One of a Kind Shells in My Collection

Sometimes I can remember where I found a certain special seashell. Sometimes I write it down in my ID book when I find it. The white baby’s ear shell was found at Ponce Inlet in March, 2018.

As for the other one-of-a-kind shells in my collection, I have no idea where I found them.

Left to Right:

  1. Baby’s Ear top and bottom. I believe it’s the “White Baby’s Ear” because it looks like the one at the Shell Museum site. Shells at the Inlet can be orange or black if left in the sand. This baby’s ear may have been white to begin with. The shell is about 3/4 of an inch long and is very flat.
  2. Broad ribbed cardita bivalve showing the underneath and top with it’s wide ribs. This shell is about an inch long. They are more likely to be found on the Gulf Coast, and that could be where I found this one.
  3. The Milk Moonsnail is shiny white and very rounded. This one is about 3/4 of an inch long. This shell and the baby’s ear are related to the Shark’s Eye shell I often see.

These are shells I rarely find in my area. They are also very small shells and would be very easy to overlook.

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Back Out On the Water – Soon

Getting the boat ready for some river trips. It’s been a while, and the Redfisher needs some fixing up first.

Collecting or Buying Real Sea Glass

sea glass

Collecting your own sea glass assures you it’s real, but buying on line may give you pause. Is that necklace (with the hefty price tag) made of the real thing?

I may have come across sea glass during my treks to the ocean, but I never paid much attention to it. The kids and I collected seashells only.  Jelly fish and horseshoe crabs that had washed up on the beach were interesting, but I don’t recall finding any pretty, worn glass.   But there are collectors of sea glass, and they know what to look for.  Just like seashells, certain ones (colors) are rare, and therefore demand a higher price.

Continue reading “Collecting or Buying Real Sea Glass”

The Beautiful Queen (Emperor) Helmet Shell

queen helmet
Image by sarah sosiak via Flickr

The Helmet seashells can be Kings or Queens, but surprisingly, the Queen Helmet (photo at Flickr) is larger. It’s scientific name is Cassis madagascariensis, which includes the word “madagascar”, the name given over 100 years ago when it was thought (incorrectly) that the shell was found on the island of Madagascar.

It is not easy to find a Queen Helmet, which is also known as an Emperor Helmet, as the populations are low, but it lives in shallow sandy water and on coral reefs to 30 feet deep.  In Florida, it is most often found in the Florida Keys.  They eat sea urchins and sand dollars.

The shell can be 12-14 inches long and has a wide opening with markings that resemble teeth.  The shell is chunky, lightly colored except for the opening which is a pretty yellow-tan.