Tag: jingle shells

Jingle Shells aka Mermaids’ Toenails

Jingle shells (Anomia ephippium) are not hard to find on the beaches of Florida.  They can also be found from Massachusetts to Brazil according to my seashell ID book.

They have been given the nickname “Mermaid’s Toenails” and I can see why.  They are wrinkled and polished looking and come in a variety of translucent colors from shades of orange to dark gray, with white and off-white being common as well.

Jingle shells in pretty peach, yellow, white and silver colors
Jingle shells come in pretty colors.
black and silver jingle shells
Jingle shells which have turned black due to being buried in sediment before eventually washing ashore. Read more about black seashells here.

The “jingle” part of their name comes from the fact that they make a jingling sound when a group of them is collected and shaken around in your pocket or pail.  Their thinness does not mean they are fragile, in fact they are very sturdy little shells that measure around one to two inches across.  The pretty variety of colors makes them perfect for display or creating crafts and they add interest in a jar of shells.

The mollusk that makes the shell usually attaches itself to something – a rock or even another larger shell – in the ocean.   It also takes the form of the item it attaches to which would explain it’s bumpy appearance.   Then, when the bivalve shell splits apart – for whatever reason, only one half washes up on shore.  The other half is still attached to the place where it lived, or breaks since it is the thinner part of the shell.  You will most likely not find a jingle shell in two parts on the beach and the part you do find is probably the left half.

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Pictures of Seashells From Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is located on the west coast, the Gulf coast of Florida.
It is well known as an excellent location for collecting seashells.  On the shores of Sanibel Island and neighboring Captiva, a wide variety of sea life and various types of shells wash up on shore.  I visited and stayed there twice in the 25 years I lived in central Florida, but it would have been nice to go without kids so I could have strolled the beach leisurely…but I have NEVER been without kids…so I enjoyed the area from a kids view, which meant standing close by as they swam.

Nevertheless I did collect some nice little bivalves, like the spine jewel box shells in my photo below.

seashells
Spiny Jewel Box

The gulf area is perfect for young children because the water is generally calmer than the Atlantic water and therefore not much of an undertow. It’s perfect for anyone because it’s just so beautiful. We watched gorgeous sunsets through the palm trees and were up early every morning to scour the beach for good shells.  I’m lucky that I got to visit before it became so full of people.

One of the pretty shells found along the beaches is the jingle shell.  They are pretty colors when collected on the West coast.  On the East side of the state I often find black shells.

Florida Jingle Shells
Jingle Shells

We’d see Stingrays gliding along just off shore.  Beach shoes of some kind were necessary because the beach is made up of shells which are crushed and whole. We were afflicted with the “Sanibel Stoop” just like everyone else vacationing there!  It happens when there is so much to view close up on the beach that you are in a constant stooping position.

kitten paw seashells
kitten paw seashells

I have large jar of shells that mostly came from the beaches there (in 1990 or 91) and I have recently been trying to identify them.   Some of the shells in the image above are called “kitten’s paw” shells.  I photographed them alongside a daisy flower to show how small they are.