Forums SEASHELL-COLLECTOR

6  Miniature shells need identified. Please help
I am very new to this and can't tell one family from the other right now.
These shells are from Myrtle Beach S.C. from vacation-09
   Each one will fit in the 0 of the date 2008 on a penny
The 1. pic.is of the trans.shell and the snail shell. The next 2 are of the trans. shell in different views,the fourth is the trans shell on a penny to show size it fits in 0 of the date on penny.

             translucent shell
l.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083938" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083938">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083938</a><!-- m --></a>
2.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083940" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083940">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083940</a><!-- m --></a>
3.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083942" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083942">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083942</a><!-- m --></a>
4.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083943" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083943">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083943</a><!-- m --></a>
       snail - on penny
1.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083944" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083944">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083944</a><!-- m --></a>
      petrified snail?
1.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083945" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083945">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083945</a><!-- m --></a>
2.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083947" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083947">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083947</a><!-- m --></a>
     tube? -second pic. on penny for size
1.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083946" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083946">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083946</a><!-- m --></a>
2.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083948" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083948">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083948</a><!-- m --></a>
     shell ? second on penny for size
1.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083949" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083949">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083949</a><!-- m --></a>
2.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083950" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083950">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083950</a><!-- m --></a>
  shell 2 ??
1.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083951" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083951">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083951</a><!-- m --></a>
2.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083955" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083955">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083955</a><!-- m --></a>
3.<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083953" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083953">http://www.badongo.com/pic/7083953</a><!-- m --></a>
          I love this site !!!!

The first difficulty you run into in trying to ID such minute shells is that some of them may be full grown adult specimens of very small species, while others are recently hatched juveniles of species that will be much larger when full grown.  You definitely have both categories represented here.

The transparent shell is a juvenile.  I can't place it, though the sculpture is reminiscent of some Cymatium species.  But there are other things it could be.

The next one, smooth on the exterior, looks like a juvenile Natica.

The "petrified snail" - The picture is really not clear enough to be sure what I am looking at, but what I can see - or think I can see - could possibly be a mature specimen of a Scissurella species.  Not sure!

The tube-shaped shell is a mature specimen of a Caecum species, probably Caecum pulchellum.

The next is an immature, in fact almost embryonic, specimen.  I don't know what, though I suspect it is a small species.  The completely smooth, bulbous protoconch would suggest several possible genera such as Barleeia,  Zebina, Turbonilla, etc.  Don't know!

The last one is also a juvenile, and the strong ribbing suggests an Epitonium species.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-09-18 01:56:11 --</span>

Thank you so very much. I have more but dont want to bore everyone with asking to try and identify them all.
By the way this site is wonderful.

<b>snail - on penny </b>is probably Tectonatica pusilla (a Natica as Paul indicates).

<b>petrified snail? 2</b> also looks like Caecum pulchellum to me, too.

And, the last one is probably Epitonium humphreysii based upon where it was collected.

If you'll be doing much collecting along the USA Atlantic seaboard I suggest the following sites:

<a href="http://www.jaxshells.org/" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.jaxshells.org/">http://www.jaxshells.org/</a><!-- m --></a>

<a href="http://z14.invisionfree.com/Conchologist_Forum/index.php?s=e3592e3528c2a6242cf720b2bb513e65&act=site" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://z14.invisionfree.com/Conchologist_Forum/index.php?s=e3592e3528c2a6242cf720b2bb513e65&act=site">http://z14.invisionfree.com/Conchologis ... 5&act=site</a><!-- m --></a>

<a href="http://www.okeefes.org/index.htm" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.okeefes.org/index.htm">http://www.okeefes.org/index.htm</a><!-- m --></a>  <span class="petit">--Last edited by marlo on 2009-09-13 23:32:33 --</span>

Thank you very much for the information and the web pages Marlo

My pleasure