SNAILS, WHELKS, CONCHS
Watch Gastropod videos on youtube.comBarnacle beast • Moon Snail close up • Moon snail on sand
Whelk squirts water • Whelk Egg case • Periwinkle snail
Class Gastropoda (Snails, Whelks, etc.)
M-810 KEYHOLE LIMPET, Diodora cayenensis, a primitive uni-valve gastropod. The conical shell resembles a coolie hat. Moves freely over rock or shell as it grazes on algae, but invariably returns to its original location. Has eyes at the base of tentacles and expels gametes through aperture on top of shell. Size: 1-2 cm.
Each: 9.00
M-820 SLIPPER LIMPET, Crepidula fornicata, other flattened univalve excellent for embryological studies, demonstrating spiral cleavage. A protanderous hermaphrodite, it often piles up, one individual upon another, when breeding. It possesses a crystalline style and is a ciliary feeder. Size: 2-4 cm.
Each: 7.50
M-840 MOON SNAIL, Polinices duplicatus, has a smooth rounded shell and a greatly expanded foot. It plows a furrow in the sand and engulfs bivalves, which it then drills. Size of shell: 4 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-850 EAR SNAIL, Sinum maculatum, an unusual gastropod with a small, delicate shell encased in a huge white slimey foot. Even experienced shell collectors seldom realize that within this hunk of white, porky meat is the delicate ear shell. Size 4-6 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-851 CROWN CONCH, Melongena corona, is a particularly hardy and attractive gastropod that is found around oyster reefs and mud flats in West Florida. Its handsome, pointed spiral shell is used extensively in shell craft. Tolerant of low salinities, Melongena is excellent for feeding demonstrations: food is placed in a test tube and the gastropod extends its long, snakelike probocis down to get it. Occasionally it feeds on live oysters. Size: 6-10 cm.
Each: 11.00
M-866 SCREW SHELL, Terebra sp., a cone-shaped pointed gastropod about 2 inches long. Dwells in the inter-tidal sand flats making semi-circular furrows. Size: 2-4 cm.
Each: 7.00
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| M870b, M870c LEFT HANDED WHELK, Busycon contrarium, is the traditional large whelk used for dissection in invertebrate and general biology courses. Its ribbon of teeth scrapes away at other mollusk tissues, and it is excellent for demonstrating radular movements. Busycon will quickly burrow down into the gravel, emerging to forage at night. Each: 12.50 - Large over 24 cm: 33.00 | |
M-878 PEAR WHELK, Busycoptypus spiratum, a smaller form with a thinner shell, has a very long, well developed radula which is easily removed from its proboscis. Size: 6-12 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-880 CONE SHELL, Conus floridanus, a small and less poisonous species, no one has ever died or been stung by one of these slow-movers, but like all cones, they have a venomous proboscis. Size: 2-4 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-890 BANDED TULIP SHELL, Fasciolaria hunteria, a small predatory snail that feeds on clams. The highly polished shell has a marbelized pattern of grey, brown, and white with distinct purple-brown spiral bands. Females will lay eggs in an aquarium in vase shaped horny capsules. Male is said to eject water, setting up vibrations, to attract a mate. Size: 5-7 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-900 COMMON TULIP SHELL, Fasciolaria tulipa, has a larger, less colorful shell than F. hunteria and a bright purple foot. This species is useful for displaying fluke larvae, which can be produced almost 100 percent of the time by cracking the shell and soaking the animal in a dish of seawater. The common tulip feeds on small gastropods. Size: 10-14 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-901 FLORIDA FIGHTING CONCH, Strombus alatus, despite its name is really a peaceful herbivore that cruises the night bottom. Its huge stalked eyes seem to peer up at you with an alarmed expression. When handled, it may go into a startling defensive behavior thrusting around with its small pointed foot, hence the name. Sporadically available. Size: 8 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-910 FLORIDA MUREX, Murex pomum, (and other species of Murex) drill into oysters and other bivalves. This is the genus that produced the famous royal purple dye of the ancient Phoenicians. The shell is armoured with spikes. Size: 4 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-912 TURBO CASTANEA, a small, rounded herbivorous snail (Archaeogastropoda), with a beautifully pearly operculum. Found sporadically in turtle grass beds. Often seen scouring the shells of larger whelks and horseshoe crabs. Turbo crawls up the walls of the aquarium, consuming algae like a vacuum cleaner, making pronounced tank clear and visible in a few days. Sporadic. Size: 1-3 cm.
Each: 12.50
M-920 PIGMY DOG WHELK, Nassarius vibex, small, chemotactic reponse. In a sand aquarium, they remain buried until a piece of fish is dropped in, and within minutes their siphons pop up like small periscopes and they converge on the meat. Nassarius will readily regenerate its tentacles, eyes, frontal lobe, operculum, foot and siphon. It has a long proboscis and moves by ciliary waves on foot. Preyed upon by tulip shells whose trails produce violent evasive action by Nassarius. Size: 1-1.5 cm.
Dozen: 38.00 - Per 100: 127.00
 | M-930 OLIVE SHELL, Oliva sayana, has a smooth, elongated and polished shell. Dwells on sand bottoms just under the surface. However, when a piece of shrimp is dropped in the tank, the snail thrusts its siphon up and emerges, dramatically upheaving the substrate and pouncing on the food. Size: 4-6 cm. Each: 13.00 |
M-940 HORSE CONCH, Pleuroploca gigantia, the largest gastropod in the Gulf of Mexico. It has a pointed shell and a huge orange foot making it a striking demonstration piece. Shell may be encrusted with a variety of worms, barnacles and bryozoans. Does not feed on clams, but feeds on other carnivorous gastropods. Size: up to 60 cm. long (smaller specimens shipped for aquarium) large, over 24 cm.
Each: 19.25
Large: 39.00
| M-971 PERIWINKLE SNAIL, Littoraria irrorata, adorns salt marshes from New York to Texas. When the tide rises, they ascend the grass stalks until well above water level. Periwinkles lap up diatoms and filamentous algae, and follow each other's mucous trails, up and down the stalks. Dozen: 19.00 - Per 50: 30.00 |  |
GULF SPECIMEN MARINE LAB • PO BOX 237 • PANACEA, FL 32346 USA • (850) 984-5297 • FAX (850) 984-5233  | |