Mediterranean Live Shells, Help needed :)

[david touitou]

Dear Collectors,

We started with my mate Laurent Kbaïer to shoot live Mediterranean seashells. I am quite sure that you can help us identifying them has I am not very skilled for shells from my country (France)... I know it's a shame  <img src="smile/hapface01.gif" alt="smile/hapface01.gif" style="border:0" />

Here are the images :

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4090.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4090.jpg" style="border:0" />

<u>Columbella rustica ?</u>

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4093.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4093.jpg" style="border:0" />


<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4103.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4103.jpg" style="border:0" />

<u>Hexaplex trunculus small ?</u>


<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4107.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4107.jpg" style="border:0" />

<u>Hexaplex trunculus small ?</u>

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4112.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4112.jpg" style="border:0" />

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4118.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4118.jpg" style="border:0" />

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4121.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4121.jpg" style="border:0" />  

This was a white bibalve living under rocks. Close to <i>lima lima </i>?

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4145.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med1/DSC_4145.jpg" style="border:0" />  <span class="petit">--Last edited by David Touitou on 2010-08-09 15:02:42 --</span>

[david touitou]

Here are more images : Here is a small miter, bigger black miters have been identifyed last here to me <i>Mitra nigra</i>.
This one has pure white animal. Bigger ones that have been identiyed to be <i>Mitra nigra</i> have a yellow line.

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4448.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4448.jpg" style="border:0" />

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4460.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4460.jpg" style="border:0" />

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4462.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4462.jpg" style="border:0" />  <span class="petit">--Last edited by David Touitou on 2010-08-09 14:21:55 --</span>

[david touitou]

What about this red guy ?

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4491.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4491.jpg" style="border:0" />

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4495.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med2/DSC_4495.jpg" style="border:0" />  <span class="petit">--Last edited by David Touitou on 2010-08-09 14:24:15 --</span>

[david touitou]

One more....

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med3/DSC_4884.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med3/DSC_4884.jpg" style="border:0" />  <span class="petit">--Last edited by David Touitou on 2010-08-09 14:26:35 --</span>

[david touitou]

This miter with yellow and white animal is <i>Mitra nigra </i>?

<img src="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med3/DSC_4950.jpg" alt="http://www.seashell-collector.com/assets/galleries/med3/DSC_4950.jpg" style="border:0" />

[mikede]

Wow nice pictures!

My guesses:
DSC_4093.jpg - Columbella rustica
DSC_4121.jpg - Mitrella scrïpta
DSC_4491.jpg and DSC_4495.jpg - probably Fusinus rostratus
DSC_4884.jpg - Vexillum tricolor

[david touitou]

hello mikede,

Thanks. I agree with <i>Columbella rustica/Mitrella scrïpta/Vexillum tricolor</i>

Concerning fusinus sp. I found <i>Fusinus pulchellus </i> but it could be a synonim <img src="images/smiley/smile.gif" alt="" border="0" />

Thanks !

[david touitou]

First image seems to be <i>Nassarius incrassatus</i>

[argo67]

no david, f.pulchellus is a valid name.
those are the species of fusinus which actually leave in med water  in according with the last studies carried out by buzzurro et al.
alternatus, crassus, dimassai, dimitrii, eviae, labronicus, margaritae, parvulus, profetai, pulchellus, rolani, rostratus, rusticulus, syracusanus, verrucosus.
concerning the pics:
the first should be nassarius incrassatus(stroem,1768), the second is for sure pisania straiata(gmelin,1791),the third should be a form of muricopsis cristata(brocchi,1814). pics 4/5 hexaplex trunculus(linne',1758) , the pic 6 looks to be a form of jujubinus exasperatus(pennant,1777)

[brunni]

Wonderful images ! I do not think any of them are Mitra nigra as it does not occur in the Mediterranean ( or France ). The dark shelled mitres of this area are very difficult to separate as shells. I think the most valuable comment on the subject has been :

ROLÀN, E., DANTART, L. & FERNANDES, F., 1997. On some dark species of Mitra from the Mediterranean and Atlantic. La Conchiglia, 29 (285), pp. 11-23

According to this you have 2 species in your images -
Mitra cornicula : animal all white
Mitra cornea  : white animal, broder with food with yellow band

In Mitra nigra the animal is crimson-brownand the base of foot cream-white.