Help Needed Identifying Spiral Shell found in Creek

[ikatelin]

<span style="color: #00000e;">I found this shell in a creek in South Eastern Pennsylvania.
Can somebody help me identify it?
Is it fresh water?

<img src="http://www.ikatelin.com/shell1.jpg" alt="http://www.ikatelin.com/shell1.jpg" style="border:0" />
<img src="http://www.ikatelin.com/shell2.jpg" alt="http://www.ikatelin.com/shell2.jpg" style="border:0" /></span>

[paul monfils]

Hello,

I'm not an expert on fresh water snails, but this does not appear to be a fresh water species.  I base this opinion on two observations: First, there is nothing resembling this shell in the several books I have on fresh water gastropods; and second, this looks very much like a Turritella, which is a marine genus.  I can't say for sure just which species of Turritella it is.  They can be difficult to identify.  One distinct possibility you need to consider is that it may be a fossil Turritella that washed out of some fossil deposit the creek flows through. A friend of mine in Tennessee commonly finds marine fossils in a fresh water creek there.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-08-10 01:16:57 --</span>

[ikatelin]

Thank you,
I am just starting to collect. I have bought most of my fossils from <a href="http://www.earthwindfireice.com" target="_blank"><!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.earthwindfireice.com">www.earthwindfireice.com</a><!-- w --></a> which is a store in a local antique mall in Pennsylvania.
Most of my shells are from vacation at Ocean City New Jersey...
With my dads help, I am posting my collection online at <a href="http://www.IKatelin.com" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.IKatelin.com">http://www.IKatelin.com</a><!-- m --></a>
Hopefully this turns out to be a fossil. I can't wait to go back to the creek to look for more!
Katie  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-08-10 19:29:00 --</span>

[paul monfils]

Hello Katelin,

The link to your website that you provided in your message above didn't work as posted, so I have fixed it.  Very nice site.  I'm sure it will grow over time (collections have a way of doing that) :-)

I would like to make you an offer I have made to several beginning collectors who have posted here. I have been a specimen shell importer/dealer for 40 years. I regularly receive shipments of shells from all over the world, and in most of those shipments there are some shells that don't quite measure up to the quality I require.  I place all those shells in a big box (actually I am up to 6 boxes at present) and periodically send them to schools, scout camps, craft centers, etc., free of charge.  Many times I have also sent a box of shells to a beginning collector like yourself.  If you would be interested in receiving an assortment of worldwide shells, all identified with locality information, I will be glad to send you some.  Just make sure it is okay with your parents first, or better, have one of your parents email me.

<!-- e --><a href="mailtoaulCyp@cox.net">PaulCyp@cox.net</a><!-- e -->  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-08-10 19:43:01 --</span>