The Mollusks/Shells of Sunset Beach, North Carolina

183 species found between 06/01/08 and 12/04/09

This webpage is a work in progress for which Dr. Harry Lee, a nationally known malacologist, deserves full credit. Thanks to Dr. Lee, we now know the identity of many of the mollusks of Sunset Beach, NC. Information on how to find these shells in seaweed and sea drift from the eastern point of Sunset Beach is at: http://www.okeefes.org/Barrier_Islands/Sunset_Beach/Shells/Sunset_Beach_Shells.htm

Black lines on ruler visible in some images depict milimeters.

1. Nucula proxima Say, 1822 Atlantic Nutclam
not yet photographed
2. Nuculana acuta (Conrad, 1831) Pointed Nutclam
3.. Brachidontes exustus (Linnaeus, 1758) Scorched Mussel
4. Geukensia demissa (Dillwyn, 1817) Ribbed-mussel
5. Lioberus castanea (Say, 1822) Chestnut Mussel
6. Modiolus squamosus Beauperthuy, 1967 Southern Horsemussel, juvenile on left
7. Musculus lateralis (Say, 1822) Lateral Mussel (2)
8. Mytella charruana (d'Orbigny, 1846) Charrua Mussel
9. Anadara brasiliana (Lamarck, 1819) Incongruous Ark
not yet photographed
10. Anadara floridana (Conrad, 1869) Cut-ribbed Ark
11. Anadara transversa (Say, 1822) Transverse Ark
12. Arca imbricata Bruguière, 1789 Mossy Ark
13. Lunarca ovalis (Bruguière, 1789) Blood Ark
14. Arcopsis adamsi (Dall, 1886) Cancellate Ark
15. Noetia ponderosa (Say, 1822) Ponderous Ark
not yet photographed
16. Glycymeris americana (DeFrance, 1826) Giant Bittersweet
17. Pteria colymbus (Röding, 1798) Atlantic Wing-oyster
18. Pinctada imbricata Röding, 1798 Atlantic Pearl-oyster, Live Specimen, left; micropscope photo of different specimen, right
19. Atrina rigida (John Lightfoot, 1786) Stiff Penshell (3)
20.. Atrina serrata (G. B. Sowerby I, 1825) Sawtooth Penshell (2)
not yet photographed
21. Limaria pellucida (C. B. Adams, 1846) Antillean Fileclam
22. Argopecten gibbus (Limnaeus, 1758) Atlantic Calico Scallop
Anomia simplex d'Orbigny, 1842 Common Jingle, Above three images are very juvenile. Latter two are the same shell's bivalves attached.
23. Anomia simplex d'Orbigny, 1842 Common Jingle
24. Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) Eastern Oyster
25. Ostreola equestris (Say, 1834) Crested Oyster
26. Plicatula gibbosa Lamarck, 1801 Atlantic Kittenpaw
27. Divalinga quadrisulcata (d'Orbigny, 1842) Cross-hatched Lucine
28. Parvilucina crenella (Dall, 1901) Many-line Lucine
29. Diplodonta notata Dall and Simpson, 1901 Marked Diplodon
30. Chama congregata Conrad, 1833 Corrugate Jewelbox
not yet photographed
31. Aligena elevata (Stimpson, 1851) Eastern Aligena
32. Lepton lepidum (Say, 1826) Graceful Lepton
not yet photographed
33. Mysella casta (A. E. Verrill and Bush, 1898) Pure Mysella
not yet photographed 34. Mysella species B of Lee (2009)
not yet photographed
35. Mysella species C of Lee (2009)
36. Pythinella cuneata (A. E. Verrill and Bush, 1898) Cuneate Montacutid
37. Pleuromeris tridentata (Say, 1826) Threetooth Carditid
not yet photographed
38. Crassinella dupliniana (Dall, 1903) Pointed Crassinella
not yet photographed
39. Crassinella lunulata (Conrad, 1834) Lunate Crassinella
40. Dinocardium robustum (Lightfoot, 1786) Atlantic Giant Cockle
41. Laevicardium serratum (Linnaeus, 1758) Eggcockle
42. Trachycardium egmontianum (Shuttleworth, 1856) Florida Pricklycockle
not yet photographed
43. Trachycardium muricatum (Linnaeus, 1758) Yellow Pricklycockle
44. Mulinia lateralis (Say, 1822) Dwarf Surfclam
45. Anatina anatina (Spengler, 1802) Smooth Duckclam
46. Raeta plicatella (Lamarck, 1818) Channeled Duckclam
47. Spisula raveneli (Conrad, 1831) Southern Surfclam
48. Solen viridis Say, 1822 Green Jackknife
Left and right views of same specimen
49. Ensis megistus Pilsbry and McGinty, 1943 Minor Jackknife
not yet photographed
50. Angulus sybariticus (Dall, 1881) Sybaritic Tellin
51. Angulus texanus (Dall, 1900) Texas Tellin
52. Angulus versicolor (DeKay, 1843) Many-colored Tellin
53. Eurytellina alternata (Say, 1822) Alternate Tellin
not yet photographed
54. Macoma tenta (Say, 1838) Elongate Macoma
not yet photographed
55. Merisca aequistriata (Say, 1824) Striate Tellin
56. Scissula iris (Say, 1822) Rainbow Tellin
57. Strigilla surinamensis Boss, 1972 Surinam Strigilla (4) The fourth specimen is an adult. Notice that the grooves become more "horizontal" late in life.
58. Donax parvulus Philippi, 1849 Little Coquina
59. Donax variabilis Say, 1822 Variable Coquina
60. Abra aequalis (Say, 1822) Atlantic Abra
61. Abra lioica (Dall, 1881) Smooth Abra
not yet photographed
62. Cumingia tellinoides (Conrad, 1831) Tellin Semele
63. Ervilia concentrica (Holmes, 1860) Concentric Ervilia
not yet photographed
64. Semele proficua (Pulteney, 1799) Atlantic Semele
65. Tagelus plebeius (Lightfoot, 1786) Stout Tagelus
not yet photographed
66. Polymesoda caroliniana (Bosc, 1801) Carolina Marshclam
67. Chione elevata (Say, 1822) Cross-barred Venus
68. Dosinia discus (Reeve, 1850) Disk Dosinia
69. Lirophora latilirata (Conrad, 1841) Imperial Venus
70. Macrocallista nimbosa (Lightfoot, 1786) Sunray Venus
71. Mercenaria campechiensis (Gmelin, 1791) Southern Quahog
72. Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758) Northern Quahog
not yet photographed
73. Puberella intapurpurea (Conrad, 1849) Lady-in-waiting Venus
not yet photographed
74. Timoclea grus (Holmes, 1858) Gray Pygmy-venus
75. Petricolaria pholadiformis (Lamarck, 1818) False Angelwing
not yet photographed
76. Paramya subovata (Conrad, 1845) Subovate Softshell
77. Sphenia dubia (H. C. Lea, 1843) Dubious Sphenia
78. Caryocorbula barrattiana C. B. Adams, 1852 Truncate Corbula
79. Caryocorbula contracta Say, 1822 Contracted Corbula
80. Corbula dietziana C. B. Adams, 1852 Rosy Corbula
not yet photographed
81. Rocellaria stimpsoni (Tryon, 1861) Carolina Gastrochaenid
82. Cyrtopleura costata (Linnaeus, 1758) Angelwing
83. Martesia cuneiformis (Say, 1822) Wedge Piddock
84. Nototeredo knoxi Bartsch, 1917 Foliaceous Shipworm
not yet photographed
85. Lyonsia hyalina hyalina (Conrad, 1831) Glassy Lyonsia
86. Diodora cayenensis (Lamarck, 1822) Cayenne Keyhole Limpet
87. Calliostoma euglyptum (A. Adams, 1855) Sculptured Topsnail -- not in count of 180
not yet photographed
88. Skenea sp. aff. smithfieldensis (Olsson, 1916)
89. Litiopa melanostoma Rang, 1829 Sargassum Snail, 3.5 mm
not yet photographed
90. Cerithium muscarum Say, 1832 Fly-specked Cerith
91. Cerithium atratum (Born, 1778) Dark Cerith
92. Vermicularia knorrii (Deshayes, 1843) Florida Wormsnail
not yet photographed
93. Vermicularia spirata (Philippi, 1836) West Indian Wormsnail
94. Echinolittorina interrupta (Philippi, 1856) Interrupted Periwinkle
95. Littoraria irrorata (Say, 1822) Marsh Periwinkle (3)
not yet photographed
96. Amnicola species
not yet photographed
97. Littoridinops tenuipes (Couper, 1844) Henscomb Hydrobe
not yet photographed
98. Assiminea succinea (L. Pfeiffer, 1840) Atlantic Assiminea
not yet photographed
99. Circulus texanus (D. Moore, 1965) Texas Vitrinella
100. Cyclostremiscus pentagonalis (Gabb, 1873) Trilix Vitrinella
101. Episcynia inornata (d’Orbigny, 1842) Fringed Vitrinella
not yet photographed
102. Teinostoma obtectum Pilsbry and McGinty, 1945 Glossy Vitrinella
not yet photographed
103. Vitrinella helicoidea C. B. Adams, 1850 Helix Vitrinella
not yet photographed
104. Caecum antillarum Carpenter, 1857 Antillean Caecum
not yet photographed
105. Meioceras nitidum (Stimpson, 1851) Little Horn Caecum
106. Bostrycapulus aculeatus (Gmelin, 1791) Spiny Slippersnail
107. Calyptraea centralis (Conrad, 1841) Circular Chinese-hat
108. Crepidula convexa Say, 1822 Convex Slippersnail
109. Crepidula fornicata (Linnaeus, 1758) Slipper Limpet
110. Crepidula plana Say, 1822 Eastern White Slippersnail
111. Neverita duplicata (Say, 1822) Shark Eye, operculum and egg collar
not yet photographed
112. Sigatica carolinensis (Dall, 1889) Carolina Moonsnail
113. Sigatica semisulcata (Gray, 1839) Semisulcate Moonsnail
114. Sinum perspectivum (Say, 1831) White Baby Ear
115. Tectonatica pusilla (Say, 1822) Miniature Moonsnail (2)
116. Semicassis granulata granulata (Born, 1778) Scotch Bonnet
117. Seila adamsii (H. C. Lea, 1845) Adams’ Miniature Cerith
118. Melanella hypsela (A. E. Verrill and Bush, 1900) Sharp Eulima
119. Epitonium angulatum (Say, 1831) Angulate Wentletraps
120. Epitonium apiculatum (Dall, 1889) Semismooth Wentletrap
121. Epitonium cf. albidum (d’Orbigny, 1842) cf. Bladed Wentletrap
122. Epitonium foliaceicosta (d'Orbigny, 1842) Wrinkled-rib Wentletrap
123. Epitonium humphreysii (Kiener, 1838) Humphrey’s Wentletrap
124. Epitonium multistriatum (Say, 1826) Many-ribbed Wentletrap
125. Epitonium novangliae (Couthouy, 1838) New England Wentletrap
not yet photographed
126. Epitonium occidentale (Nyst, 1871) Fine-ribbed Wentletrap
127. Epitonium rupicola (Kurtz, 1860) Brown-band Wentletrap
128. Eupleura caudata (Say, 1822) Thick-lip Drill
129. Hexaplex fulvescens (G. B. Sowerby II, 1834) Giant Eastern Murex
not yet photographed
130. Stramonita haemastoma floridana (Conrad, 1837) Florida Rocksnail
131. Urosalpinx cinerea (Say, 1822) Atlantic Oyster Drill
not yet photographed
132. Gemophos tinctus (Conrad, 1846) Tinted Cantharus
not yet photographed
133. Hesperisternia multangula (Philippi, 1848) Ribbed Cantharus
134. Busycon carica (Gmelin, 1791) Knobbed Whelk
135. Busycon sinistrum Hollister, 1958 Lightning Whelk
136. Busycotypus canaliculatus (Linnaeus, 1758) Channeled Whelk (2)
137. Busycotypus spiratus (Lamarck, 1818) Pear Whelks, juvenile
138. Ilyanassa obsoleta (Say, 1822) Eastern Mudsnail
139. Ilyanassa trivittata (Say, 1822) Three-line Mudsnail (2)
140. Nassarius acutus (Say, 1822) Sharp Nassa
not yet photographed
141. Nassarius vibex (Say, 1822) Bruised Nassa
142. Fasciolaria hunteria (G. Perry, 1811) Eastern Banded Tulip
143. Fasciolaria tulipa (Linnaeus, 1758) True Tulip
144. Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840) Horse Conch
145. Astyris lunata (Say, 1826) Lunar Dovesnail -- melanistic variant
146. Columbella mercatoria (Linnaeus, 1758) West Indian Dovesnail
147. Costoanachis avara (Say, 1822) Greedy Dovesnail
148. Costoanachis sertulariarum (d'Orbigny, 1841) Florida Dovesnail
149. Costoanachis translirata (Ravenel, 1861) Well-ribbed Dovesnail
150. Parvanachis obesa (C. B. Adams, 1845) Fat Dovesnail
151. Suturoglypta iontha (Ravenel, 1861) Lineate Dovesnail
152. Oliva sayana Ravenel, 1834 Lettered Olive
153. Olivella mutica (Say, 1822) Variable Dwarf Olive
154. Olivella cf. prefloralia Olsson and Harbison, 1953 cf. Rice Olive (2)
not yet photographed
155. Prunum apicinum (Menke, 1828) Common Atlantic Marginella
156. Terebra concava (Say, 1826) Concave Auger
157. Terebra dislocata (Say, 1822) Eastern Auger
not yet photographed
158. Cerodrillia bealiana Schwengel and McGinty, 1942 Beal’s Drillia
159. Cryoturris dorvilliae (Reeve, 1845) Dorvill’s Mangelia
160. Kurtziella atrostyla (Tryon, 1884) Brown-tip Mangelia
not yet photographed
161. Nannodiella vespuciana (d’Orbigny, 1847) Vespucci’s Dwarf-turris
162. Pyrgocythara hemphilli Bartsch and Rehder, 1939 Hemphill's Mangelia
163. Rubellatoma rubella Bartsch and Rehder, 1939 Red-brown Mangelia
164. Splendrillia moseri (Dall, 1889) Moser's Drillia
165. Boonea impressa (Say, 1822) Impressed Odostome
166. Chrysallida nioba (Dall and Bartsch, 1911) Niobe Odostome
not yet photographed
167. Cyclostremella humilis Bush, 1897 False Cyclostreme
not yet photographed
168. Eulimastoma canaliculatum (C. B. Adams, 1850) Channeled Odostome
not yet photographed
169. Eulimastoma weberi (Morrison, 1965) Weber’s Odostome
170. Fargoa buijsei (de Jong and Coomans, 1988) Buijse's Odostome
not yet photographed
171. Odostomia acutidens Dall, 1884 Sharp-tooth Odostome
not yet photographed
172. Turbonilla (Pyrgiscus) buteonis Bartsch, 1909 Hawk Turbonille
not yet photographed
173. Turbonilla (Pyrgiscus) wrightsvillensis E. Powell, 1981 Carolina Turbonille
174. Turbonilla (Pyrgiscus) viridaria Dall, 1884 Conrad's Turbonille
A - Turbonilla caroliniana Holotype [Bushra Hussaini photograph, American Museum of Natural History] B - Turbonilla caroliniana from Sunset Beach, North Carolina [Jo O'Keefe] -- combination photo from www.jaxshells.org and Jo O'Keefe
175. Turbonilla (Pyrgiscus) caroliniana Holmes, 1859 Incised Turbonille
not yet photographed
176. Acteon candens Rehder, 1939 Rehder’s Baby-bubble
177. Rictaxis punctostriatus (C. B. Adams, 1840) Pitted Baby-bubble
not yet photographed
178. Acteocina bidentata (d’Orbigny, 1841) Two-tooth Barrel-bubble
179. Acteocina canaliculata (Say, 1826) Channeled Barrel-bubble
Bill Rudman, operator of the Sea Slug Forum --www.seaslugforum.net -- wrote this about the above photo: "In your photo, the light brown [centre left] object is part of the shell, while the other objects - or at least most of them - are the large bulky gizzars plates which form a band of crushing plates to pulverise the sea weed before it enters the sea hare's stomach."
180. Aplysia brasiliana Rang, 1828 Mottled Seahare
181. Diacavolinia deblainvillei van der Spoel, Bleeker, and Kobayasi, 1993 Longsnout Cavoline, top (L), bottom (R), found on Sunset Beach, NC, 01/31/10
182. Melampus bidentatus Say, 1822 Eastern Melampus
183. Octopus vulgaris Lamarck, 1798 Common Octopus