I am trying to identify this shell

[paul monfils]

The front and rear shells in this painting both appear to represent the Knobbed Whelk, sometimes called Knobbed Pear Whelk, from the eastern United States. Scientific name Busycon carica.  Between them appears to be a clam of some kind, probably representing the Quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria.

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

<a href="http://www.gastropods.com/7/Shell_347.html" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.gastropods.com/7/Shell_347.html">http://www.gastropods.com/7/Shell_347.html</a><!-- m --></a>

<a href="http://www.carnegiemnh.org/mollusks/images/gast_mar/2b29.jpg" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.carnegiemnh.org/mollusks/images/gast_mar/2b29.jpg">http://www.carnegiemnh.org/mollusks/ima ... r/2b29.jpg</a><!-- m --></a>  

If your shell is black like this, it is probably an old specimen that was buried in muddy sediment for some time, and was uncovered by the wave action of the hurricane.  As you can see from the pictures, fresh specimens are generally lighter colored.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2007-08-22 23:59:02 --</span>