geographicai Range: Unknown.

Maximum Size: 68.0 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Acar bailyi (Bartsch, 1931)? "Southern
California to the Gulf of California intertidally and to depths
of a few meters (Keen, 1971).

Genus Barbatia Gray, 1842.

It is apparently customary to separate the genus into a number of very
closely related subgenera for which I eould use here Barbatia ss,
Cucullaearca and Fugleria. In spite of some morphological differences
which become outspoken in senile material, I believe that these differences
are too slight to really form a valid base for distinction. Here a
subgeneric designation of the three species will be omitted.

253, Barbatia candida (Helbling, 1779).
Arca candida Helbling, Abh.Privalgesell. Bohmen, Vol. 4,
Pp. p. 129, pl. 4, figs 39- 40, (West Indies).
Juveniles of this species are often taken with those of Acar
domingensis but can be immediately geparated from those, be-
cause apart from having a much finer ornamentation and
being much flatter; the prodissochonch is distinctly colored

al

brown, contrasting with later shell growth which is white,
Of all the Arcids on the Texas coast, this is the most
variable even more so than Anadara transversa and the
entirety of material in the H.M.N.S. collection is quite
puzzling. There appear to be two types of juveniles, but
at the moment, I am unable to make a convincing case for

two different species. In material of 10-20 mm. in size
all types of shapes, familiar also in the genus Anadara can
be seen; quadrate outlined, wedged-shaped shells, and forms
with sagging ventral margins; mature or senile specimens can
reach huge size (up to 80 m.)and appear as far as I am able
to judge from photographs - indistinguishable from the
Panamanic Barbatia reeveana Orbigny.

B. candida has only been rarely collected on or near the
beach (Port Aransas, South Padre Island) but is fairly wide-
spread in offshore waters off Galveston and Freeport, where
it prefers rocks, or shelly bottoms$ its main habitat are
however, the calcareous environment and miocene shale outer-
crops off Louisiana and Texas, where it lives and reaches
large size.

Previous Records for the Texas faunal province are: 147, dead
from Baker Bank, dead from Big Southern Bank pl. 1, fig 11;
156 on Stetson Bank; 159, a single live specimen at Port
Aransas, attached to rock; 170, deep shelf assemblage, alive;
174, listed; 175, calcareous banks assemblage, common attaching
from 10-60 fms; 206, beach records Texas Conch., Vol. 3(5)
253, uncommonly found attached to rocks, fresh valves near
Octopus vulgaris den; . 269, figured on page 152, but mis-
labelled B. tenera; 14.

Records H.M.N.S.: 34 lots, of which 14 contain live collected
material.
Depth Range: o
Geographical Ra

4 fms., alive: 8-55 fms.
n "=y
Maximum Size: 8

4
ge: North Carolina to Texas to Brazil (Abbott 1974),
0

a

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Large specimens are indistinguishable
from Barbatia reeveana (Orbigny, 1846).
Baja California, South to Torritos, Peru, intertidally and
to depths of 120 m. (Keen, 1971).

jarbatia tenera (C.B. Adams, 1845). -
tenera, C.B. Adams, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 2, p. 9s
This is one of the least common Texas Barbatia's. It is dredged
occasionally from rocky environment from Louisiana to Freeport,
Texas, and lives in relatively shallow water. On the beaches
it is rare (Galveston seawall) except near Port Aransas, where
divers have taken live material from the jetties and beach
material is fairly common. Offshore its habitat are mainly
the miocene shale uplifts and the Pleistocene rock ridges
(indurated shells from fossil b eaches). Although reported
from the calcareous environment, we have not collected the
species there. In spite of its appearance (thin and somewhat
boxy) this species is closely allied to the much larger B.
candida. Off the Texas coast, sometimes rather elongated
specimens are found which approach the size of equal sized

B. candida closely. The ribbing, however, is clearly differents
In B. tenera the beaded ribs are slender and threadlike with

A =.
Arca

72

255

a very thin thread in between two fatter ones. In B. candida
the ribs are much coarser and the thin thread in between is
missing. Juveniles of B. tenera are quite similar to
Anadara, but can be distinguished by the hinge. Very smali
juveniles are quite close to those of B. candida.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 147, dead
on Baker Bank, dead on West Flower Garden; 156, Stetson Bank;
206, Beach records Texas Conch. Vol. 3(4); 269 figured on page
151, but mislabelled B. .candida.

Records H.M.N.S.: 15 lots of which 2 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-25 fms.; alive 11-12 fms...

Geographical Range:

Maximum Size: 33.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Barbatia illota (Sowerby, 1833),
is possibly the same. Angel de la guarda Island, Gulf of
California, to Lobitos, Peru, offshore to depths of 70 m.
(Keen, 1971).

Barbatia cancellaria (Lamarck, 1819).

Arca candida Lamarck, Anim. S. Vert., Vol. 6, p. 41,

1819.
This well known Arcid lives only in the rather restricted
environment of the coral reefs, but some old valves have been
‘found on the miocene shale uplifts and a single lot of dead
shells comes from deeper water off Louisiana (55 fms.). These
may be displaced shells.

The species is, when fresh, always completely colored a reddish
brown; most specimens show a lighter radial ower the median
part of the disk descending from the umbo. Only once an old
specimen was collected on the beach (Sargent). Juvenile ma-
terial is dark brown and thus easily distinguishable from
other species in the genus. The statement by Andrews that

this is a "deep water species, often brought in by Shrimpers"
is incorrect.

Previous Records for the Texas Faunal Province are: 7, Listed;

45, listed, 56, listed; 110, coral banks 100 miles off Galveston;
147, dead on Baker Bank; alive, West Flower Gardens, alive

East Flower Garden, pl. 1, fig, 12, 13; 192, pl. 8, figs. 12A,
B (Yucatan); 206, Beach Records Texas Conch., Vol. 3(4); 214,
pl. 10, figs. 5, 6 (Campeche Bank); 269, figured on page 150

Records H.M.N.S.: 12 lots, of which 6 contain Live collected
material.

Depth Range: 8-55 fms; alive 10-28 fms. coral and algal reefs.
probably displaced at 55 fms.

Geographical Range:

Maximum Size: 29.6 m.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Barbatia lurida (Sowerby 1833), is not
very close judging by figures. "Bahia San Luis Gonzaga, Gulf
of Dic Bee to Zorritos Peru, intertidally to 22 m. (Keen,
1971).

Genus Lunarca Gray, 1842.
Rather oval thick shelled bivalves; ligament almost entirely behind beak.

Juveniles are somewhat different from Anadara in missing the median sulcus
and being thicker shelled. Only a single species.

73

Previous Records are:

\

Lunarea Ovalis (Bruguiere, 1789).

Arca ovalis Brugui@ére, Encycl. Meth. p. 110.
Synonyms: Lunarca pexata Say L. americana Gray

L. campechiensis Gmelin.
Widespread throughout the coastal bays and very shallow off-

_ shore waters, Often thrown up alive on the beaches. Covered
like Noetia ponderosa by a thick dark coat of periostracum
and often living with that species in mud bottoms all along
the Texas-Louisiana coast. Specimens obtained from some
coastal bays appear slightly different in shape (less compact,
thinner and larger) than specimens from offshore. Material
dredged below 10 fathoms of water is probably all Pleistocene
in age. Those of Stetson Bank undoubtedly are fossils.
Although perhaps not a valid generic characteristic this
species has haemoglobin in its blood. According to Taylor,
this internal anatomy is different from Anadara, resembling
that of Trisidos. (Taylor, Paleontology, Vol. 13, 1975,
Peo.

1 listed; 7, listed; 15, Galveston,

Corpus Christi, Sabine Pass, 18, Galveston; 19, living in

Matagorda Bay, dead on Matagorda Island beach; 21, listed;

45, Galveston, Corpus Christi 56, listed; 61, Port Aransas

area; 62, Mustang Island,
Pleistocene of Texas; 67,
98, alive in Cedar Bayou,
on all Texas beaches, pl.
in 65 fms. about 20 miles
abundant on Sabine Bank.

of Freeport, Texas; 126,

Padre Island; 66, listed for Marine
Port {fsabel; 69, ‘listed on page 54;
110, one of the most common shells

6, figs. 1, 2; 123, two live specimens
off Sabine jetties. Old shells

Old shells in 15% fms. southeast
outer sandy beaches and near shore
lives almost ex-

sandy areas of Carolinian Province (note:
clusively in very muddy environment); 135, dead in Gulf,
alive in bays; 136, alive in intertidal zone off East Texas.
Abundant in sandy sediments on beach and in shallow water;

143, Matagorda Bay; 145, upper sound, inlets, and shallow
shelf assemblages, pl. 5, figs. 13A, B; 156, Stetson Bank,
"may not be living on the bank now''; 160, Matagorda Bay,

live at many locations;

a

abundantly alive in inlet

¥

influenced areas at Bockp rt, alive in open bay centers; 170,
transitional shelf assemblage off East Texas; 174, listed;
202, Laguna de Terminos, Mexico, pl. 1, figs. 3 A-B; 206
Beach Records, Texas Conch. Vol.3(4) ; 208, shelf mud and
silt » tidal inlet and open bay center environments in-South
Texas; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 253, a few valves on
eulfside bottom off Padre Island reef; 261, shallow offshore
Galveston, 266, Padre Island, 269, figured on page 153.
Records H.M.N.S.: 91, lots of which 28 contain live collected

material.
Depth Range:
Geographical Range: Cape Cod
Abbott =
wa eee ize: mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: L

0-37 fms.; alive 0-9 fms. on mud bottoms.

to Texas and the West Indies; Brazil

unarca brevifrons(Sowerby, 1833).

"From West Coast of Baja California in depth of 44 m. and
southward to Northern Peru. (Keen, 1971).

74

Genus Anadara Gray, 1847.

The genus Anadara along the Texas-Louisiana coast is represented by

a rather uniform group of species. Many subgenera have been proposed
and are in use (see f. i. Keen 1971), but in the N. W. Gulf of Mexico,
species can be assigned only to three categories, which are closely
related. One of these is Cunearca, another is Caloosarca, but the
third I cannot assign with certainty to any of the known subgenera.
For the last Abbott uses both Larkinia Reinhardt, 1935 and Sectiarca
Olsson, two subgenera which I do not believe that are in any way differ-
ent, at least if one takes A. transversa and A. baughmani as Larkinia.
Caloosarca is quite close, but might be considered separately.

The group of species to which belong such well known species as A.
transvera, A. floridana, A. baughmani, look when they are juvenile so
amazingly similar that they must belong to the same subgenus. Apparently
juvenile material (< 5 mm.) of these species have been little studied
because I find some incorrect statements about some of these species

in the published record. For instance, it is stated (Abbott, 1974)

that Sectiarca does not possess overlapping valve margins. This is

only approximately true for fully mature specimens of over 3 inches,
although the H.M.N.S. collection has a large specimen with some overlap,
but small juveniles almost always have overlap. This overlap moreover

is apparently a general character of the shallow water Anadarinae.
Lunarca which in the mature stage never has it, sometimes, although
rarely shows it in juvenile material. The so called split nature of

the ribs in Sectiarca is likewise a poor character, because it is miss-—
ing in juvenile material. One of our surprising finds offshore Louisiana,
Caloosarca catasarca Dall, also shows split ribs.

A characters which links all Anadarids except Lunarca is the outspoken
median sulcus, which even in large shells can be seen, (for instance,
Ep OL plas tulane Studs Geo... Vol. 7 (), 1969) 9 ft “is also: out—
spoken in Lunarca brasiliana, which, however, develops in the juvenile
state (<5 mm.) already in a shape different from Anadara.

The reason that so much confusion in the arrangement of anadarid arcs

of shallow coastal waters exists (the minute forms of deeper water form

a separate group) is that most species during growth exhibit a remark-
able change in shell morphology. Especially A. floridana and A. baughmani
show an amazing series of stages during which the shell morphology changes
strongly.

To be continued

AUCTION TIME! AUCTION TIME! AUCTION TIME!

Save your dollars, raid your piggy bank, bring your check book and come
to the April 26th meeting of the HCS. We will have our special auction
for members on that date at the Houston Museum of Natural Science class—
room meeting room. We will start this meeting at 7:15 p.m. with refresh—-
ments and viewing time of the shells to be offered for auction, silent
bidding and sale. The business meeting will be held at 7:45 p.m., and

at 8:00 p.m. the action will begin.

Ruth Goodson and Lioyd Meister, chairmen for the event, have urged men—
bers to bring in more shells. You may calli them for pickup or take your
shelis to the homes of assistants Margaret Baldwin or Cynthia Biasca.

The shells need to be priced or selected for the various categories, so
bring them now, please. There will be surprise boxes offered for $1.00.
This has been pepular with members. You may wrap your shells in boxes
for this, or you may bring shells you feel will fit this category and

the committee will package them. The boxed shells should be shells yeu'd
feel you'd like if you paid $1.00 or more for them.

Several dealer friends have sent special shells, and members have been
giving shells. Among the species we have already are Spondylus americanus,
Chama lazarus, Cardium pseudolima, Strombus gigas, a set of 10 colors of
Pecten australis, Lyropecten nodosus, a large bailer shell, Voluta
nobilis, Chicoreus artemis, Pyrulofusus dexius, Neptunia contraria,
Xenophora pallidula, Conus mercator, and Cymbium glans. There will be

a good selection of Texas shells.

This event is planned for fun and enjoyment for members. We get a chance
to see a lot of shells and the bargains are many.

DO COME.

MAY PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

Audrey and Wayne Holiman, our members from Edinburg, Texas, will pre-
sent a slide program on collecting on the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, at
the May 24, 1978, meeting. They have collectdextensively in Mexico

and other areas in the Panamic Province. You will recall their beauti-
ful exhibit of Panamic Province shells at our Museum show last May.
Bring your friends and come with pencil and pad to take notes on col-
lecting areas and shells you can find. The Holimans are always will-
ing to share their information on their travels.

76

CONCHOLOGIST

WiLLIAM H. DALES
ECTIONAL LIBRARY

VOLUME XIV NO. 4 SION OF

1978

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1978 - 1979

President: Frank Petway
Program Vice-President: Charles A. Doh
Field Trip Vice-President: Maryann Curtis
Treasurer: Joanne Hoard
Recording Secretary: Jim Sartor
Corresponding Secretary/Newsletter: Mary Jane Williams
Directors: Max Finer

Helmer Odé

Frank Van Morkhoven

Donald W. Fraga

Margie Woods

Ruth Goodson
Editor, Texas Conchologist: Constance E. Boone
Past President: Wilson Ward

KRKKKKKKKKKEKK

DUES TIME IS NOW:

Fiscal year of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc., is June 1 to
May 31 of each year. Please pay your dues promptly to the treasurer
so that you can be assured of receiving your Newsletters and the
quarterly, The Texas Conchologist, and be on the Membership List to
be mailed to members next fall. The deadline for membership dues is
August 15.

Please mail your check with the membership form attached to this
issue for proper handling.

Mail to Treasurer Joanne Hoard, 4525 North Braeswood, #103THA,
Houston, Texas 7/096.

77

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is the official publication of the Houston Conchology Society, Inc. and is
published quarterly at Houston, Texas and is included in the membership dues.

The society holds meetings the fourth Wednesday of each month except June, July and December at
8:00 p.m. in the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST is mailed, postpaid, to regular members of the society, with the exception

that only one copy is mailed to a family. Overseas members will be charged the additional postage re-
quired at the beginning of each fiscal year (June).

RATES AND DUES CIRCULATION

Family membership $6.00
Single membership $5.00
Student membership $2.00
Single issues $1.50
Extra sets mailed members $5.00

Mr. & Mrs. Sam Miron
723-3628 |
5238 Sanford Street
Houston, Texas 77035

EDITORIAL STAFF

Helmer Odé, Editor W. W. Sutow Constance E. Boone
664-9942 748-7233 668-8252
4811 Braeburn Drive 4371 N. MacGregor Way 3706 Rice Blvd.
Bellaire, Texas 77401 Houston, Texas 77004 Houston, Texas 77005

The TEXAS CONCHOLOGIST accepts contributions for publication from amateurs, students, and pro-

fessionals, subject to approval! by the editorial board. Manuscripts should be typed, double spaced and
should be submitted to the editorial staff.

ABOUT THE SHELL AUCTION '78 By Lloyd F. Meister

Although I was billed as the co-chairman of this year's auction my
major contribution will be this brief missive. The real ramrod of
the auction was Ruth Goodson, the other co-chairman, who made the
rounds of people (Dealers) as far away as Refugio and Rockport
getting shells. The ones that should have been listed as co-chair-
men are Margret Baldwin and Cynthia Biasca. The help of these two
ladies and many other people was invaluable. It is this kind of
help that makes for success.

ph.

rice Van Erp was, as always, our auctioneer. She is a very out—
ing, naturally funny lady who is well suited for the job. With a
of hard work Clarice brought in close to $650 which was more
han half the net total of $1090.90. Our thanks to you, Clarice,
or your wonderful help.

(o)

Rhett ROO
o}
ctor

There were many members and friends who gave shells this year. There
are a few whose names we do not have. So as not to leave anyone out
it has been decided not to list local donors but only to offer our
thanks for your donations.

78

There were several dealers from around the country who made donations
and we feel that they should be listed:

Bauer's Rock and Sea Shell Shop - Galveston, Texas - Chama lazarus.

E. D. Green - Refugio, Texas - A set of 10 Pecten australis.

Walter Lasiter - Rockport, Texas - Striped bubble, some pink
bivalves and some pectens from Texas.

Earl Adkinson - Rockport, Texas — Pecten flabellum.

John Davis - Rockport, Texas - Strombus gigas.

Ed Hanley - Fort Myers, Florida - Pair Turbo petholatus,
(1 orange, 1 green).

Morrison Galleries - Sarasota, Florida - Neptunia contraria and

Pyrulofusus dexius (both rare).
M. Fulkerson - Collector's Corner - Houston, Texas — Set of 5

‘Pecten farreri.

Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Holiman of Edinburg, Texas, our long-time members,
sent a box of West Coast shells among which were 2 pair of
Typhis cumingi. We mention the Holimans because they are out
of the Houston area.

We express our gratitude to all of the above.

Again our thanks to all who had any part in this year's auction whether
worker or donor or buyer or all three.

RKEKKKKKEKRKKKKK

FOLLOWING BOOKS WERE PURCHASED FOR THE CLUB LIBRARY 1977-1978 FISCAL YEAR:

Grzimck's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 3
What Shell Is That?
Shells of Britain and Europe

Standard Catalog of Shells
Cowries
1978-1979 International Directory of Concholgists

JLLOWING BOOKS ARE ON BACK-ORDER:

Color, Universal Language and Dictionary of Names
Mollusks on Stamps
Poisonous and Venomous Marine Animals of The World

FOLLOWING PUBLICATIONS ARE PURCHASED FOR THE CLUB LIBRARY:

Hawaiian Shell News

La Conchiglia

Malacologia

Malacological Review

Nautilus

Veliger

*Sea and Shore and many shell club publications come to us on
exchange basis

79

1977-1978 EXPENDITURES FOR LIBRARY:

$241.53 - Purchase of books

$275.00 - Purchase of complete set of Veliger publications,
some bound and some unbound, plus assorted supple-
ments

$134.00 - Subscriptions to periodicals

$ 4.20 - Library expenses (file cards)

Tien Gem oARTOR
Treasurer

NOTE: Our library is located in the Information Office at The Houston
Museum of Natural Science (first floor near sales counter).
Books and periodicals may be checked out for two weeks and
renewed once. Your membership card is entry to the library.
We hope you will use the fine material we are purchasing and
receiving in exchange.

THE LIBRARY COMMITTEE
KAKKEKAKKKKEK
HOUSTON CONCHOLOGY SOCIETY

SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENSE
FISCAL YEAR 1977 - 1978

INCOME
Regular - Membership Dues S928
Special - Sale of Back Issues 159
- Dividends on Savings 262
-— Auction 1,030
-— Donations 100
TOTAL INCOME $2,479

EXPENSE
Texas Conchologist S$ 990
Newsletter 276
Donations to Museum 1,000
Club Library 655
General Club Expense 116
Payments Due Syl
TOTAL EXPENSE $3,068
NET DEFICIT $ 589

J. C. SARTOR
Treasurer

RAEKRKKKKAKKEREK

80

SEARCH AND SEIZURE By Constance E. Boone

Try Search and Seizure's "$25,000 Pyramid" game---------

Category selected: SOMETHING ABOUT SHELLS

ho

SOMETHING TO READ ABOUT SHELLS: See the list of books elsewhere
in this issue we have acquired for our club library. Check out
several and learn something new about shells. For instance; the
complete set of Veliger will now be available to you and will pro-
vide excellent reading, volume by volume. Many years ago that is
how I continued studying shells---by reading every book we had in
the library then. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia Vol. 3 on
Mollusks and Echinoderms has many interesting facts about sea life.
Read about starfish, for instance. Set a task for yourself-—--de-
cide you want to learn about the habits and life styles of your
favorite shells and comb the literature we have.

SOMETHING TO EXPERIENCE ABOUT SHELLS: If you have a favorite
family of shells, try this year to manage and collect yourself at
least one species of that family. Stop smoking, stop drinking,
stop buying shells, stop eating if you have to---until you've saved
enough dollars to take you where you can collect one sample of the
family of shells you crave. You say "no way can I travel"? O.K.,
if you really are home bound and saving to go won't do it, then

it is permissable to write to a dealer or to persuade a real friend
to airmail, special deliver to you an honest-to-goodness live speci-
men from your family of shells. Set up an aquarium and observe
that specimen as long as you can keep it alive.

SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT SHELLS: Write your experiences and obser-
vations in shelling down for your own use in correctly cataloging

-your shells when you are finally home. Keep a notebook or journal

on trips and visits to the beach. Jot down what you collected at
each location, each station, noting conditions, tides, every detail
that will make your sample more important. Dates, abundance of
species and specimens even if you collect only a few, substrate,
water depth, descriptions of the animals live and discussion of
their activities in their natural environments---all these make
excellent additions to good collections. Who knows? You may dis-
cover something completely new about your favorite animals. This
April Mildred Tate called me and told me Janthinas were arriving

at Surfside and that Epitoniums had been collected. She related
the experience of some collectors in the Brazosport area who de-
posited live Epitoniums (angulatum, probably) and live Renilla
muelleri (sea pansy) in an aquarium and that the Epitonium ate

the Renilla. Write reports and notes for use in Texas Conchologist.
This is really importar.t to our readers.

SOMETHING TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT SHELLS: Be generous in sharing your
knowledge with inquisitive youngsters and adults on the beaches and
visitors in your home. You may help to awaken them to the joys of
shelling. If you are asked, join the club brigade of members which
goes to schools, clubs and organizations with talks on shells. Vol-
unteer to help with this at the next meeting; we may not know you
want to do this. It is amazing how much you'll find you know about
shells to tell those who know only that shells exist.

81

~
.

SOMTHING NEW TO KNOW ABOUT SHELLS: Having read it also in Nautilus,
it was delightful to have a note from Austin member Ruby McConnell
who had just read the report by William G. Lyons of a new species

of Fusinus. (Nautilus, Vol. 92 (2), April, 1978) Fusinus stegeri
Lyons, 1978, is from the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Lyons states

that specimens of this species are common in cabinets of many shell

collectors who have obtained unsorted deep water dredgings (most
of us have such dredgings from the Blacks). Also, the Nautilus,
Vol. 91 (4), October, 1977, reports Dr. Don Moore's new species
of the smallest adult clams in the world. Said to be common in
sand in shallow water in the Caribbean, Condylonucula cynthiae
and Condylonucula maya form a new genus and have been overlooked
by shell collectors because of their extremely small size. (Kat
your heart out, Jim Sartor!) It would take 10 million of them
to fill a regular clam bucket and three adults would cover the
head of a pin! A release from Dr. R. Tucker Abbott, editor of
Nautilus, compares this with the largest clam in the world, the
giant Tridacna of the Southwest Pacific, which can weigh 500
pounds and grow to four feet in length. These miniature clams
mature at the size of about a half-millimeter.

Another article to read is Part IIb of the Family Columbellidae,
the Pyreninae of the Western Atlantic, by the late George E.
Radwin, published in the April, 1978, issue of the Veliger,

Works ZO) (dc

SOMETHING TO HELP THE CLUB ABOUT SHELLS: We need to rebuild our
supply of shells, spare specimens and beach shells. Please clean,
sort and label such shells, box them for storage and take them to
Herschel Sands' home. We have many uses for shells. Please do
take the time to pick up the common Dosinia pairs, the ark pairs,
cockle halves, moon snails, ear shells, orange-mouthed Thais,

Busycons, angel wing valves, scallops, etc. They are great for

schools, help us make prettier packages for our next public sale,
and make any visit to the beach worthwhile. I've seen the beach
littered with good shells after a hard blow. Take the time to
stoop to gather them and take the time to clean them nicely for
us. If you have any doubt of the merit of this pyramid box, look
in the museum store next time and see what Texas beach shells are
selling for to visitors, many who come from out of state and seek
Texas shells as souvenirs or for collections.

SOMETHING TO DO WITH YOUR OWN SHELLS: Catalog at least 100 Texas
shells collected during the year. Catalog at least 100 shells
acquired on a trip or from exchanges, etc. Follow through the
correct procedure as outlined in many of our library books. Work
out the nomenclature yourself with the help of books and not just
by asking others what the names are for your shells. You'll be
delighted with the satisfaction you'll gain from your own efforts.

If you get half of them wrong, don't worry. You can always cor-

rect the name or update it, but you've made the effort to do the
work first.

SOMETHING TO DO THIS FALL ABOUT GETTING SHELLS: Maryann Curtis
is busy setting up field trips for the fall and winter months.

By all means, join club members on these field trips. Even if
you can go for just a couple of hours, try coming on a field trip
to "sink your toes in the sand" and find your own shells. This
is most rewarding and great fun.

82

9. SOMETHING TO PHOTOGRAPH ABOUT SHELLS: We need good slides or prints
of shells as they live and interesting shots about trips and shell-
ing. Texas Conchologist will be happy to use good photos to illus-
trate your articles or to use as spot features. Black and white
glossy prints are best for our use, but we can use glossy prints
made from clear color slides. The club will benefit also from
your slides and photo stories, so let Charlie Doh, program vice-
president, know what you have to share in a program. We have no
idea where all our members have gone on shelling trips. One of
you may have been to Alaska, or to South Africa, surely some ex-
otic isle in the Pacific, maybe Easter Island. Let us know about
THES

We might also like to build a file of good slides for our library.
Lucy Clampit is still working on the hints on shelling slide and
tape story that will be deposited in our library for check out
use, but we have a need for other slides. Dodie Beazley called

me this spring seeking a source for good slides of exotic and rare
shells to illustrate a talk she planned to give. It might be a
good project for someone to offer to head to secure good slides

to have on our library shelves for checkout by members.

10. SOMETHING MORE TO SHARE ABOUT SHELLS: Good specimen shells you
can share make desirable door prizes. Offer these to President
Frank Petway. Be sure to do your homework and give the shells
complete with full data, and don't forget to add your name as
collector.

Will you reach the top of this Pyramid game this club year?

If you do, you will have gained $25,000 of knowledge and good will.
If this isn't enough incentive, this columnist promises good specimen
shell prizes to each contestant finishing all 10 categories by May l,
1979. Awards will be made at the May, 1979, meeting.

KREKKKKEKKEKERE

SEMINAR FIELD TRIP NEWS

A weekend seminar field trip to Port Aransas and Port Isabel will be
sponsored by the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the University
of Houston Continuing Education Center October 20, 21, 22, and 23,
1978. The first day will feature trawling for shrimp on the Univer-
sity of Texas Marine Laboratory boat. The second day's field trip
will be at Laguna Atascosa. Both shelling and birding field trips
are planned for the third day at South Padre Island with housing at
the island's Hilton. Opportunity will be provided to visit Mexico.
On the fourth day there will be a shrimp boil and tour of Aransas
Wildlife Refuge. Dr. T. E. Pulley, Carl Aiken, and Dr. John Tveten
are leaders. Call Sherman Pease at 749-1232 (Continuing Education
Center) for more information on cost and reservations. Transporta-
tion will be by bus.

83

SINISTRAL DEXTRADS IN PHILATELIC CONCHOLOGY By W. W. Sutow, M.D.

In this age of heightened sensitivity for minority rights and
against discrimination of any sort, I call attention to still
another example of what (given motivation) might be exaggerated
into an "issue". This concerns the minority group of us south-
paws or the lefties.

The adjective "dextral" and "sinistral" are straightforward deno-
tations of handedness - right and left. But language doesn't
stop there. Look at the work "dexterous" - clearly complimentary
to the right-handed masses. Even in describing those who can use
both hands well, the language has coined the term "ambidextrous"
(not ambisinistral) - again a clear favoring of the righthanded
majority.

Historicaliy, therefore, we lefties have suffered under various
social injustices. Looking at the situation in another way, the
minority left-handed population is less than honored by such words
as "sinister' the connotations of which need no explaining. Prac-
tices discriminatory to the southpaws exist in other languages.
Take the word "gauche". It is French in origin and means "left".
In Webster's dictionary it is a bona fide adjective in English
usage. There are also the nouns derived from it: "gaucherie” and
"saucheness'". The words are defined as "lacking in social experi-
ence and grace", "tactlessness", and "awkwardness". Needless to say,
the implications are all bad.

While these comments have nothing to do with conchology and philately,
they can serve to introduce the subject of seashell lefties. Under
usual circumstances, the occurrence of a left-handed seashell would
be a rare developmental anomaly - and the collection of such speci-
mens would be a treasured event. The left-handed Indian chank shell
(Iurbinella pyrum), for example, would appear to have deep religious
significance. Its depiction on the state seal of Travencore empha-
sizes its importance among the Hindus. (see Nautilus 88:1, 1974).

It is not surprising, therefore, that designs utilizing such a shell
would appear on postage stamps issued by various countries. In styl-
ized form, the left-handed chank shell was depicted on millions of
stamps printed by Travencore, Cochin, and Travencore-Cochin. Among
other normally sinistral shells that appeared on stamps is the land
snail Brachypodella gracilis (Wood) on Jamaica #220 (Scott). A styl-
ized land snail shown on Korea #303, 313, 378, and 380 is also sinis-—-
tral.

On the other hand, through carelessness and accidents, there have
been issued other millions of postage stamps that depict seashells
"backwards". That is, the shells appear to be sinistral when in fact
it was intended to show them in the natural dextral form.

Recently, Dick Petit compiled a list of these stamps. The list along
with comments were published in the Volume 26, Number 3, 1977 issue
of Bio-philately, the official publication of the Biology Unit of

the American Topical Association. The stamps and shells discussed

84

by Petit are listed below.

Conus lienardi Bernardi & Crosse, Conus cabriti Bernardi, and

Conus coccineus Gmelin are cones pictured on a set of airmail stamps
issued by New Caledonia in 1968. (C58, C59 and C60). All three
cones are pictured in mirror-image fashion, that is backwards and
left-handed.

Mitra papalis (Linne) is pictured along with Malea pomum (Linne)
on Maldive Islands #283 and #286. These stamps are distinct in that
of the two shells shown on each stamp, only Mitra is sinistral.

Cymbiola rutila Broderip. The stamp designer has shown this shell
in reversed form on a recent (1976) issue from Solomon Islands.
Thus the numbers of sinistral specimens are steadily increasing.

Strombus gigas Linne is a favorite mollusk of stamp designers of

the Caribbean Islands. It is shown reversed on Bahama #217 and #243
as well as on Cayman Islands #304 and #305. (The numbers given for
various stamps represent identification numbers in Scott's Standard
Postage Stamp Catalogue).

Charonia variegata (Lamarck) is shown with other seashells on the

margin of a souvenir sheet issued by Brazil (#1130). The trumpet
shell is reversed.

Conus stupella Kuroda. Shown on China #1700, this cone generated
considerable embarassment for the Taiwan postal officials. Not only
was the shell shown in reversed fashion but even the name was mis-—
spelled (twice).

Voluta delessertiana Petit and Murex tribulus Linne are depicted
sinistrally on Malagasy (formerly Madgascar) #447 and #448 respect-
ively.

The article by Petit indicates that careful study of the various
seashell stamps may reveal even other stamps with sinistral shells.
The recognition of the sinistral pattern is usually easy - the re-
versed coiling is obvious. On the other hand, with some species, a
careful study is needed to diagnose a left-handed presentation. For
example, Cypraea caputserpentis Linne is shown in left-handed form
on Cook Islands #388.

Conus aulicus Linne as well as a Cymatium species appear in sinistral
form on Maldive Islands #172, 176, 179 and 181. Sinistral varieties
of Conus litteratus Linne and a Distorsio are shown on Maldive Is-
lands #175 and #186. A close scrutiny of Wallis and Futuna #C59

will show a reversed shell.

The reversed depiction of a seashell creates an anomaly of man and
not of nature. Just how easy it is to do is indicated by the illus-
tration in the book Shell Collecting - an Illustrated History by

S. Peter Dance (1966). On page 35 is reproduced an etching of Conus
Marmoreus Linne by the great artist Rembrandt. The shell appears as
a sinistral specimen - a mirror image of the true situation.

85

With millions of these philatelic sinistral errata distributed

over the years, a collection of these stamps would be interesting -
and entirely feasible. However, collecting a matching set of the
real shells will be something else again.

KKAKKKAKKKKAKE

MOLLUSCANA By W. W. Sutow, M.D.

These paragraphs might well be titled "Japanese Malacologists Re-
visited".

My four week trip to Japan was not for pleasure or for sightseeing.
The schedule was tight but in between the lectures at various medi-
cal schools I managed to eke out as much conchological activity as

I could during some afternoons and on Sundays. Among the most stimu-
lating hours for me were those spent with conchological friends.

On October 20, 1977, I reached Osaka from Hiroshima City via the
"Shinkansen" (the "bullet". express train). From Osaka station we
headed in the direction of Kobe, or so I surmised from the road
signs that occasionally came into view. This was a heavily indus-
trialized area and the thick traffic included a roaring concentra-
tion of big trucks. One hour and a half later we drove into the
quiet suburbs called Nishinomiya City. After asking three times,
we finally pulled into the tiny yard of Kaisei Hospital. And there
I saw Dr. Tokubei Kuroda again after 12 years. °

Dr. Kuroda, undoubtedly the dean of Japanese malacologists, had been
honored recently on his 92nd birthday. He looked very much the same
as I remembered him when he helped me so much between 1948 and 1954.
I had seen him only once since in 1965. His gracious wife was still
alive then but she had passed away a few years ago.

Dr. Kuroda walked more slowly - and used a cane. But his eyes (in
spite of the cataracts he indicated he had) looked sharp. He was
very neatly dressed in Western clothes (he was attired in traditional
Japanese clothes the last visit). And his speech, as usually, was
gentle, courteous and kind as in the past.

He had been living in one section of the hospital which bordered

right on the sea. Dr. Norio Kikuchi, director of the hospital, was

an avid shell collector and he had provided the housing for Dr. Kuroda
(and Mrs. Kuroda while she was alive) for the past number of years.

In the hospital yard was a separate two-story building for Dr. Kikuchi's
malacological laboratory. The upstairs room had served until recent—

ly as a meeting place for the shell club in Osaka.

Because of his problems with his sight and because of his legs, Dr.
Kuroda no longer participated in shell collecting activities. He
has continued, however, to give talks to the local shell club and
has provided help and consultation to all who sought his aid.

I saw only the one room which served as his living quarters as well

as his library and den. The desk gave ample evidence that concholo-
gists still sent specimens to him for identification. Dr. Kuroda's

86

hand was firm as he wrote out the new address of Dr. Habe for me.
He said, as I left, "I shall probably not see you again". I had
no proper answer. I just shook hands.

Taizo Ninomiya's house was difficult to find - but after maneuver-
ing through some really narrow and winding streets of Tokyo, we
located the two-story building that served as his home, office and
laboratory. Behind the building was another two-story structure
that provided space for working and storage. This gentleman is
well-known among shell collectors throughout the world (see Hawaiian
Shell News, 23:4, December, 1975).

Ninomiya was assigned to Korea by Japan during the war as an expert

on lumber to be used for construction of planes. When he returned

to Japan, in order to earn his living, he started to prepare micro-
scopic slide specimens to be used in classrooms (e.g. biology, botany,

zoology, microbiology laboratories). These activities have become
family business. Currently he has expanded into the area of com-
mercial shell jewelry manufacture and sale throughout Japan. (The

Hawaiian Shell News article by Elmer Leehman provides a fascinating
profile of this extraordinary shell collector and his family.)

The Ninomiya waiting room and study-den are on the second floor.

The walls of the waiting room are covered with vertically hanging
display cases - 20 of them. These cases contain, volutes, pectens,
pen shells and cowries. The walls of the larger den are also lined
with vertical display cases. In addition there were a number of
rows of chin-high drawer cabinets. Ninomiya collects seashells like
a true conchologist but his collection is especially rich in volutes,
cowries and Japanese species.

There are so many rarities here that the awe of handling one of few
existing specimens of a given species becomes diluted. For example,
in respect to cowries, how can one really appreciate these species,
most of which one is seeing for the first time, when he is shown at
one time such Cypraeas as guttata, teramachii, midwayensis, fultoni,
broderipii, rosselli, kuroharai, ostergaardi, langfordi, marginata
(albino), episema and the like. The Ninomiya collection of cowries
now has almost all of the species listed by Burgess in his book.

The missing species can be counted on one hand. (We never reached
the volutes, cones and murexes. Ninomiya's collection in these areas
seemed equally as impressive. But we simply didn't have time enough.)

I had talked with the Dr. Tadashige Habe 12 years ago when he was
curator at the National Science Museum in Ueno Park in Tokyo. Since
them, there has been erected (1972) a six-story National History
Institute in another section of Tokyo (Shinjuku area). Three years
ago, Dr. Habe transferred his research activities to the new Institute
where he is the director of the Division of Invertebrate Zoology.

The shell display (as well as other exhibits) are still housed in

the National Science Museum at Ueno Park. This National Museum cele-
brated its 100th anniversary last November.

87

I met Dr. Habe for the first time in the early 1950s when he was
conducting malacological research under Dr. Kuroda at Kyoto Univer-
sity. He was publishing his paper-back (4 volume) monographs en-
titled "Genera of Japanese Shells". Since then he had an appoint-
ment at Kyushu University Marine Research Institute before moving
to the National Science Museum.

Dr. Habe has contributed extensively to the malacological litera-
ture. Among his books that are well-known are:

This is the companion volume of Kira's popular Volume I
of this set.

Shells of The World In Color, Volume II. The Tropical Pacific

(1965). He is senior author of this book with Kosuge as co-
author.

Shells (1975). This is a two-volume textbook on shells for
high school and college students (written in Japanese).

Dr. Habe had just published a hard-backed version entitled Systema-
tics of Mollusca In Japan. Bivalvia and Scaphopoda. I had seen a.
copy of this book but it was not yet available even in the larger
bookstores in Tokyo. When I left Dr. Habe, I had a copy of the book -
compliments of the author (see Texas Conchologist 14:57, March, 1978).

One of the big surprises occurred in Nagasaki. I left that atom-
bombed city in 1954. The long valley along which the force of the
bomb had wreaked tragic damage was still in shambles then. On this
revisit, there was no evidence of the past war. Instead, there were
the impressive new buildings and the hustle-bustle of a modern metro-
polis. One of my trainees was now director of research on the atom-
bomb survivors. With typical Japanese hospitality he had scouted
around and had made arrangements to take me out to a fishing village
where the fishermen's group had set up a shell museum.

I had visited this village twice - almost a quarter century ago. We
had maneuvered a badly damaged road by the seashore then to get there.
The fishermen had lived in houses supported by stilts over bay water's
edge. They threw their refuse over the sides of the houses for the
waves to wash away. In this refuse there were dozens of perfect sea-
shell specimens that fishermen considered to be "nuisance junk" that
came up with the fish in the nets. Yes, they welcomed my rummaging
through whatever was underneath the houses.

All of this was in the past. Now the village was rebuilt. There

was ample evidence of the economic boom that the people were enjoying.
And the Museum was something else again (to be described in a later
issue here). I walked into the Director's office and immediately
recognized him - Dr. Sadao Kosuge. The last time I saw Kosuge was

in 1968, in New York, in the basement of the American Museum of
Natural History when the Kisters and I had attended the meeting of

the New York Shell Club.

88

Dr. Kosuge had recently severed his Tokyo connections and had under-
taken the job of organizing the Museum here. He was busily engaged
in promotional and educational activities locally and regionally,

in addition to publishing a popular scientific periodical called
"Triton". My schedule permitted only two hours for this pleasant
(and unexpected) interlude.

KKEKKKKKKKKKKK

SEEING PURPLE by Carol Courtade
and Helen Eberspacher

When Helen Eberspacher. invited us to join the shell group of the Outdoor
Nature Club on their field trip to Port Aransas the weekend of April
21-23, we gladly accepted. Most of the group did not plan to arrive
until after dark on Friday, but we decided to leave around 8:00 A.M.
and have a leisurely drive, with a stop at Matagorda Beach. We found
very little at Matagorda except a few worn sundials so after about an
hour we drove on. We didn't intend to do any more shelling that day

so took our time driving on, and after checking the ferry schedule to
St. Joseph's Island we checked in at Mustang Isle Apartments around
3:00 P.M., only to find that our room was not ready--so to kill time
we drove down to the beach near the apartments. What a sight greeted
us: The Janthinas, along with the man-o-wars, were washing in by the
thousands. The beach was covered with oil and tar, but the bright
purple shells were clearly visible. We collected for over three hours,
stopping just long enough to move the car from time to time, and often
picking up 10 or 12 within a 3 or 4 inch radius--and when we turned to
look at the area where we had just picked them up, more were already
washing in.

To our great surprise, only two other people on the beach seemed at all
interested in the Janthinas, and they told us they had been picking them
up for four hours before we came. The cars were already running over
them and by the next afternoon many of them were crushed.

It was an exciting experience and one that I'm sure we won't encounter
again--it was simply a matter of being there at exactly the right time.

Carol!

Helen Eberspacher and her group arrived at the Mustang Isle Apartments
after the Courtades, too late to look for the Janthinas on Friday night.
Hearing about the influx of the pretty purple snails, most of the group
arose very early Saturday morning and went to the beach near the Apart-—
ments and found many of the snails. The group then went to Jerry Foy's
Beach Rentals on:'South Padre Island Drive on the edge of Corpus Christi,
arriving there at 9:00 A.M. Jerry piled everyone in his 10-passenger
four-wheel drive station wagon and took us about 25 miles down North
Padre Island. Due to the ravages of a hurricane last fall, going was
rather slow, and that plus the fact that Jerry graciously stopped when-
ever someone wanted to investigate a shell pile, or pick up a pretty
bottle or a hardhat (lost by oil well drillers out in the Gulf), pre-
vented us from going farther down the beach. The Janthinas were there
too, plus quite a few sea beans, but not many other shells. We got
back to Corpus about 5:00 P.M.

89

The next morning (Sunday), the group went over to St. Joseph's Island

(now called San Jose), catching the first Jetty Boat at 6:30 A.M. Since
there were ten in the group, the price was discounted from $4.00 to $3.00
per person. Here again the Janthinas were found, plus several dozen

large double Tellina alternata (pink, yellow and white), numerous Spirulas,
Sinum perspectivum, and double Arks (Anadara brasiliana and Noetia pon-
derosa). The prize find of the day was by Mildred Elkins - a beautiful,
very fresh, perfect Phalium granulatum, in bright dark color. The strag-

glers caught the 12:00 o'clock Jetty Boat back to Port Aransas.
P.S. Most of the Janthinas were the common (Janthina janthina), but

there were a few of the J. globosa and J. pallida. The beaches
were littered with Portuguese men-of-war and much, much tar.

Helen

(NOTE: Call Helen if you want information on jeep rentals or the

larger vehicles offered by Jerry Foy in Corpus for trips to
Big Shell down North Padre Seashore area).

RARLAAKAKAAKAK

JonThinas floo! with base Up »
Suspended on The Sea's Surface

by bubble ratTs They make.

90

MEET ME UNOER THE MICROSCOPE
BY TINA PETWAY

At our regular meeting in April, 1978,
we, the members of the Houston Conchol-
ogy Society, proudly voted unanimously

to make Dr. Helmer Odé the second honor-
ary member of our club. Our first honor-
ary member was Dr. Tom Pulley of the Mu-
seum of Natural Science.

Dr. Odé is retiring as Editor of the
Texas Conchologist after having served
in this capacity for more than 10 years.
But let's go back a few years to learn
more of this man who has made such an
important contribution to our organiza-—
tion.

Helmer was bern in Holland on August 30,
1918, and spent his young life there.
His elementary and secondary education
took place in Delft, Holland. It was
during these years, when he was about
ten years old, that he became interested
in collecting shells. He built up a
collection of the land mollusks of west-
ern Europe. His collection later was
given to the University of Leiden.

In 1936 he began his studies at the University of Leiden in geology, and
in 1945 received his Master's Degree. He then went to work for Royal
Dutch Shell. Sometime before the beginning of World War II he met his
charming wife, Weits. They were married in February, 1947, in Holland.
They have three children. Their oldest daughter was born in the Nether-
lands. Their second daughter and a son were born here in Texas. The
Odes came to the United States in 1950, being transfered here to Texas by
Royal Dutch Shell. In 1965, Dr. Ode went to Holland to receive his Ph. D.
from the University of Utrecht in geophysics.

91

In 1956 Helmer again became interested in mollusks. While in Galveston,
Texas, Helmer was walking the beach and scooped up a handful of beach-
drift just to see what might be found in it. Upon examining the micro-
scopic shells from the beachdrift he realized that there was very little
information available for identification on the subject of such mollusks.
And so began his research on these tiny shells. Because of his gift at
research he was selected to work out the difficulties in nomenclature on
a project known as the Northwest Gulf Mollusk Population Survey organized
under the direction of former member Harold Geis and also sponsored by
the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This research is presented in
this publication as the Continuing Monograph - DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS
OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. The Houston Mu-
seum of Natural Science is now the home of his own extensive collection,
added by donation to the Northwest Survey material. He can usually be
found at our monthly meetings "talking shells'' with anyone who wants to
discuss some new find or an old "problem" shell.

Helmer is an active member of our Society. He enjoys the club's field
trips and loves to be outdoors. He is an active backpacking and canoe-
ing enthusiast. He served as president of the Houston Conchology Society
for two years, 1970 and 1971. He has served on the Board of Directors
for several years. Though retiring as Editor of this publication, he
will continue his work on his Monograph. His Monograph has been a great
contribution toward making the Texas Conchologist recognized around the
world as an outstanding scientific publication. For this, as well as
for his friendship, his help, his enthusiasm as a member of H. C. S.,
his Dutch humor and wit, we are glad to know him and we say "THANK YOU,
HELMER!"" for keeping standards high in our club.

KKKKKKKKKKEKKE

DISTRIBUTION AND RECORDS OF THE MARINE MOLLUSCA IN
THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO

(A Continuing Monograph) By H. Odé

FAMILY ARCIDAE

Genus Anadara continued:

Kennedy (ref. 170, plate 9, figs. 3a, b) figures a juvenile specimen

of A. baughmani (labelled Anadara hemidesmos (sic!) from East Texas
which in no way resembles the typical full-grown form of this species.
Nevertheless, this is the common shape of A. baughmani when about 20 mm.
in size. Fortunately, the H.M.N.S. collection has some lots many with
complete growth series, so that juveniles of A. baughmani, which I other-
wise would have interpreted as a separate species, could be placed cor-
rectly. In all six species, the hinge line is uniform in structure.

The taxodont teeth are separated into a long posterior row and a shorter
anterior row, meeting one another somewhat to the posterior side of the
umbo. The plate-like teeth are finely vertically (with respect to the
shell) grooved on one side.

92

The outspoken median sulcus links
all anadarids except Lunarca.

The prodessoconchs in A. transversa, A. floridana and A. baughmani are
extremely small and specimens below one mm. in size are completely indis-—
tinguishable in shape. But when about 2 mm. in size, differences begin
to show. A. floridana is the most elongate, with many flat, unsectioned
ribs; A. transversa begins to assume a wedge shape and A. baughmani is

rather compact with cancellate sculpture.

eas,

+ 2 mm. 3 mm.
A. transversa A. floridana
with and without and A. sp. A.
auricle or anterior aE
hook
2 mm. : 1 cm.
A. baughmani Caloosarca
catasarca

93

In the above scheme of things, some variations occur and I am not always
able to identify all material with certainty. Sometimes one finds juveniles
of A. transversa with an auricle (see sketch) like occurs in Caloosarca.
This occasional presence of an auricle in A. transversa strengthens my

belief in the close relationship of most of the Anadara species in the
N. W. Gulf of Mexico.

257. Anadara (Cunearca) brasiliana (Lamarck, 1819).
This widespread and well-known species is characteristic for the
sandy beaches and the adjacent inlets and immediate offshore
sandbars. It is never dredged in mud bottoms. Often cast upon
the beaches alive after stormy seas. In offshore dredgings it
is rare and most material obtained below 10 fms. is certainly
of Pleistocene origin.

The two most remarkable aspects of this species are the dis-
tant areas of its distribution, the Carolinian Province and
Brazil, and for this reason, it has been suggested that both
populations could be different species, in which case, the
species being. discussed would become Anadara (Cunearca)

incongrua Say.

2) Another somewhat disturbing, or at least at the moment,
not understood, peculiarity of this species is the shape of
the juveniles. They are when very small, quite Anadara-like,
but rapidly develop along a different outline than Anadara does.
Thus it is strange that juveniles of the supposedly closely
related A. (Cunearca) chemnitzi are totally different in shape.
These lack the median sulcus, are subcircular in outline and
inflated, in one word, totally different. However, both species
converge during their growth to very similar shapes.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 1, very
common, Galveston; 7, listed; 15, common at Galveston and
Corpus Christi; alive at Sabine Pass and Quintana; 18, abundant
at Galveston and Corpus Christi; 19, common all along the Gulf
coast, bulk of drift on Matagorda Island alive; 21, listed; 26,
(p. 635), listed, and discusses incongrua and brasiliana; 45,
Point au Fer, Cameron, La., Corpus Christi, Galveston. Well at
Saratoga, well at Galveston, Texas; 56, North Carolina to Texas;
61, Rockport area; 62, Mustang and Padre Island; 66, marine
Pleistocene of Texas; 69, listed in appendix 8; 98, beach Padre
Island; 110, "one of the most common shells of all Texas beaches",
pl. 6, figs. 5-6; 126, listed for outer sandy beaches and near
shore sandy areas of Carolinian Province; 135, dead in the Gulf;
136, alive in clay in intertidal zone (East Texas), sandy sedi-
ments; 143, Matagorda Bay; 145, upper sounds inlets, plate 2,
figs. 6A, B (shows Noctia ponderosa (sic!); 160, dead in Matagorda
Bay; 164, in Rockport area and in Laguna Madre; 170, shallow
shelf off East Texas, alive; 174, listed; 206, Texas Conch.,
Vol. 3 (3); 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 261, shallow shelf,
Galveston; 266, Padre Island; 269, figured on page p. 152.

Records H.M.N.S.: 34 lots of which 12 contain live collected material

Depth Range: 0-26 fms.; alive 0-4 fms.; remarkable is one live lot
from the coral reefs at 100 feet, the only lot ever collected
at such a depth in calcareous environment.

Geographical Range: Carolinas, Florida, Texas, Brazil.

Maximum Size: 62 mm., alive, Sabine Beach.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

94

258. Anadara (Cunearca) chemnitzi (Philippi, 1851).
Arca chemnitzi Philippi, Zeits. f. Malak, 8, p. 50.

This smaller species resembles the previous one only when
fully mature although it misses the twist in the ventral margin.
However, juvenile material is quite different; this lacks the
median sulcus, is circular in shape and quite inflated. There
is no indication that the species still lives in the N. W. Gulf
of Mexico, because all our material appears old and worn.

Beach specimens are quite common in beachdrift south of St.
Joseph Island and dredged material is sparingly obtained in the
Galveston-Freeport area in water depths less than 25 fms.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, (as Arca
orbignyi Kob.) listed; 45, listed; 56, listed; 67, Port Isabel;
110, found occasionally at Port Isabel; 145, shallow shelf (dead),
Mississippi Delta; 206, Texas Conch., Vol. 3 (3); 269, figured
on p. 153.

Records H.M.N.S.: 13 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: O-27 fms.

Geographical Range; ''Texas, West Indies to Brazil" (Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: 27.5 mm.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: Anadara (Cunearca) (Sowerby, 1833).
Conception Bay, Gulf of California, to Zorritos, Peru, in
shallow water, sandy mud bottom in depths of 4 to 73 m. (Keen,
1971).

259. Anadara baughmani Hertlein, 1951.

Anadara baughmani Hertlein, Texas Journ. Sci., Vol. 3 (3),

p- 487-490. Syn. Anadara springeri Rehder and Abbott, 1951,

Rew soc. Mal: €., de 1a Torce,) Vol. 8, (2); p.' 53-66.
In view of the already discussed changes in shell morphology
during development I would guess that this species has been
described previously to 1951. A check of the neogene record
will probably turn up its valid name. When full grown and
fresh, it is a striking species quite unlike any of the other
Andaras. Then the shell has an almost pholas-like shape, which
might indicate a burrowing mode of life in rough mud. Hildebrand
(ref. 123) coined an appropriate popular name for this arc,
potbellied arc. It is inflated and rather thick shelled. How-
ever, specimens of about 1 cm. in size are quite flat and carry
small but strong, regularly placed concentric ridges between
the costae. Juveniles (3-5 mm.) remarkably are rather inflated,
short and compact with a large median sulcus. Their sculpture
is almost cancellate, as still can be seen in most mature speci-
mens, by inspection of the umbonal region. It is important to
note that small juveniles of 2 mm. in size show a strong overlap
of the valves. Not always are these small juveniles easy to
separate from those of A. transversa and especially at locations

where A. transversa (deepest part of its range) mixes with A.
baughmani (shallowest part of its range), it is sometimes almost
impossible to make the distinction. Juvenile valves often show
the ribbing internally but with growth, the valves thicken and
the internal ribbing is smoothed out. Vokes (Tulane Studies
Geology, Vol. 7, p. 12, 1969) claims that A. hemidesmos Philippi,
1845, is a recent Caribbean species (Cuba, Martinique), closely
related to A. baughmani. Recent discussions (f.i., Abbott, 1974)
of the genus Anadara fail to mention this species. However, it

See page 98

95

Anadara chemnitzi collected by diver Harold Geis 1% mi. off Padre Island,
38 mi. N. of Port Isabel, Texas, in 25' to 50' water, Sept. 25, 1966.
Size: 24 mm. length, 25 mm. height.

96

Anadara baughmani, dredged 34% mi. SSE of Port Aransas, Texas, i
Feb. 13, 1966. Size: 40% mm. length, 24 mm. height.

97

is interesting that A. hemidesmos Philippi was reported for Texas
(Kennedy, ref. 170), but in my opinion, the figured specimen is
merely a juvenile A. baughmani. But it is to be noted that among
the H.M.N.S. material of A. baughmani, there are some valves
which may be distinct but not enough material is available. More-
over, there lives along the Texas-Louisiana coast, a fairly large
arc, intermediate between A. floridana and A. baughmani, which
appears to be undescribed. Fully mature specimens reach a size
of 2 inches and look like A. floridana with few costae; its
juveniles resemble those of A. baughmani. It is possible that
either A. baughmani or this undescribed species is identical with
A. hemidesmos Philippi.

A. baughmani is a fairly widespread species in deeper water
mud bottoms along the entire Texas-—Louisiana coastline, is
never collected on our beaches (except Mississippi mudlumps).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 104, original
description; 105, description as A. springeri Rehder and Abbott;
123, in 31-37 fms., only a few shells; 144, reported at loc. 167,
506; 145, deep shelf, pl. 7, figs. 9A-B; 146, deep shelf, pl. 3,
fig. 20; 156, Stetson Bank, common, mudbottom; 170, transi-
tional shelf assemblage; 174, listed; 175, outer shelf,.
40-65 fms., abundant on mudbottom, whole coast, pl. 5, fig.
10; Texas Conchol., Vol. IX, No. 4, p. 76, No. 706; 266,
reported for Padre Island (note: probably in error for
A. floridana).

Records H.M.N.S.: 42 lots, of which 10 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 9-152 fms., alive 38-70 fms., in mud.

Geographical Range: Gulf of Mexico.

Maximum Size: 54 mn.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

260. Anadara spec. indet. B.
Also here I will omit assignment to a subgenus. This species
is when fully grown closely related to A. floridana (ribs are
not split, but somewhat nodulose), although much smaller (max.
size 62 mm.). Most specimens show the strongly developed con-
centric ridges between the costae. Where these merge with the
ridges the rib develops a slight node. The number of costae
(according to Vokes offer a good specific character, ref. 238)
is about 25-30, that in A. floridana 35-40. Juveniles of this
species are sometimes inseparable from those of A. baughmani,
but in general they are coarser in appearance, less cancellate
and more nodulose. They differ from those of A. floridana in
being less elongate and more compact. In full grown material
the hinge is heavier developed than in A. baughmani.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 206, Texas
Concho. Vol Dee pies 7S:

Records H.M.N.S.: 11 lots, of which one contains live collected
material.

Depth Range: 25-55 fms., alive at 40 fms.

Geographical Range: Unknown.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

98

Dak

of Freeport, Texas, Nov.

SE
ight.

Pan)
do
(=I

Xs
31 mm

44 mm. length,

. indet. B., dredged 54

Size

1967.

Anadara sp

261.

Anadara floridana (Conrad, 1869).
This huge arc, the largest of the Western Atlantic anadarids,
is common all along the Texas-Louisiana coast. It used to be
known as A. lienosa floridana, but is now taken by most workers
as different from lienosa Say. Also reported as A. secticostata
Reeve, whose origin is unknown. It is remarkable that juveniles
start out in the same size as those of other species in the genus,
such as for instance A. transversa, and in this respect the species

resembles for instance Dinocardium, whose juveniles are also

the size of other cardiids. Juveniles often show overlap and
even a specimen of 93 mm. does show overlap of the valve, but

a live specimen of about 11 mm. is completely without overlap.

I must disagree with the placement of this species in a separate
subgenus Sectiarca; the species is close to A. transversa and

A. baughmani. Even such species as A. catasarca and A. nota-
bilis which are placed in a subgenus Caloosarca and which appear
to form a somewhat separable group, based only on slight geo-
metrical differences are close to A. floridana and A. baughmani.
Juveniles of A. floridana are quite elongate, and when about 1-2
em. in size have a quite smooth appearance due to the fact that
the grooves between the ribs are narrower than in any other
species in the N. W. Gulf of Mexico. The split nature of the
ribs becomes apparent only in fullgrown material. Because also
some fossil Caloosarca show this development I do not attach

any special significance to it and in my interpretation A. flori-
dana is merely a large species in a group of closely related
species.

The species is widespread along the Texas-Louisiana coast, al-
though live large sized material is rare; beach specimens can
be found from Galveston (quite rare), to Sargent (occasionally)
to Padre Island (fairly common). The depth range appears on
the whole somewhat shallower than that of Anadara spec. indet. B,
but still overlaps it completely (only dead shells).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, listed; 16,
from well at Galveston at 305-35 feet and 440-459 feet; 21,
listed; 45, Galveston; 56, listed; 110, lives off the Mexican
coast, and badly worn shells are sometimes found on Padre Island;
135, dead in Gulf; 136, found dead on Heald Bank; 145, deep
shelf, (dead), pl. 7, figs. 8a, b; 156, common on Stetson Bank;
160, Matagorda Bay, one valve, supposed to be of Pleistocene
origin; 206, beach records Tex. Conchol., Vol. 3 (3); 236,
Galveston; 241, dredged in 12 m. off Cameron, La., fig. 2; 269,
figured on page 154.

Records H.M.N.S.: 69 lots of which 9 contain live collected
material,

Depth Range: 0-60 fms.; alive 8-26 fms.; some of the material
from deeper water might be of Pleistocene origin.

Geographical Range: N. Carolina to Texas and the Greater Antilles
(Abbott, 1974).

Maximum Size: In excess of 100 mm. (broken beach valve), 99 mm.
for fresh dredged specimen with epidermis.

Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

100

Pe ee ee ee ae ay ee

Anadara f dana dredged in 11 fms. near 30 mile S. rigs off Galveston,
Texas, Feb. 15, 1966. Size 88 mm. length, 54 mm. height.

101

262.

Anadara transversa (Say, 1822)

This species is the nightmare of those systematicists who rely
mainly on geometrical shape for identification. None of the
species in the N. W. Gulf of Mexico is more variable and
changing in shape from population to population. The usual
shape is a quite rounded wedge. In the Olsson and Harbison
(1953) treatment of neogene species from Florida a number of
fossil species is figured, all of which without exception
are present in recent Texas material. A. plicatura (Conrad)
and A. improcera (Conrad) are often collected in the bays;
forms resembling A. brevidesma Conrad. A. lineolata is rare,
but occur, and one valve of a morph resembling A. peterbur-
gensis Olsson and Harbison, 1953, we shall report under that
name, although I suspect that finally this entire complex of
species will be proven closely related. (See also Bird 1965,
Palls Am. Vol. 5 (34)5)-p.-30))-

Bay specimens have a tendency to grow large, thick shelled and
compact; some Pleistocene populations dredged offshore are
flatter, thinner shelled and even larger (42 mm.), but the most
common morph living in shallow offshore water, is a fairly small
brownish flecked wedge shaped shell of about 1 inch in size
when mature. .
The species cannot be well understood without a critical study
of Neogene material from the entire South Eastern U.S.A. I

can only add some observations to what has been stated earlier.
Most juveniles lack the concentric intracostal ridges, but in
deeper water material these ridges appear, and in many cases
differentiation with juveniles of A. baughmani becomes diffi-
cult if not impossible. Some morphs from the bays are not
wedge shaped but far more square in outline; these shells never
grow as large as the wedge-shaped ones.

A. transversa is the most ubiquitous are of the Texas-Louisiana
coast, but is restricted to fairly shallow water; specimens
collected below 25 fms. are undoubtedly Pleistocene fossils.
Abundant in beachdrift everywhere and living offshore till 25
fms. depths, attached to hard objects in muddy environment
(often on Pleistocene rock ridges).

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 15, dead valve

on beach at Galveston, Corpus Christi, Sabine Pass; 18, Galves-
ton, Corpus Christi; 19, all along Gulf beach; 21, listed; 45,
Point au Fer, Cameron, La., Galveston, Corpus Christi, several
well records; 56, listed; 58, Aransas Pass; 62, Mustang and
Padre Islands; 66, marine Pleistocene of Texas; 67, Port Isabel;
69, liste@ in appendix 8; 98, alive in Cedar Bayou; 110, one

of the most common shells on all Texas beaches, pl. 6, figs.
7-8; 123, north of Sebree Bank in 17-20 fms., in 16 1/2 fms.
attached to empty Atrina serrata shells near Sebree; 135, dead
in Gulf, alive in Bay; 136, common off East Texas, alive at
many stations, attached by byssys, often to the internal sur-
faces near the umbones of large shells; 143, Matagorda Bay;
145, upper sound, inlets, shallow shelf, Mississippi Delta,

pl. 2, figs. 9a-b; 160, Matagorda Bay, alive at many locations;
164, alive in Rockport area and Laguna Madre; 1/70, transi-
tional shelf environment off East Texas, alive; 174, listed;
202, pl. 1, fig. 2 (Mexico); 206, beach records Tex. Conchol.,

See page 104
102

Anadara transversa collected on mud flats, Hoecker's Point, Galveston
West Bay, by Harold Geis, Feb. 27, 1968. Size: 38 mm. length, 26 mm.
height.

103

Vol. 3 (3); 208, listed from various environment, attached to
seawhip; 225, Galveston; 236, Galveston; 261, offshore Galves-
ton; 253, on reef off Padre Island; 269, figured on page 154.

Records H.M.N.S.: 116 lots, of which 52 contain live collected
material.

Depth Range: 0-40 fms., alive 0-25 fms., one lot from 57 fms. is
doubtfully identified.

Geographical Range: South of Cape Cod to Florida and Texas (Abbott,
1974).

Maximum Size: 42 mm. (Pleistocene valves from 25 fms.).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

263. Anadara peterburgensis (?) Olsson and Harbison, 1953.
A single valve of a very broadly oval Anadara is here referred
to this "species". If this valve is, as is most probably,
merely an extreme morph of A. transversa, this species then
is one of the most variable ones in the entire phylum of Mollusca
Previous references for the Texas faunal province are: None.
Records H.M.N.S.: 1 lot of a single valve. No live material.
Depth Range: 7 1/2 fms.
Geographical Range: Plio-Pleistocene of Florida.
Maximum Size: 12 mm.
Eastern Pacific Analogue: None.

264. Anadara (Caloosarca) notabilis (Roding, 1798).
Of this wellknown species only 3 lots are available in the
H.M.N.S. collection. One lot consists of two sandblasted beach
specimens from South Padre Island which are probably fossil or
adventitious. Another is a single white shell from Heald Bank
which gives the impression of being beachrolled, and which also
could be a fossil or adventitious. The 3rd lot consists of a
single very perculiar small specimen with a large auricle,
which is only tentatively assigned to this species. It is
a Caloosarca, quite different from the next species, in that
it is somewhat wedge-shaped like some juvenile A. baughmani.

If this is indeed A. notabilis it is the only specimen known

to me of recent origin in the N. W. Gulf of Mexico. There

are several records in the literature but most are not trust-
worthy. Vokes (ref. 238) cites the species from off East Texas
based on records of Hulings (ref. 136). Unfortunately Hulings
is in error and the specimen figured by him are juvenile
Lunarca ovalis. I may note here that also Abbott's figure 4975
in the 2nd edition of Am. Seashells is not notabilis, but
probably A. floridana.

Previous records for the Texas faunal province are: 7, (Arca
auriculata Lamarck), listed; 45, Texas: (Dall); 136, at Sabine
Bank, incorrect on plate 5, fig. 3, which shows juvenile Lunarca
ovalis; 238, discussed on page 12.

Records H.M.N.S.: 3 lots, none alive.

Depth Range: 0 (beach)-6 fms.; Heald Bank, 28 fms., 1 fresh shell
of doubtful identity.

Geographical Range: North Carolina, Florida to Brazil (Abbott,
1974).

Maximum Size: 55.5 mm. (Heald Bank).

Eastern Pacific Analogue: ?

To be continued

All photos by Harold Geis

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