Rare shells from Turner Beach, Captiva, on the Gulf Coast of Southwestern Florida

I have been in Sanibel, Florida, for two weeks now, and will be here another week. The weather has been very calm indeed, which is pleasant, but not great for shelling.

I have visited a number of the local beaches, both on-island and off-island.

Turner Beach, at the southern tip of the island of Captiva, across a small bridge from Sanibel, has aways been one of my favorites. I find it to be great for finding rarities, especially the smaller species.

Yesterday in a two-hour visit, I walked northwards along the beach, following a small, very narrow trail of washed-up shells. It looked not at all promising, but here is a list of the rare and overlooked species that I found. Sometimes I knelt down on elbows and knees to search through what looked to me like promising patches of very small shells.

Barbatia domingensis -- one valve

Divalinga quadrisulcata -- one valve

Callucina keenae -- four valves

Americardia keenae -- one valve

Basterotia quadrata -- one valve

I also found one valve of Arcopsis adamsi, but it somehow that valve did not make it home with me, and also, sad to say, I did not photograph it in situ.

And also I am listing two species that are more abundant (not rare) but which are usually overlooked:

Cavalinga trisulcata -- seven valves

Ervilia concentrica more than 25 valves

As a curiosity, I have added in an image of a small but cute colony of bryozoans, Discoporella umbellata.

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Posted on December 14, 2021 03:02 PM by susanhewitt susanhewitt

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Red-brown Ark (Barbatia domingensis)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 03:09 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Square Sportella (Basterotia quadrata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 03:23 PM EST

Description

I found maybe three valves of this species this beach a few years ago, before I started recording stuff on
iNat.

That discovery is recorded in the Sanibel Shell Museum Shell Guide and is credited to me.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 03:29 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Cross-hatched Lucine (Divalinga quadrisulcata)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 04:10 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Dosinia-like Lucine (Callucina keenae)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 04:43 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Little Dove Strawberry Cockle (Americardia columbella)

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 03:19 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 03:21 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

susanhewitt

Date

December 13, 2021 03:23 PM EST

Comments

On subsequent visits I was able to find several more valves (six I think) of Arcopsis adamsi.

Posted by susanhewitt over 2 years ago

And in subsequent visits I really found a lot more cool rare small shells, including two valves in very good condition of Basterotia elliptica.

Until now that species was represented in the Bailey Matthews National Shell Museum research collection only by one rather pathetic chipped valve that I found in December of 2017, also on Turner Beach.

Posted by susanhewitt about 2 years ago

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