Mark H. Bickel | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News
It’s always a good time to hunt for shells in Southwest Florida. But with snowbird and tourist season just underway, we thought it would be a good idea to inspire shelling enthusiasts with a list of rare shells you can find here and around Florida.Every collection needs a “gotta have it” bucket list. Stamps. Coins. Baseball cards. Comic books. Movie posters. Yes, even seashells.
And with seashells, what’s nice is, you already have a bucket so it is just a matter of checking off the shells you really want for your collection and those shells on your bucket list.
Dr. Jose H. Leal. He is the Science Director and Curator for the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum on Sanibel Island. Leal’s love for shells and sea life goes back to his childhood years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
What are some of the rare seashells you can find on Florida beaches?
Here is a list compiled by Leal that he put together using his knowledge and expertise of shells that can be found on beaches in Florida:
1-Atlantic Morum (Morum oniscus)
2-Fine-cut Nutmeg (Ventrilia tenera)
3-Arrow Dwarf Triton (Tritonoharpa lanceolata)
4-Beau Vitrinella (Cyclostremiscus beauii)
5-Stimpson Chimney Clam (Rocellaria stimponii)
6-Atlantic Paper Mussel (Arcuatula papyria)
7-Scotch Bonnet (Semicassis granulata)
Get the full list of rare shells and see the photos on naplesnews.com.
Looking for a home in Southwest Florida? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.