THE

NAUTILUS

A QUARTERLY JOURNAL

DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS

OF CONCHOLOGISTS

VOL. 68

JULY, 1954 to APRIL, 1955

EDITORS AND PTTBLISHEB8

HENRY A. PILSBRY

Curator of thep^epartment of Mollusks and Marine Invertebrates,

Academy of Natural Sciences

H. BURRINGTON BAKER

Professor of Zoology, University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pa.

I^NCAETEB FBI6S, INC., I.ANCA6TE», TA.

CONTENTS

Names of new genera and species in italics.

Alabama 77

Albino 34

American Malacological Union 69

Amygdalum papyria 83

Arctic pelecypods 115

Atlantic . .1, 10, 11, 37, 44, 56, 70, 71, 72, 73, 83, 87, 113, 115, 133

Aulacopod 109

Bambusum Olsson & Harbison, subgenus of Caecum 71

Behavior, Donax 73

Behavior, squids 1, 72

Bulimulus 20

Burial mounds and marines 11

California 51, 82

Cerionoidea 109

Collecting 14

Cretaceous 133

Cyclinella tenuis 70

Dates of The Nautilus 33

Delphinula laxa 10

Donax fossor 73

Elliptio spinosus 132

Emarginula ladowae Eiehman 133

Fisherola 79

Florida 23, 95, 107

Georgia 28, 132

Goodrich, Calvin 104, 135

Gymnophila 110

Hawaii 50

Heterurethrous 109

Holospira riograndensis 34

Humholdtiana durangoensis and H. pilshryi Solem .... 4, 8

Idaho 79

Introduction of eseargots 90

Labyrinthus vs. Lampadion 106

Lanx 79

Liguus 104

Meadows collection of Achatinellidae 50

Melania cancellata 107

Mesodon (Inflectarius) varius Hubricht 65

Mesodon thyroidus 23

m

iv THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

Mesurethra 109

Mexico 3

Moise, Todd Lopez 142

Monadenia fidelis, subsp. haxteriana and salmonensis Tal-

madge 52, 54

Nenia 104

Noetia ponderosa locklini Olsson & Harbison, for N. p.

macneili 72

North Carolina 28, 65

Nudibranchs, preparation 105

Ocenehra (Ocinehrina) emipowlusi and 0. minirosea Ab-

bott 41, 43

Oliva, variation 34, 66

Oregon 51, 79

Pacific 14, 34, 66, 115

Peale collection 123

Pecten chazaliei vs. P. tereinus 113

Persian Gulf 46

Pilsbry chair of malacology 104

Polygyra texasiana 77

Polygyrellinae Ill

Radula, variation in number of cusps 44

Raymond, William James 98

Rush, Raymond C 102

Setaepoma Clench, genus of Synceridae 134

Solomon Islands 134

South Carolina 29

Spiraxidae Ill

Stephens, Mrs. Kate 72

Terehra (Myurella) floridana stegeri Abbott 39

T. {Strioterehrum) areas Abbott 40

Texas 20, 34

Triodopsis fallax affinis Hubricht 28

Unionidae 104

Utah 127

Virginia 28, 30

Washington 79

Wisconsin 24

Wyoming 34

INDEX TO AUTHORS

Abbott, R. Tucker 37, 123

Allen, J. Frances 56, 83, 87

Arata, George F., Jr 1

Baker, H. Burrington 33, 109

Beetle, Dorothy E 34

Bennett, Susan A 70

Burch, John Bayard 30

Clench, William J 23, 95, 104, 107, 134

Dexter, Ralph W 72, 102

Eichman, Charles Jetter 133

Emerson, William K. (A. Smith &) 98

Grau, Gilbert 113

Griffith, Lela M 14

Haas, Dr. F 46

Hanna, G. D 105

Harbison, A. (Olsson &) 71

Hill, Howard R 66

HolHster, S. C 44

Hubricht, Leslie 28, 65

Jacobson, Morris K 73

Kondo, Yoshio 50

McGinty, Thomas L 142

Morris, Percy A 104

Morrison, J. P. E 79

Nicol, David 115

Olsson, A. A. & A. Harbison 71

Pilsbry, H. A 10, 34

Rawls, Hugh C 77

Rees, Dr. W. J 90

Roberts, H. Radclyffe 104

Roscoe, Ernest J. & Lottie 0 127

Schalie, Henry van der 135

Shetrone, Henry C 11

Simmons, Frank L 20

Smith, Allyn G. & William E. Emerson 98

Smith, F. G. Walton 72

Solem, Alan 3

Talmadge, Robert R 51

Teskey, Margaret C 24, 69

Tomkins, Ivan R 132

Wright, Leon M 72

Wurtz, Charles B 106

Zim, Mrs. Milton W 34

V

The Nautilus

Vol. 68 JULY, 1954 No. 1

A NOTE ON THE FLYING BEHAVIOR OF

CERTAIN SQUIDS^

By GEOEGE F. AEATA, JE.2

In view of the interest in the flying or leaping behavior of

some of the squids (Rees, 1949) the following account is con-

sidered noteworthy. Observations were made on the mechanism

by which the squid is enabled to break the surface of the water

and on the manner in which the animal is held suspended in

flight. Rees mentions many accounts where squid have ap-

peared on the decks of vessels during a voyage, but hitherto

there have been no reports of the actual flight.

Several instances are reported here which indicate that some

squids are not only capable of leaping out of the water, but are

also capable of fairly long-sustained flights.

The first observation, involving by far the most spectacular

flight, took place at 36° 43.5' north latitude and 79° 20' west

longitude on board the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service vessel

Theodore N. Gill. On July 29, 1953, at 11 :15 A.M., during a

flat calm with a moderate NE ground swell and with the vessel

heading N at nine knots, a six inch squid was observed as it

glided across the bow of the vessel. The distance of this leap

could not be determined as only the final stages were seen.

However, after striking the water in front of the vessel the

animal remained motionless until the bow of the approaching

1 Contribution No. 12^from the Marine Laboratory, University of Miami.

2 The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami.

Note: Observations resulting from vessel operation of the South Atlantic

Fishery Investigations, in cooperation with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Office of Naval Eeseareh, U. S. Naval Hydrographic Office, and the

States of Florida and Georgia.

2 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

vessel came to within about ten feet. At this time the squid

darted to one side, turned and leaped from the water backwards,

emitting a fine stream of water from the head region, which at

this time was to the rear in relation to the direction of flight.

By the time the jet of water had ceased flowing the fins were

spread and the tentacles were pressed together (side by side and

seemingly curved downward) forming a sort of hood to add to

the supporting elements needed for flight. The squid attained

a height of about six to eight feet from the M^ater surface and

shot in a straight line diagonally across the bow of the vessel

for approximately forty to fifty feet and landed in the w'ater

flat on its ventral surface. As the weather was flat calm there

was no wind to support this flight. It might be added here that

the day was bright and clear. During the morning many slicks

M^ere seen and also frequent patches of sargassum weed. Many

flying fish {Cypselurus heterurus) were also observed.

When first seen the dorsal surface of this squid was colored

royal blue, which closely matched the water color. Upon strik-

ing the water the blue color immediately faded and the animal

remained motionless, showing a complete absence of pigmenta-

tion. When the squid darted from side to side under the water

surface this lack of pigmentation was evident and no color

returned until flight was resumed. Upon alighting the second

time the color again faded, but only for an instant. As the bow

of the vessel approached, the squid turned dark red and was

last seen swimming downward.

The second instance of leaping or flight occurred at approxi-

mately 26° 24' north latitude and 76° 48' west longitude while

on station. Night fishing operations with a light had just been

started at dusk and two small squids were seen feeding at the

surface. A small shark (CarcharJiinus longimanus), which was

captured later, swam up under them and at that instant the two

squid turned dark red and shot from the water, using a jet of

water for propulsion in a manner similar to that described above.

They leaped approximately eight feet above the water surface

and sailed into the bulkhead of the vessel just under the boat

deck.

The weather conditions that prevailed during the second

observation were similar to the first except that a slight chop was

coming from the east. The fishing operations were carried out

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 3

facing east so the squid in this ease took off downwind, which

would further substantiate their ability of supported flight.

Although the specimens mentioned were not recovered, three

additional specimens were captured via dip-net in the same area

and were identified by Mr. Gilbert L. Voss of the Marine Labo-

ratory, University of Miami, as Stenoteuthis hartrami and Om-

mast replies sagittatus. The latter has apparently never been

reported as flying and it is not certain that the observations

recorded here pertain to this species. Members of the family

Ommastrephidae are known as the ''flying squids" and have

been reported from the decks of vessels, but since the actual

specimens were not captured in this ease, no positive statements

can be made. Members of the genus Stenoteuthis are similar

in body to Ommastrephes, and it is possible that a member of

this genus was one of those seen in flight.

A third observation of flight was made by a deckhand on

board the vessel on January 30, 1954, at 0850. This occurred

at approximately 27° 00' N latitude and 79° 18' W longitude.

The squid was seen breaking the surface tail first, emitting a

fine jet of water and sailing about twenty feet diagonally across

the bow. The vessel was steering 332°, there was a ten knot NE

wind and there was a slight surface chop. Contrary to the case

in the instances previous, this squid took off quartering the wind.

Literature Cited

Rees, W. J. 1949. Note on the hooked squid, Onychoteuthis

banksi. Proc. Malaco. Soc. London 28, Pt. I.

NOTES ON MEXICAN MOLLUSKS. I: DURANGO,

COAHUILA AND TAMAULIPAS, WITH

DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW

HUMBOLDTIANA

By ALAN SOLEM

Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan

In recent years a number of lots of mollusks have been brought

back from Mexico by staff members and students of the Univer-

sity Museums. "While from widely scattered localities and gen-

4 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

erally consisting of only a few specimens, they are of great

interest as the localities represented are generally very inaccessi-

ble and but little of Mexico is well known conchologically. Re-

ports are being prepared on the material and, for convenience,

are being grouped geographically.

In the course of paleontological field work, Robert M. Linsley

of the University Museum of Paleontology collected a few mol-

lusks from the Durango-Coahuila border. The specimens were

found near the central portion of the Sierra de Tlahualilo, and

25 miles north of the town of Tlahualilo.

Buliniulus (Rhahdotns) schiedeaniis (Prr.) was found aesti-

vating on bushes both on the plain (ca. 3600') and on the top of

the range (ca. 4800').

Holospira {Halplocion) durangoensis Bartsch (1906: 142-

143) was found on the faces of limestone rock on the slope of

the mountain only. Previously reported only from Durango,

Durango, this species was omitted from the summary of

Haplocion given by Bartsch (1943: 56), but included by Pils-

bry (1953:151). Adult, non-decollated specimens have 11-13

whorls and range in length from 26-32 mm.

In 1948 Paul S. Martin of the Museum of Zoology collected

three specimens of a Humholdtiana from western Durango,

which, on the basis of conchological characteristics, appears to

be new. The extent of speciation in Humboldtiana will prob-

ably be discovered to be as great as in Helminthoglypta and just

as complex. The exact status of the forms described here and

previously described entities cannot be finally settled until a

vast amount of material has been collected and studied. The

described forms are being erected on the basis of conchological

characters and different geographic locality from related species.

It is recognized that extensive collections from Mexico may

completely change the status of these forms, but they are dis-

tinct on the basis of known material.

Humboldtiana durangoensis, n.sp. PI. 1, figs. 2, 6

Type: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology 169746, in

pine woods at 8000', Laguna del Progresso (a mill of the Pacific

Lumber Co.), 30 mi. NNW of Los Coyotes and 25 mi. NNW of

El Salto, Durango, Mexico.

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 5

Diagnosis: A species of Humholdtiana distinguished from H.

nuevoleonis by its larger nuclear whorls, higher spire, more

rounded contours and smaller granules comprising its sculpture ;

from H. taylori Drake by its larger nuclear whorls, more im-

pressed sutures, much smaller granular sculpture and different

coloration.

Description: Shell ovate-globose, rather heavy; 4-4i/^ whorls,

first one and three-quarters embryonic, smooth, shining, remain-

ing w^horls densely covered with round to oval granulations oc-

curring 5-6 per millimeter both longitudinally and spirally;

growth wrinkles present but not prominent; ground color light

olive-brown interrupted by numerous white streaks; body whorl

with three spiral chocolate-brown bands, the upper and lower

equal in size, the middle one about % as wide ; last whorl de-

scending ; aperture ovate ; columellar margin broadly reflected

over the umbilicus, but not sealing it; basal margin of shell

slightly reflected ; parietal callus thin, transparent. Height 37.3

mm. ; diameter 39.4 mm. ; height of aperture 28.2 mm. ; diameter

22.9 mm.

Paratypes: UMMZ 169745, two specimens collected March 26,

1948, near a cave at the same locality. Largest specimen meas-

uring 41.5 mm. in diameter and 39.4 mm. in height. Coloration

and sculpture as in type. Two more paratypes were collected

by I. J. Cantrall March 24, 1953, at 8000' about 2.5 mi. W of

San Luis, Durango. They are slightly smaller than the other

specimens, but still much, much larger than some forms dis-

cussed below. San Luis and Laguna del Progreso are within

10 km. or so of each other and are located about 110 km. west

of Durango City near the Durango-Sinaloa border.

Discussion: The exact phylogenetic relationships of the form

cannot be determined until the anatomy is known, as better

criteria for specific separation exist in the genitalia than in the

shell. Conchologically, however, it is most similar to the Coa-

huilan H. taylori and H. nuevoleonis of Monterrey and vicinity.

Nevertheless, I believe its true affinities lie somewhere between

the heavily sculptured group of //. humholdtiana (= hegewischi

von Martens) together with the Zacatecan H. chrysogona and

non-granulated H. hogeana group of Chihuahua. In other

groups of animals some similarities have recently been noted be-

tween the fauna of the Eastern and Western Mexican pine forest

regions, so that the first relationship remains a distinct possi-

bility.

6 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

From the southern forms mentioned above, H. durangoensis

is separated by its much larger size, proportionately wider color

bands and smaller granulations. Differences from the super-

ficially similar eastern Mexican forms have been determined by

comparison with authentic material. UMMZ 92404 is type lot

material of H. nuevoleonis. No paratypes of H. taylori Drake

were available, but Chicago Natural History Museum 22369 con-

tains eight young specimens of H. taylori Drake collected by Dr.

K. P. Schmidt on April 3, 1945, at Campo Central (El Jardin),

20 miles SE of Boquillas, Coahuila at 5400'. This locality is

within five miles of Drake's type locality and the shells match

Drake's description perfectly. The essential differences are

given in the diagnosis and are not repeated here. A type lot

specimen of H. nuevoleonis is figured in Plate 1, figs. 1, 5, to

indicate the difference in nuclear whorls and shell contour.

The only other record of a Humholdtiana from Durango is

given by van Martens (1890: 147) who reports specimens of

H. hegewischi {= humholdiiana Pfr., see Pilsbry 1948: 185)

from Ciudad in the northern part of the state. This record

needs confirmation.

Dr. Cantrall also collected several more lots of shells from

Durango. The following species were included :

Pisidium abditum Haldeman. A number of young sphaerids

which seem to belong to this species were collected from the

locality near San Luis and the Laguna del Progreso.

Polygyra matermontana Pilsbry. This group is a very dif-

ficult one and much work remains to be done in working out

their relationship. Specimens from San Luis are placed in this

species on the basis of a comparison with a paratype of P. mater-

montana (UMMZ 113187) from the John Ponsonby collection.

The Durangoan specimens have a narrower umbilicus, but are

identical to the paratype in shape and armature. There are also

specimens of this species from Taxco, Guerrero in the Michigan

collection.

Ferrissia (Laevapex) excentrica (Morelet). I have assigned

a number of specimens from the Laguna del Progreso to this

species with some hesitation. Typical excentrica appears to be

heavily radially striate, while only a few of the Durangan speci-

mens have heavy sculpture. In this respect, a number of speci-

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 7

mens could be assigned to F. (L.) impillaris (von Martens).

After carefully examining the extensive series of excentrica in

the Walker collection, I am inclined to consider that the two

"species" may be extreme variations of one form.

Since the pioneer works of Fischer and Crosse, Strebel and

Pfeffer and von Martens, Pilsbry (1903, 1928) and Dall (1908)

are major sources for records in Tamaulipas. Material collected

by C. F. Walker in 1950 and by Paul S. Martin and B. E. Har-

rell in February 1953 provide several additional records.

Aperostoma (A.) mexicanuyn salleanum (von Martens).

Specimens from Rancho del Cielo (7 km. north of Gomez Farias)

and another locality 20 km. north of Chamal, both in the Sierra

Madre Oriental of southwest Tamaulipas, all well within the

range of variation shown by H. B. Baker's Vera Cruz material

(see Baker 1928). Although its presence in Tamaulipas is not

surprising, I believe this is the first record for the state as it

was not reported by Pilsbry (1903) in the Rhoads collections.

Mesonvphix (Omphalinella) montereyensis victorianus Pils-

bry, Specimens from each of the above localities.

Coelocentrum (Crossostephanus) palmeri Dall and Bartsch.

Specimens from the Rancho del Cielo, Chamal and the Aser-

radero del Paraiso, 15 km. NNW of Chamal. Chamal is a small

town located midway betw^een Ocampo and El Limon. The

fresh specimens are much slenderer than the figured form (Dall

1908: pi. 29, figs. 2, 5), but are identical in columellar char-

acters and external sculpture. The original locality was simply

' ' Tamaulipas. ' '

Ceres nelsoni Dall (1898 : 27). A single specimen from Aser-

radero del Paraiso, 15 km, N of Chamal at 1500' in humid low-

land forest. Identical with the figures (Dall 1902: pi. 28, figs.

1, 3, 5, 8) of the San Luis Potosi specimens. To the original

description it might be added that the lamellae extend back

one-sixth whorl and that with the exception of the one-sixth

whorl bearing the lamellae, there are no internal partitions pres-

ent. H, Burrington Baker (personal communication) informs

me that Ceres is probably related to the South American Lini-

diella (= Cyane Adams, not Felder, 1861) and with it forms a

tribe of the Helicininae, rather than belonging to the vianine

Proserpininae.

8 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

In addition, Martin and Harrell collected four specimens

of an interesting new Humholdtiana from near Victoria, Ta-

maulipas.

HUMBOLDTIANA PILSBRYI, n.Sp. PI. I, figS. 3, 4

Type: MMZ 181280, collected 2 miles (by road) west of Ojitos

Mine, about 4 miles West of Chihue (NW of Victoria), a few

miles east of China, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The habitat was a

humid pine-oak-madronoyucca forest at 8600'. It was collected

at a mouth of a cave February 26, 1953.

Diagnosis : A species of Humholdtiana rather dissimilar to any

other Northern Mexican form. It differs from H. montezuma

Pilsbry mainly in shape and detail of sculpture; from H. huf-

foniana in radular detail, color of animal and shape of shell.

Description: Shell large, somewhat globose, fairly thin; five

whorls in largest specimen; first 1% whorls embryonic, smooth,

shining, maculated with brown and white ; angle of spire obtuse,

sutures impressed, with sides of whorls somewhat flattened as in

H. nuevoleonis; sculpture consisting of numerous prominent

growth wrinkles and many granulations, in number from one to

three per millimeter, in shape from round to oval ; granulations

usually whitish and scattered over both the growth wrinkles and

interstices, being very similar to H. huffoniana (Pilsbry 1927:

pi. 13, fig. 1) ; ground color chocolate, interrupted by several

streaks of yellowish brown and numerous short white streaks,

which more or less follow the growth wrinkles; color bands

lacking, except for single band on spire and penultimate whorl ;

last whorl descending somewhat in adult; lip little or not ex-

panded; parietal callus thin, whitish; columellar margin re-

flected over and almost closing umbilicus. Height 48.4 mm. ;

diameter 49.8 mm. ; height of aperture 41.2 mm., diameter 30

mm.

Paratypes: UMMZ 181281; two specimens from type locality;

one young specimen and a worn adult measuring 55.8 mm. in

diameter and 54.7 mm. in height.

Animal: A fourth juvenile specimen preserved in formalin

contained the animal. Although too young to yield genital

characters, the jaw and radula were extracted and a few notes

taken on body color. Back and sides of animal dark grey be-

coming lighter posteriorly; margins of foot grey, but sole red-

dish-grey as are mantle lappets. Jaw small and close to that of

THE NAUTILUS 68 (1)

PLATE 1

:^ ^^a^^^

5 cm.

Figs. 1, 5. Httmboldtiana nuevoleonis. Figs. 2, 6, H. durangoensis.

Figs. 3, 4, H. pilshryi.

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 9

H. ultima figured by Pilsbry (1927: 167, fig. Id). Radular

teeth like those of H. chisosensis (Pilsbry 1927: 169, fig. 5).

Discussion: The radular difference, color of the animal, higher

spire and flatter outline of the shell serve to distinguish this

form from H. huffoniana. The maculated embryonic whorls,

fewer and shorter white streaks, flatter whorls and different

sculpture separate it from //. montezuma. In many ways it

appears intermediate between the two.

I take great pleasure in naming this species for Dr. Henry A.

Pilsbry, not only for all the work he has done on this group, but

in appreciation of all the help he gave me when I was in Phila-

delphia.

A number of specimens of Oleacinidae are not reported on at

this time, but are held pending comparisons with type speci-

mens and consultation with authorities on this group.

Bibliography

Baker, H. B. 1930. Mexican MoUusks collected for Dr. Bryant

Walker in 1926. Part II. Occ. Pap. UMMZ, 220.

Bartsch, Paul. 1906. The urocoptid mollusks from the main-

land of America in the collection of the United States National

Museum. . PUSNM 31.

Bartsch, Paul. 1943. Notes on Mexican urocoptid mollusks.

J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 33 (2) : 54-59.

Dall, W. H. 1898. A new species of Ceres from Mexico,

Nautilue 12: 27-28.

. 1902. Illustrations and descriptions of new, unfigured

or imperfectly known shells, chiefly American, in the U. S.

National Museum. PUSNM 24 : 499-506, pis. 27^0.

1908. Descriptions and figures of some land and fresh-

water shells from Mexico, believed to be new. Ibid. 35 : 177-

182, pis. 29-30.

Drake, Robert J. 1951. Huniboldtiana taylori, new species

from northern Coahuila. Rev. Soc. Malac. 8 (2) : 93-96, pi,

13.

Martens, E. Von. 1890. Land and freshwater MoUusca. Biol,

Cent. Americana.

Pilsbry, H. A. 1903. Mexican land and freshwater mollusks.

PANSP, pp. 761-789, pis. 47-53.

. 1927. The structure and affinities of Humholdtiana and

related helicid genera of Mexico and Texas. Ibid., pp. 165-

192, pis. 11-14.

. 1928. Mexican mollusks. Ibid, 80: 115-117.

10 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

. 1948. Inland moUusks of northern Mexico. I. Ibid.

100: 185-203.

. 1953. Inland mollusks of northern Mexico. II. Ibid.

105: 133-167.

A LONG FORGOTTEN SHELL, DELPHINULA

LAXA SAY

By H. a. PILSBRY

On plate 7 of his American Conchology, Thomas Say figured a

remarkable shell with uncoiled whorls, which he described in 1827

(Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 5: 207) as Delphinula laxa.

The greatest breadth of this shell, he wrote, is about nine-tenths

of an inch. It had been found by Stephen Elliot of Charleston

on Sullivan Island, South Carolina. Say's figures were copied

by Chenu, 1859, Manuel de Conchyliologie 1: 356, fig. 2635.

"We reproduce them in figure 1.

Fig. 1. Eeproduction of Say's figures of Delphinula laxa.

In his remarks Say asks "Can this be a monstrosity of a

Natica?" This possibility recommended itself to Dr. William

H. Dall, who referred to it as "a deformed Lunatia" in the

Blake Report (Bull. 18, M.C.Z., p. 277, 1887). Tryon in 1880

(Man. Conch. 2: 213) included it in Separatista, but he suggests

that it may rather be a valve of Diceras. Possibly D. laxa may

be a species of Gabb's genus Laxispira, known from casts in the

Upper Cretaceous of New Jersey and also found in European

Cretaceous, but this does not seem probable. In 1885 A. E.

Verrill described as Delphinula niticla a specimen taken between

New Jersey and Bermuda in 1423 fathoms (Trans. Conn. Acad.

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 11

VI, p. 425, pi. 44, fig. 11). In his Bulletin 37 U. S. Nat. Mus.,

1889, Dr. Dall reprinted Verrill's plate and catalogued the

species as Liotia (Laxispira) nitida. However, this small (5

mm. long) modern species resembles D. laxa Say in little except

the wholly detached whorls, and it is probably not related to

Say's species or to the Cretaceous Laxispira Gabb. Its family

relations are uncertain.

Our attention was called to Say's almost forgotten shell by

the appearance of an article by Giorgia S. Coen in Natura:

Eevista di Scienze Naturali Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. 40: 46-48 (Milan,

1949). In a box of discarded rubbish of unknown origin Coen

found a specimen which he figured and described as a new genus

and species, Soluta persoluta.^ The figure he gave of this shell

is almost exactly like Say's figure of Delphinula laxa, and so

far as we can judge by the figures, it may be the same species.

Coen evidently did not know of Say's publication, as he did

not mention it. He described a second specimen, not completely

uncoiled and ribbed, as Semisoluta suhsoluta.

The occurrence of "Delphinula" laxa on Sullivan Island

may be adventitious. It may be a fossil washed out of some

submerged stratum, or it may be a deep water form which got

ashore. It may possibly be a scalariform naticid snail, as Say

and Dall surmised, though this seems rather uncertain. In any

case, those who have opportunity to collect on that part of the

coast should be looking out for this long lost shell.

MARINE SHELLS FROM OHIO PRE-COLUMBIAN

BURIAL MOUNDS

By henry C. SHETRONE 2

The current resurgence of interest in the MoUusca is of inter-

est both to the specialist and the student of this aspect of natural

history. Much additional information as to the life histories

of recent mollusks is being recorded, and this in turn is favor-

ably reflected in the study of their fossil predecessors.

1 Not Soluta Lacordaire, 1872 (Coleoptera).

2 Director Emeritus and Archaeologist, Ohio State Museum.

12 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

An additional aspect of the complex likewise is receiving

belated attention — the importance of the Mollusca in human

economy through time and space. Archaeological exploration

of prehistoric habitation and burial sites is disclosing a hitherto

unsuspected major reliance of humans, through the ages, on the

mollusks as a principal source of food, and on their shells as

material for fashioning implements, utensils and ornaments.

The occurrence adjacent to seas, lakes and rivers, the world over,

of shell heaps and middens, attests indubitably to this thesis.

As additional sources of food became available, through agri-

culture and husbandry, in indirect ratio to the development of

literacy, dependence or mollusks and other sea foods decreased.

The succulent oyster, clam, scallop and some others, are excep-

tions to the general trend.

As a matter of course, primitive peoples utilized any or all

mollusks native to their respective areas, whether marine, land

or fresh- water. In Ohio and adjacent areas of the Ohio valley,

on which this study is based, the only mollusks of economic im-

portance were the numerous species of mussels, popularly known

as fresh-water clams. In addition to the above-mentioned uses,

the fresh-water mussels secrete valuable pearls, some of which

may vie with marine pearls in beauty and value. The quest for

these jewels obviously was a major activity of the highly evolved

Hopewell peoples, since many thousands, usually perforated for

stringing as beads and necklaces, have been taken from their

burial mounds. These, in fresh condition, must have equaled

the proverbial 'king's ransom.'

During the many years' exploration of the ancient burial

tumuli by the Ohio State Museum (the writer and his pre-

decessor) many marine shells and artifacts fashioned therefrom

were recovered. At the time no attempt was made to identify,

but since his retirement as Director this reporter, following a

prolonged study, has attempted to do so. Owing to the fact

that most specimens were fragmentary, faded, and more or less

deteriorated, the task has been difficult. Since presumably only

a minor percentage of all shells possessed by these so-called

moundbuilders would be deposited in the burial mounds, they

doubtless utilized many additional species from corresponding

areas of occurrence. It is interesting to note that all marine

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 13

shells from the mounds are univalves, and that apparently they

all came from Florida and Gulf stations, indicating that trade

and barter of the Ohio tribesmen v^^as with the south.

In the interest of approximate dating, the following kinds or

cultures of Ohio aborigines are recognized :

The Early Hunters, tribes from Asia following the big game

southward with the recession of the most recent glacial retreat,

10,000-15,000 B.C.

Archaic Man, river dwellers, subsisting mainly on river mus-

sels, 3,000 to 5,000 B.C. Neither of these cultures had other

than local shells.

The Adena people, residing in the Ohio valley during the first

millennium prior to 1,000 A.D. They constructed impressive

burial tumuli.

The Gravel Kame culture, perhaps later than the Adena ; they

buried their dead in the gravel kames of western Ohio and

eastern Indiana.

The Hopewell people, perhaps 1,000-1,500 A.D., were a highly

cultured group, possessing many materials including marine

shells from distant sources of supply. They erected impressive

burial mounds and earthworks.

The Fort Ancient culture, proto-historic, living in Ohio per-

haps until the coming of white traders. Village-dwelling, not

highly cultured.

The absence or presence of marine shells and other materials

from distant sources of supply may be taken as an index to the

culture status of a given people. The presence of such ma-

terials is evidence of the existence of trade and barter, the

genesis of commerce.

Ten species of marine mollusks, representing seven genera,

have been tentatively identified. They are as follows:

Busycon contrarium Conrad. This shell was by far the most

important in the economy of the Ohio aborigines. Its avail-

ability and large size adapted it admirably for fashioning con-

tainers, dippers, pendants and smaller artifacts. It has been

found in all typical Hopewell tumuli, and occurs sparingly in

Fort Ancient sites. Several large beads and an animal effigy,

apparently fashioned from Busycon contrarium shell, were found

in a mound of the Adena culture. This perhaps is the earliest

record for Ohio.

Busycon carica Gmel. This large univalve shell is listed

14 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

under the old name 'Fulgur' as having been found in a Hope-

well mound.

Cassis madagascariensis Lam. Single specimens in the form

of containers were found in two different mounds of the Hope-

well culture.

Cassis tuberosa Linne. An artifact fashioned from the outer

lip of this species was found in a Hopewell culture tumulus.

Fasciolaria gigantea Kiener. Single specimens of the giant

band shell were found in two different Hopewell culture mounds.

Cypraea exanthema Linne. A single example of this cowry

comes from a Hopewell culture mound.

Oliva sayana Ravenel. Specimens of this olive were found

in a Hopewell mound, and a single one in a village site of the

Ft. Ancient culture.

Olivella mutica Say ; Neritina virginea Linne, and Marginella

ajncina Menke. Specimens of these three so-called 'embroidery

shells,' occurred freely in most of the typical Hopewell tumuli.

Ends or sides were ground or punctured to admit of stringing

for necklaces.

Since all species referred to are widely known and familiar

to all students of western Atlantic mollusks, technical references

would be superfluous. Suffice it to say that the author, in addi-

tion to personal collecting, has studied museum collections and

available literature.

COLLECTOR'S ITEMS FROM COMMERCIAL

FISHING GEAR

By LELA M. GRIFFITH

Egmont, B. C, Canada

To US commercial fishing has always had an important by-

product— mollusks and other forms of life from deep water.

Our shell collection was actually started, not with shells gathered

on the beach and not even with mollusks, but with two species

of Brachiopoda snagged on trolling gear some years ago. They

were taken in Sechelt Inlet and brought home as curiosities,

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 15

later to be identified as Laqueus jeffreysi, a smooth round brown-

ish lamp shell, and Terehratalia transversa, quite heavily ribbed

and of a reddish color, each attached to a sponge by a peduncle

or staUi. We still have them and to this modest beginning have

added from time to time all that our own gear brought up and

all that we could persuade anyone else to save of deep water

material.

It is not quite accurate to say the shells were snagged on the

gear although once in a while a scallop closes on a hook. What

the hook catches as it is hauled along the bottom is much more

likely to be a sponge or bryozoan which in turn often brings up

the rock to which it adheres; and either the sponge or the rock

may carry a variety of shells and other small creatures.

The population of one more or less typical rock consisted of

the following assortment: four bryozoans of three different

species, one Snake's Head Lamp Shell (Terehratulina ungui-

cula), one Little Lamp Shell (Platidea aneminoides) , two Ridged

Clams (Humilaria kennerleyi) , one Horse Mussel (Modiolus

modiolus), three Hairy Snails (Trichotropis cancellata), one

Lyon's Shell (Lyonsia pugetensis), and two corallines {Balano-

phyllia elegans). These ranged in size from a three inch bryo-

zoan to a Platidea no bigger than the head of a pin. Naturally

a good many rocks and sponges are barren, and not all types of

fishing gear have hooks, but each has contributed, at one time

or another, something besides the commercial product for which

it is used.

Aside from those already mentioned we have had few shells

of any value from trolling gear but did pick off kelp, dragged

from six fathoms near Grant Reef in the Gulf of Georgia, a tiny

pearly Cypraeolina pyriformis, a snail shaped like an infinite-

simal cowry, and one Clinocardium calif orniense, a small cockle

with more and finer ribs than the common Basket Cockle.

Seines and gill-nets with their too-large mesh are poor equip-

ment for collecting shells but sometimes they bring up mud and

debris, embedded in which there may be specimens. From such

a source have come some interesting species, particularly small

round mussels (Modiolaria nigra ohesa), each in its protecting

gob of jelly. These came up in a gill-net in Rivers Inlet. Also

from a gill-net but off the Point Grey Flats we obtained a fine

16 THE NAUTILUS [Vol, 68 (1)

little Moonsnail (Polinices pallida) and a Bent-Nosed Clam

(Macoma nasuta) ; and in Johnstone Straits a Chinese Hat Snail

{Calyptraea fastigiata) like a conical limpet outside but with a

spiral deck inside. These were attached to kelp holdfasts which

came aboard in the net. Here in Jervis Inlet a gill-net incon-

veniently sank when its floats water-logged, but to make up for

the trouble it caused it brought up our first Cidarina cidaris,

pearly little turbans with spiral rows of beading; and several

more of the brown lamp shells (Laqueus jeffreysi).

Seines have not yielded much — one hairy brown Horse Mussel

(Modiolus modiolus) and from Deserted Bay in Jervis Inlet,

a number of long slim Jack-Knife Clams (Solen sicarius).

Last year a friend gave us a fine big scallop (Chlamys cau-

rina), the only perfect specimen we have of this species. Her

son brought it home after working on a bottom-dragger in

Hecate Strait several years ago. These shells, much sought

after by collectors, are commonly taken, I believe, in trawls but,

unfortunately, we do not know nor have we been able to con-

tact any trawlers.

Shrimp traps "catch" no bivalves but snails are sometimes

attracted by the smell of the bait intended for the shrimps.

From traps put down in a depth of nearly one hundred fathoms

in the vicinity of Cortez Island we had a donation of nine speci-

mens of Neptunea phoenicia, large handsome brown snails with

distinct spiral ribs. And from the same source but taken in

Bute Inlet, we obtained one huge Ridged Whelk {Neptunea

lirata) — bigger and handsomer even than its aforementioned

cousin. Shrimp traps in seventy fathoms of water off Shannon

Creek in Sechelt Inlet invariably bring up a quantity of Coins

morditus and C. jordani more or less evenly divided as to num-

bers. They are smooth brown snails, one to one-and-a-half

inches, usually partially covered with a black growth and rather

difficult to tell apart. With them once was the larger more

distinctive Coins herendeeni, with fine spiral lines and a thin

olive-brown periostracum. After these aristocrats the take in

Jervis Inlet has not been very spectacular — mostly the large

hairy Oregon Tritons (Argoluccinum oregonense) with sadly

worn apexes from being dragged by their owners over rocky

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 17

bottom, the lowly black Spindle Shells (Searlesia dira), and a

few all-too-eommon Dog Whelks (Nassarius mendicus).

Although there is no commercial crab fishing in this Inlet we

have tried crab traps for snails but with very indifferent suc-

cess. We are too near the Skookumchuck and the strong tide

fouls the buoy line and finally it breaks thereby losing the trap.

The odd times it came safely up we got mostly the same old

Spindle Shells and Dog Whelks but it did secure one prize, the

lovely little Spotted Top Shell (Calliostoma variegatum), and

one Puncturella cucullata, a limpet-like shell with sharp ridges

and a slit at the apex of the cone.

Cod hand lines have supplied us with several scallops each

year. Three species are in the Inlet — Chlamys hindsii, C.

hindsii kincaidi and C. hericius — all in varying shades of pink

and all very beautiful. The first two kinds are about two to

two-and-a-half inches across, the last mentioned a bit larger and

more vividly colored with coarse spiny ribs. These are swim-

ming shellfish and when a line drags between the valves they

immediately snap shut instead of prudently backing off. Some-

times from the stomachs of the cod we get the Ribbed Top Shell

(Calliostoma costatum), the outside layer of the shell dissolved

away by the action of the stomach acid leaving the pretty pink

and blue pearl exposed. Once, in an urn-shaped sponge stuck

on the hook, we found a young Octopus (Polypus hongkon-

gensis).

The set-line or long line has been by far the most prolific

producer of shells etc. It may be from one hundred fathoms

to a mile in length, lies on the bottom with short ganglings at

regular intervals each bearing a hook ; perhaps a thousand on a

mile of line. It is lifted by a buoy line and drags a bit on the

sand or rock as it is pulled, the empty hooks catching this and

that as they go by. At least it used to work that way. For

two or three years now there has been little market for dogfish

livers and hence, to our intense regret, no set-line fishing. How-

ever, we have had over the years a prodigious haul.

Many of the species from other gear also showed up from

the set-line. A few each, Cidarina cidaris, Calliostoma varie-

gatum, Puncturella cucullata, Colus morditus and C. jordani,

Modiolus modiolus, one only Colus herendeeni, and one Polypus

18 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

hongkongensis, the latter from the stomach of a dogfish. A good

many each of Argohuccinum oregonense, Searlesia dira, Nas-

sarius mendicus, Laqueus jeffreysi, about a dozen Neptunea

Phoenicia. Always a fair supply of the three scallops (Chlamys

hindsii, C. hindsii kincaidi and C. hericiits) — one notable con-

tribution of nine specimens, seven C. h. kincaidi and two C.

hericius, these last two from the stomach of a large red anemone

— all taken at the same time from approximately the same spot.

The list of those pecliar to the set-line is quite impressive. A

tiny brown limpet making its home on kelp, Acmea instahilis;

Lepeta concentrica, small whitish and limpet-like with faint

striations and the periostracum eroded away at the apex ; Sola-

riella peramahilis, a pearly turban looking like a small tube

wound round leaving an open umbilicus; the common little

Checkered Littorine {Littorina scutulata) ; the White Slipper

Shell (Crepidula nivea) oval, clinging flatly, pearly inside with

a deck squarely across one end ; Melanella comoxensis, tiny pink-

spired snails (our specimens were picked off an old shoe) ;

Ocenebra fraseri, a knobby little fellow with a sort of basket-

work sculpture; Trophon tenuisculptus, similar to the last but

longer and slimmer with an elongated and twisted canal; Oli-

vella hoetica, the Little Olive, purplish and porcellain-like, one

only taken off Scuttle Bay; Siphonaria thersites, looking like a

brown horn limpet but with a slight groove running from the

vertex to the margin inside; Loligo opalescens, the slim squid

with its opalescent hues.

Bivalves, too, are well represented. Two thin white trans-

parent scallops about the size of a finger nail, Pecten vancou-

verensis and P. randolphi, the former with a few roughish lines

and the latter smooth; two little brown clams, one with heavy

concentric ridges, Astarte alaskensis, and one with lighter broken

ribs, Astarte esquimalti; small yellowish Kelly Shells (Kellia

siib orbicularis) , two juveniles only we have; Panomya ampla,

a heavy irregular shell, chalky white in color ; Hiatella pholadis,

an oblong misshapen little clam found burrowed into sponges

and in crevices in rocks; the white Ridged Clam {Humilaria

kennerlyi) ; Lyonsia pugetensis, small slivery and delicate.

To these we add two Brachiopoda, one flat round brown and

of very minute dimensions, Platidea aneniirwides, the Little

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 19

Lamp Shell ; the other about an inch long, white with fine lines

radiating from the area of the beaks, Terehratulina unguicula.

In addition to moUusks and braehiopods the set-lines and cod-

lines pick up other items which may be of interest. First, two

Protozoa hardly large enough to see; a round one looking as if

it were made of overlapping plates, Foraminifera discorhis, and

a slim curved one, Foraminifera dentalina.

In the Coelenterata are the very pretty hard little pink

"Corals" (Diaperoecia vancouverensis) ; two gorgonian corals,

the large spreading fan-shaped structure, soft and brittle, of a

gorgeous red color, Euplexora marki) ; and the yellow "Huckle-

berry Bush," equally large but strong and shrubby, sometimes

with a trunk like a young tree, a species of Eunicea. Then there

is our only true coral, Balanophyllia elegans, called the Cup

Coral, quite small round cup-shaped, of a vivid orange hue.

Two sea pens are fairly common. Ptilosarcus quadrangularis

is up to a foot long, the "stem" thick and fleshy, polyps on

leaf -like attachments along more than half the length, all bright

reddish orange. Stylatula elongata is similar in structure but

much slimmer, up to six feet long and a pale ivory color.

The most attractive echinoderm is the pale lacy Basket Star,

Gorgonocephalus caryi, with a very small body but surrounded

by many waving arms — the original five each branched twelve

times. Another odd starfish is Ceramaster arcticus, also pale

but flat and almost a perfect pentagon, seemingly with no

arms at all. From four hundred fathoms come Heart Urchins

(Lovenia cordiformis) very spiny and more fragile than the

shallow water sea urchins.

A few crustaceans are worthy of note: the Squat Lobster

(Munida quadraspina) with his short red body and long red

legs, not quite a lobster and not quite a crab; the great warty

Box Crab {LopholitJiodes foraminatus) which folds so that his

shelly parts fit tightly around openings between the front legs,

permitting passage in and out of water currents; the equally

large and very similar King Crab (LophoUthodes mandtii),

distinguished by the lack of the foramen.

Not off the fishing gear but on kelp lifted by the anchor we

collected two choice species; from Baker Pass a pair of wee

20 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

white Gem Clams {Gemma gemma) and from Rivers Inlet one

fat brown Chink Shell {Lacuna porrecta).

So much for what we have. The fishing season is on again

and we anticipate what it will bring — perhaps not much but

always the chance of something strange. Perhaps there will

be set-line fishing again one day. Perhaps we shall meet a

cooperative trawler. And who knows? Perhaps this article

will inspire some fisherman to save those oddities that come up

on his gear. Of course, there is, too, the dredge, but that is

another story.

NOTES ON TEXAS BULIMULUS

By FEANK L. SIMMONS

Odessa, Texas

My observations on the distribution and ecology of Bulimulus

relate chiefly to the species of Coryell County, in central Texas,

and are the result of only a very few years of observation and

collecting.

Bulimulus dealhatus (Say) is found abundantly in Coryell

County. It is found on the Leon River flood plain, up the steep

hillsides, in the limestone bluffs, and over the hills into the tree-

less pastures where it is more abundant and most at home. It

is found in populous colonies in the high open pasture lands

where there is only grass and weed coverage.

It can survive the severest drouths. As I write (Oct. 20,

1953) there has been only 2^/2 inches rainfall since the great

Waco tornado of May 11, 1953, and in turning weed piles and

stones around the margin of my garden I find live B. dealhatus

under them.

This snail is often found by hundreds where it has climbed

weeds up 6 inches to 3 feet above soil. It is notable that it

always climbs dead, last year weeds. It is subject to attacks

of carnivorous animals. I often find large numbers of shells

that have been robbed of the animal. Red ants will destroy all

in the range of their feeding ground.

Here, in Coryell County in the limestone lands it attains

greater size than in clay or sandy soils. To illustrate : a collec-

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 21

tion made in an abandoned sand field 6 miles to the southwest,

the average height is 19 mm., whereas in a collection made on

the high prairie lands approximately 250 feet above the river

flood plain the average B. dealhatus is globose conic, of 6 convex

whorls, the nuclear whorl is often brown or black, height 26 to

28 mm., aperture 12 to 14 mm. high, 10 mm. wide ; shell marked

with ashen gray streaks and blotches across whorl.

A small collection from Tarrant County, collected on sandy

post oak land, averaged 18 mm. high. Another collection from

Palo Pinto County, were even smaller, measuring only 18 mm.

for the largest. It, too, came from poor sandy post-oak land.

Bulimulus dealhatus mooreanus. These were taken in the

massive limestone Culpepper Bluffs half mile west of Mother

Neff State Park, Coryell County, Texas, 1951. The bluff is

approximately 150 feet higher than the Leon Kiver level be-

low it.

It is capped by 20 to 25 feet of massive limestone. Lower

slopes, which are very steep, littered with an abundant forest

debris covering, and massive limestone boulders and stones

broken off the cliffs above. There is a good growth of ash, elm,

buckeye, several species of oak, greenbriar, grape, poison oak

and other hillside growths.

In this county, this is a strictly timberland snail. I have

never found it removed from good vegetal coverage. Its favor-

ite haunts are the rugged stony hillsides although it may be

found on the River flood plain.

It is gregarious, living in large colonies. In this location

B. dealhatus mooreanus is almost in its pure state, but where

there is an overlapping into a colony of B. dealhatus (Say)

there is apparently extensive hybridization between the two

subspecies.

Snails, in Indiana Economy : under the massive capstone men-

tioned above there are several extensive rock shelters, commonly

called ''caves," in which primitive man made his home, and in

them are many kitchen-middens, the debris deposited where

primitive men left the waste materials from their living habits.

In March 1952, with my son-in-law and grandson, I excavated a

section of midden deposit 24 ft. by 4 to 6 ft. wide and 30 to 36

inches deep.

22 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

There were human bones representing three individuals. The

bones were in an advanced state of decay. Several bushels of

river mussels the greater part of which were in an advanced

state of decay. 160 flint artifacts were recovered, but here is

my main point — the magnificent B. dealhatus mooreanus was

well distributed throughout the debris.

I gave my grandson my share of the flint artifacts but I

dropped 21 of these fine snail shells in my pocket and saved

them, because it struck me very forcibly to observe the human

bones and mussel shells in an advanced state of decay and most

of the snail shells in good condition. Evidently they were in-

troduced as the midden grew under the occupancy of the people

who lived there but they had held form and quality better than

bones or mussel shells. Does this indicate that the Indian used

the snail to augment his food supply.

Bulimulus schiedeanus pecosensis Pilsbry. This is a fine

species known by its long, acute spire, 7 strongly convex regu-

larly increasing whorls, the body-whorl less inflated than in B.

dealhatus. It was first found in 1852, only 8 specimens under

Culpepper Bluff, Coryell County, Texas, near the bank of the

creek. I had not seen this snail anywhere else, and recognized

it at once as a different species. Dr. Pilsbry has identified it

as above, reporting that my specimens are closely like the type

lot from the Pecos River.

Since then I had not met with this shell until Mar. 9, 1954.

"While exploring the craggy limestone bluffs of Horse Creek, two

miles down Leon River from Culpepper Bluff, I came upon an

excavation five feet deep. Archaeologists had excavated a shell-

rock midden five feet deep. I noted that a great quantity of

river clams along with a like quantity of snail shells had been

thrown from the excavation, and many were sticking in the

undisturbed wall. Most of the shells of all sorts were rotten

and broken. Of the snails I noted B. dealhatus mooreanus

Pfeiffer and B. dealhatus Say, in large numbers; among them

were a great number of my (then) unidentified species. Most

of the lot were rotten and damaged ; however I collected 19 fairly

good B. s. pecosensis. This shell has such striking and different

characteristics that I believe it is a species in its own right. I

have found them only in alluvial creek bank deposits and in

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 23

midden deposits, and only in the two locations cited above. I

have found no living specimens.

Bulimulus alternatus fnariae (Albers) : I have not observed

this fine shell in Coryell County, nor have I heard of it being

found here. Its habitat is chiefly in the Rio Grande plain, that

vast low lying area in the southwest known as "the brush coun-

try." I have small collections from Cameron County at the

extreme southern tip of Texas, from Nueces County, mid Gulf

Coast, from Zavala County in the mid brush country, from

Willacy County (adjoining Cameron County). These were

identified for me by Dr. A. B. Leonard, of Kansas University,

Lawrence, Kan.

This is the only bulimulid I have found that has a columellar

denticle. On the strong callus near the columellar termination

of peristome are one or well defined denticles. Aperture often

pinkish purple. Outside marked with brown blotches and

streaks running with axis of shell. Length 30 to 32 mm.

MESODON THYROIDUS (SAY) IN FLORIDA

By WILLIAM J. CLENCH

Typical Mesodon thyroidus (Say) occurs in peninsular Florida

as far south as the Suwannee River system. At the time Pils-

bry considered this species in his Monograph (1940, 1, pt. 2,

p. 706) it was known to occur "in western Florida, but is not

known from the peninsula."

It is still a rare species in the northern portion of the state

though unquestionably many more records will come to light

when serious collecting is attempted. Its distribution will prob-

ably always remain spotted owing to its own ecological demands

for rather moist hardwood areas, particularly along stream

margins. Even here, it is generally absent because of several

other factors which are as yet completely unknown.

A very vigorous colony was found at Oldtown on the banks

of the Suwannee River in Dixie County. This locality is about

one mile north of the bridge on U. S. Route no. 19. At this

point both river and road bend toward each other until they

run side by side for a few hundred yards. The bank at this

24 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

point is about 20 feet high, tree and brush lined and margined

with broken limestone as fill for the road. We first found this

colony in 1934 and again this past summer in 1953. Adults

were abundant crawling over the rocks and the boles of the

small trees, young specimens, about half grown, were found 8

to 10 feet up in the trees on the leaves, a situation I have never

observed anywhere else. This record represents the southern

most locality in the state of Florida so far as now known.

At Spring Creek, 3 miles southeast of Marianna we found

this species to be fairly common along the banks, but not at all

abundant. In passing, I would like to mention that this is one

of the most remarkable localities for fresh water mollusks.

Species are few in number but the abundance of individuals of

each species surpasses belief. The Georgia Light and Power

Co. have dammed this creek at U. S. 90. The lake above the

dam is literally filled with Goniohasis floridensis Reeve and

Pomacea paludosa (Say). Several rowboats had their sides

literally plastered with eggs of this latter species, in places over

one inch thick. Below the dam, Elliptio strigosa (Lea) were so

numerous that they had to "up end" themselves in certain spots

owing to crowding.

The following are the Florida records of Mesodon thyroidus

(Say) :

Spring Creek, 3 miles southeast of Marianna, Jackson Co.

Alum Bluff, Liberty Co., Apalachicola River.

Torrea Park, 12 miles south of Chattahoochee, Gadsden Co.

Near mouth of Withlacoochee River, Suwannee River, Madi-

son Co.

Near Itchatucknee River, Columbia Co.

Oldtown, Suwannee River, Dixie Co.

THE MOLLUSKS OF BROWN COUNTY,

WISCONSIN

By MARGARET C. TESKEY

Since the monumental work of Baker (1928), several short

papers by Morrison (1929, 1932), Levi and Levi (1950) and

Solem (1952) add additional records to the distribution of Wis-

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 25

consin molliisca. This contribution reports the specimens ob-

tained by collecting at 32 stations in Brown County, Wisconsin

from October 4th to 19th, 1953. Additional stations which

yielded no moUusks were not counted in this survey.

Brown County embraces both shores of the southern end of

Green Bay, and except for the city of Green Bay, the village of

De Pere and several crossroad hamlets it is given over to the

dairy farms for which Wisconsin is famed. The few wooded

areas which remain are in nearly every instance pastured and

afforded very poor collecting. An attempt was made to give

equal attention to these forest areas (if second and third growth

woodlots may be so designated), roadside bogs, quarrys both

active and abandoned, several creeks, the Fox River (badly

polluted by paper mills) and the bay. Considering that this

constitutes one of the most "improved" sections of the state,

it was a pleasant surprise upon totalling up to be able to record

62 species.

Of special interest was the discovery of Hendersonia occulta

(Say) at three stations, widely separated and ecologically dis-

tinct. In De Pere Township (where Marston collected it in

1890) this species occurred in quantity; three hundred speci-

mens were taken from a woods pool not over ten feet in diameter.

In some instances they were wholly submerged, but more often

were under the rotted leaves at the very edge of the stagnant

water. Later the species was found very much alive in the dry-

as-dust detritus on limestone ledges of the escarpment which

overlooks Green Bay in the northern section of the county; in

this instance no water was in sight other than the bay several

hundred feet below and a mile distant, nor was there evidence

of spring or seepage water in the vicinity. The third location

was the shoulder of a secondary road miles removed from the

other two colonies. This time the snails were under loose gravel

which in turn was drifted over with recently-fallen leaves.

Finding Pomatiopsis lapidaria (Say) on a baked forest floor

(Wisconsin had suffered from a summer-long drought) was a

shock to this collector who had heretofore associated the moUusk

with the spray-drenched rocks at the base of Niagara Falls.

Acknowledgment is hereby made of the kindness of Rev. H.

B. Herrington who identified the Sphaeriidae, of Dr. Henry van

26 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

der Schalie who determined the mussels, and especially that of

Mr. Alan Solem who with great patience identified the mass of

land and fresh water gastropods.

Following is a list of the species taken, together with the

number of stations at which they occurred. The mussels in all

cases were beach specimens. No attempt was made to collect

slugs, which were infrequently encountered.

Hendersonia occulta (Say) (3)

Stenotrema monodon (Rackett) (2)

S. fraternum (Say) (4)

Allogona profunda (Say) (7)

Mesodon thyroidus (Say) (3)

Triodopsis multilineata (Say) (3)

Euconulus fulvus (Miiller) (2)

E. chersinus goly grains Pils. (1)

Retinella electrina (Gould) (2)

R. indentata (Say) (2)

Hawaiia minuscula (Binney) (2)

Zonitoides arhoreus (Say) (12)

Z. nitidus (Miiller) (2)

Striatura milium (Morse) (1)

Anguispira alternata (Say) (8)

Discus patulus (Deshayes) (1)

D. cronJchitei anthonyi (Newcomb) (7)

Helicodiscus parallelus (Say) (5)

Punctum pygmaeum (Drap.) (1)

Gastrocopta pentodon (Say) (1)

G. holzingeri (Sterki) (4)

G. contract a (Say) (6)

G. armifera (Say) (6)

Vertigo ovata (Say) (3)

Strohilops affinis Pilsbry (1)

^S'. lahyrinthica (Say) (6)

Vallonia pulchella (Miiller) (3)

V. cost at a (Miiller) (2)

Cionella luhrica (MUller) (1)

Succinea ovalis Say (9)

8. avara Say (7)

Oxyloma retusa (Lea) (6)

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 27

Carychium exiguum (Say) (6)

*Limnaea palustris (Say (8)

L. palustric (Say) form exilis Lea (2)

L. caperata Say (6)

L. humilis Say (1)

Gyraulus deflectus (Say) (7)

G. parvus (Say) (1)

Planorhula armigera (Say) (5)

Helisoma anceps (Menke) (1)

H. trivolvis (Say) form megasoma DeKay (2)

Physa sayii Tappan (8)

Aplexa hypnorum (L.) (8)

Viviparus malleatus (Reeve) (1)

Campeloma rufum Haldeman (2)

Bulimiis tentaculatus (L.) (1)

Pomatiopsis lapidaria (Say (1)

Pleurocera acuta Rafinesque (1)

Goniohasis livescens (Menke) (3)

Pisidium casertanum (Poll) (1)

Sphaermm sulcatum (Lam.) (1)

S. striatinum (Lam.) form soUduni Prime (1)

S. occidentale Prime (6)

S. (Musculium) securis (Prime) (2)

Lasmigona coniplanata katherinae Lea (1)

Fusconaia flava parvula Grier (1)

Elliptio dilatatus sterkii Grier (1)

Leptodea fragilis lacustris F. C. Baker (1)

Anodonta grandis footiana Lea (1)

Lampsilis siliquoidea rosacea DeKay (1)

Amhlema costata plicata Say (1)

References

Baker, Frank Collins, 1928 : The Fresh Water Mollusca of

Wisconsin. Wise. GeoL and Nat. Hist. Survey, Bull. 70,

Parts I and II.

HuBENDicK, Bengt, 1951 : Recent Lymnaeidae. Kungl. Svensko

Vetensk. Hndl., 3 (1), 223 pp., 5 pis.

* In grouping the seventeen lots of Lymnaeidae into three species and one

variety, Mr. Soleni followed Hubendick (1951).

28 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

Levi and Levi, 1950: New Records of Land Snails from Wis-

consin. Nautilus, Vol. 63, No. 4, pp. 131-138.

Marston, George T., 1890: Occurrence of Helicina occulta Say

in Brown Co., Wis. Nautilus, Vol. 3, No. 10, p. 113.

Morrison, J. P. E., 1929 : A Preliminary List of the Mollusca of

Dane County, Wisconsin. Trans. Wise. Acad. Sci., Arts, and

Letters, Vol. 24, pp. 405-425.

, 1932: A Report on the Mollusca of the Northeastern Wis-

consin Lake District. Ibid., Vol. 27, pp. 359-396.

Solem, Alan, 1952 : Some Mollusks from Door County, Wiscon-

sin. Nautilus, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 127-129.

A NEW SUBSPECIES OF TRIODOPSIS

FALLAX (SAY)

By LESLIE HUBRICHT

Triodopsis FALLAX AFFiNis, new subspecies

Shell depressed, with dome-shaped or conoidal spire, deep

olive-buff to wood brown, narrowly umbilicate, the umbilicus

contained about 10 times in the diameter of the shell. Whorls

5.3 to 6.2, closely coiled, with the periphery above the middle,

deeply constricted behind the peristome. First whorl smooth,

later whorls with fine spiral striae below the suture. Reflected

peristome white, thickened within, with a pointed to rounded,

inwardly bent tooth in the outer margin, and a transverse tu-

bercle on the callus ledge in the middle of the basal margin.

Parietal tooth rather long and angularly curved to arcuate.

There is no internal tubercle on the columellar axis.

Diam. 12.2 mm. Ht. 7.7 mm. 6.0 whorls. Holotype.

Diam. 12.6 mm. Ht. 7.8 mm. 6.2 whorls. Paratype.

Diam. 10.5 mm. Ht. 6.2 mm. 5.6 whorls. Paratype.

Diam. 9.1 mm. Ht. 5.3 mm. 5.3 whorls. Danville.

Diam. 13.3 mm. Ht. 8.0 mm. 6.0 whorls. Calhoun Falls.

Triodopsis fallax affinis differs from T. fallax fallax (Say) in

the absence of the internal tubercle, also the spire averages

higher, the umbilicus smaller, and the tooth on the outer lip

smaller, and less inflected. From T. fallax alahamensis (Pils.)

it differs in its smaller umbilicus and higher spire.

The range of T. f. affinis, is mainly south and west of typical

fallax, extending from Virginia, through the western Piedmont

of North Carolina, into Georgia. Along the zone of contact

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 29

there are some hybrid colonies, as at Eau Clair, Union, Clinton,

and Spartanburg, South Carolina, Elkins, North Carolina, and

Danville, Virginia. At these localities some specimens have a

well developed internal tubercle, some have none, and others are

intermediate. At Danville, Virginia there is also a distinct

difference in size between the two subspecies, affinis being quite

small.

In western South Carolina affinis grades into T. f. aldbamensis,

T. f. alahamensis being found at Anderson, and Pendleton, in

Anderson Co., and at Seneca and Westminster, in Oconee Co.

Specimens from Danville, Virginia have been identified as

T. vannostrandi alahamensis (Nautilus 64: 8), and although they

are similar to some Alabama shells they are not typical ala-

hamensis, and because of the wide geographical separation it

seems best to place them under affinis.

The only difference in the shell between T. messana Hubricht

and T. f. affinis is in the color. But at Columbia, South Caro-

lina, where affinis has come in contact with T. hopetonensis, it

has hybridized freely with it, which T. messana will not do, in-

dicating a fundamental difference between the two species.

Localities. — Virginia : Pittsylvania Co. : along Riverside Drive,

Danville ; along Cascade Creek, 2 miles south of West Fork.

North Carolina : Wake Co. : clearing, 0.5 mile southeast of

Garner. Guilford Co. : oak woods, along US-29, 6 miles north-

east of Greensboro. Rockingham Co. : upland woods, 3.5 miles

southwest of Madison ; Mayodan. Stokes Co. : summit of Hang-

ing Rock Mtn., Hanging Rock State Park. Surrey Co. : Elkins.

Wilkes Co. : North Wilkesboro. Alexander Co. : Stony Point.

Caldwell Co. : Lenoir ; Hudson ; Granite Falls. McDowell Co. :

Marion. Gaston Co. : Cherryville. South Carolina : Spartan

burg Co. : Spartanburg ; Woodruff. Cherokee Co. : Gaffney.

Greenville Co. : Greenville ; Piedmont ; 1 mile west of Greer.

Union Co. : Union. Laurens Co. : Clinton ; Gross Hill ; Laurens ;

Enoree. Anderson Co. : Honea Path ; Belton ; Williamston.

Abbeville Co. : Abbeville ; Due West ; Donalds ; Calhoun Falls.

Greenwood Co. : Ninety Six ; Greenwood. Newberry Co. : Little

Mountain ; Prosperity ; Whitmire. McCormick Co. : McCormick.

Saluda Co. : Ward ; Saluda. Edgefield Co. : Edgefield. Rich-

land Co. : Eau Clair ; waste ground, Huger and Richland Sts.,

Columbia, holotype 191307 and paratypes 191308 A.N.S.P.,

paratypes 11451, collection of the author. Lexington Co. : Bates-

burg ; West Columbia ; Lexington ; Irmo ; Cayce. Georgia : Hart

30 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

Co. : roadside, 6 miles east-northeast of Hartwell ; Hartwell.

Franklin Co. : Royston. Barrow Co. : Winder. Wilkes Co. :

Washington. Lincoln Co. : upland oak woods, 4.5 miles south-

west of Lincolnton.

THE LAND SNAILS OF HENRICO COUNTY,

VIRGINIA

By JOHN BAYARD BUECH

University of Eichmoud

Henrico, one of the smaller counties of Virginia, has an area

of 234 square miles. It is situated just east of the center of

Virginia, and has an elevation varying from tide water, in the

southeastern part, to above 260 feet in the northwestern part.

The greater portion of the county is from 150 to 250 feet above

sea level. The northern boundary is formed by the Chicka-

hominy Rivery, arising in the northwest corner and flowing into

the James River below Charles City. The southern boundary is

formed by the James. Numerous small streams drain the

county, flowing into these two rivers. The western two-thirds

of the county is a part of the Piedmont Plateau physiographic

province, the eastern part belonging to the Coastal Plain.

Several of the land Mollusca of Henrico County were listed

by Dr. Paul R. Burch in his article "Mollusks" in the Virginia

Academy of Science publication The James River Basin, Past,

Present, and Future in 1950. These included the snails Discus

patulus Deshayes (not found by the author), Haplotrema con-

cavum (Say), Mesodon thyroidus (Say), Stenotrema hirsutum

(Say), Triodopsis fallax (Say), and Ventridens (= Zonitoides)

arhoreus (Say). Two additional species, Helicodiscus paral-

leliis (Say) and Retinella indentata (Say), were reported by

personal communication. Triodopsis oisoleta (Pilsbry) was

listed by Hubrieht (1953) as being an introduced form in Rich-

mond but specimens have not been found by the author. Dr.

Henry A. Pilsbry (1939-48) does not list any snails from Hen-

rico County in his Land Mollusca of North America (North of

Mexico).

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 31

The land snails are represented in Henrico County by eight

families. Twenty-four species and subspecies are listed in this

paper. Their distribution seems to depend on the availability

of calcium compounds, organic material upon which to feed,

moisture, and cover.

Carychiidae

Carychium exiguum (Say). Generally distributed under and

among decaying leaves in damp places, but not common.

PUPILLIDAE

Columella edentula (Draparnaud). Numerous specimens found

near White Oak Swamp Creek, VA. 717; Willis' Church, VA.

156; and White Oak Swamp Creek, VA. 156. In most cases

this species was found under and among decaying maple,

sweet gum, and oak leaves.

Gastrocopta contract a (Say). This species is fairly common

throughout the county. It is usually found around or under

the bark of damp hardwood logs and stumps, and in all cases

has been found associated with forested stream valleys.

Gastrocopta pentodon (Say). Found only at the old coal mine

on Gayton Road, VA. 706.

Pupoides alhilahris (C. B. Adams). Found only near White

Oak Swamp Creek, VA. 802 in and around decaying oak and

maple stumps.

SUCCINEIDAE

Succinea aurea (Lea). Found in the central part of the county

along the James River. This species is generally picked up

from rocks near the waters edge. Not common.

'to"-

Endodontidae

Anguispira alternata angidata (Ferussac). Generally dis-

tributed over the northern and western parts of the county,

but most common along the Chickahominy River lowlands.

This species has been found associated with a variety of hard-

woods.

Helicodiscus paraUelus (Say). Very common throughout the

woodland areas. It is found most common in hardwood

forests. Exceeded in abundance only by Zonitoides arhoreiis.

32 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

ZONITIDAE

Hawaiia mimiscula (Binney). Found along the James River

lowlands in the eastern part of the county and around the

masonry of St. James Baptist Church, VA. 5.

Retinella indent ata (Say). In small numbers in scattered lo-

calities throughout the county, but not very common.

Striatura niilmm (Morse). Several specimens occurred in lots

collected near Short Pump, U. S. 250.

Ventridens ligera (Say). Not common. Found on VA. 605

near the James River, Wilton Creek, VA. 611, and near Laurel

Pond, on Hungary Creek, U. S. 33.

Ventridens swppressns magnidens Pilsbry. Generally distrib-

uted over the county but not altogether common. It has been

found in a variety of habitats, from under hardwood logs to

around stone masonry in urbanized areas.

Zonitoides arhoreus (Say). This species is probably the most

common land snail found in the county in both number of

specimens and distribution. It is not restricted to woodlands

and it apparently has no preference to any particular hard-

wood.

Strobilopsidae

Strohilops aenea Pilsbry. Found predominately under the bark

of oak logs. This species is fairly common in the county.

StroMlops lahyrinthica (Say). Generally distributed but not

as common as S. aenea. These two species are sometimes

found together.

Haplotrematidae

Haplotrema concavum (Say). Extremely common, being found

wherever the habitat is favorable for other snails.

POLYGYRIDAE

Mesodon appressus sculptior Chadwick. This snail was found

from only one locality in Henrico County, James River, VA.

605, but has been found commonly along the cliffs on the

Chesterfield County side of the James River.

Mesodon thyroides (Say). This is a common snail in the Pied-

mont division, prevailing along the James River. It is most

generally associated with woodlands having a predominance

of oaks.

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 33

Stenotrema hirsutum (Say). Found only in the woods sur-

rounding- Westhampton Lake, University of Richmond, but

very common here. These individuals comprise a small race,

averaging somewhat less than 7 mm. in diameter.

Triodopsis alholahris (Say). Generally distributed over the

county but not very common.

Triodopsis fallax (Say). Abundant in the central part of the

county. This species is generally found around dwellings

and gardens and is seldom found associated with hard or

softwoods.

Triodopsis hopetonensis (Shuttleworth). Found only in the

southeastern tip of the county in the James River lowlands.

Triodopsis tridentata juxtidens (Pilsbry). Abundant over the

entire county. Unlike T. fallax, this species is generally re-

stricted to the woodlands.

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank Dr. Henrj- A. Pilsbry, Curator of Mollusks,

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, for identifying

Ventride7is suppressus magnidens Pilsbry, Dr. J. P. E. Morri-

son, Associate Curator of Mollusks, U. S. National Museum, for

identifying RetineUa indentata (Say), and Dr. Paul R. Burch,

Professor of Biology, Radford College, Virginia Polytechnic

Institute, for identifying Triodopsis hopetonensis (Shuttle-

worth).

Literature Cited

Burch, Paul R., 1950: "Mollusks," The James River Basin,

Past, Present, and Future, James R. Proj. Comm., Va. Acad.

Sc, pp. 129-137.

HuBRicHT, Leslie, 1953 : Land Snails of the Southern Atlantic

Coastal Plain, The Nautilus, vol. &Q, no. 4, pp. 114-125.

Pilsbry, Henry A., 1939-48 : Land Mollusca of North America,

etc., vols. 1 and 2, Acad. Nat. Sc, Phila., 2215 pp., 1166 figs.

NOTES AND NEWS

Dates op The Nautilus. — Vol. 67, no. 1, pp. 1-36, pis. 1-^,

was mailed July 24, 1953. No. 2, pp. 37-68, pis. 5, 6, Nov. 11,

1953. No. 3, pp. 69-104, pis. 7, 8, Feb. 18, 1954. No. 4, pp.

105-140, i-v, pis. 9, 10, May 17, 1954.— H. B. B.

34 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

HoLOSPiRA RiOGRANDENSis Pils., described in 1946 from speci-

mens found by Jas. H. Ferriss, has been taken again. These

are from a bluff on the north side of the Rio Grande, at mouth

of Santa Elena canyon, Big Bend National Park, southeastern

Brewster Co., Texas. They were collected by Mr. John Twin-

ing and transmitted to me by Prof. H. B. Stenzel. — H. A.

PiLSBRY.

A NEW RECORD OP AN ALBINO OLIVE. — A perfect albino speci-

men of Oliva incrassata Sol. was taken in the Gulf of California

recently. The mollusk was found alive on a sandbar at low

tide about two miles north of San Felipe, Baja California, on

the afternoon of February 22, 1954.

The animal was discovered in a characteristic mound of sand

in which individuals of this species conceal themselves when

exposed by the ebbing tide. The white mantle of the mollusk

completely encircled the shell at the time of its capture, but was

quickly withdrawn, revealing that both the animal and the shell

were pure white.

The shell measures 44 mm. in length and 22 mm. in width.

It has a sharp apex and the fine naturally glossy surface normal

to the genus. The shell is a brilliant opaque porcelain white,

without a trace of any color.

Among the other individuals of this species obtained from

San Felipe are some golden varieties. A few are gold colored,

without the usual markings and flecks, these being juveniles.

The albino and golden Oliva incrassata will be exhibited by

Dr. Howard R. Hill of the Los Angeles County Museum at the

American Malacological Union Convention at Durham, New

Hampshire, in August. — Mrs. Milton W. Zim, Pacific Shell

Club, Los Angeles, California,

Corrections and additions to "The Terrestrial and Aquatic

Mollusca of Albany County, Wyoming." — The collections of

Pisidmm mentioned in the paper had been determined at the

Chicago Museum as Pisidium contort um Prime and were so

listed.

This winter Reverend H. B. Herrington has had my entire

collection of Pisidium. He writes that all of the Pisidium from

Albany County are P. casertanum Poli, not P. contortum. Also

one lot of dead shells sifted from the sand in the Laramie River

July, 1954] THE NAUTILUS 35

at Laramie contained several shells of P. compressum Prime.

These had been washed down from the Medicine Bow Moun-

tains in the county, but their exact point of origin is uncertain.

Due to the mild winter I have been able to do some outdoor

work and have found Valvata sincera Say in the Little Laramie

River near Quaely.

Corrections in the paper should be made as follows:

Add Valvata sincera Say and Pisidium compressum Prime

to the species list, p. 125.

Change Pisidium contort urn to P. casertanum Poli.

Middle Fork of Crow Creek, P. casertanum, p. 128.

Blair Picnic Ground, P. casertanum.

Pole Mt., S. Fork of Pole Creek, P. casertanum.

Horse Creek, P. casertanum.

North Sibille Creek, P. casertanum.

Spring Creek, P. casertanum.

Laramie River at Laramie, P. compressum, P. casertanum..

Little Laramie River at Centennial, P. casertanum.

Little Laramie River near Quaely, Pisidium casertanum, Val-

vata sincera.

Camp Roosevelt on Pelton Creek, P. casertanum.

Middle Fork of the Little Laramie River, P. casertanum.

Brooklyn Lake, P. casertanum.

Telephone Lakes, P. casertanum.

Thanks are due to the Reverend H. B. Herrington who has

identified my Sphaeriidae, p. 128.

Dorothy E. Beetle

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

American Seashells. By R. Tucker Abbott, B.S., Division

of Mollusks, U. S. National Museum, with illustrations by Fred-

erick R. Bayer, B.S., Van Nostrand Co., Inc., New York, Pp.

xiv + 541, 40 plates, many text figures. — It is the aim of this

book to give the student a well rounded knowledge of mollusks,

the first 70 pages being occupied by chapters relating to how

these animals live, feed and mate, how to collect them, and how

to go about their study. The descriptive chapters following

36 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (1)

describe most of the shells likely to be found along our shores,

no less than 1500 being described and beautifully illustrated.

Many minute shells and those of deep water could not be treated

fully in the limits of one volume.

Advanced students and expert malacologists will find the book

equally useful for reference as its arrangement embodies the

latest taxonomic studies, and it contains numerous changes from

current nomenclature only recently adopted or in some cases

not published elsewhere.

We are not enthusiastic over the use of "common" names.

Vernacular names are actually in use for conspicuous shells and

those of economic value. Many in use, such as "paper fig" or

"micremoc" (Cypraea cervus) are not adopted in this book.

But to make up names for every insignificant periwinkle seems

to us of little use. The precedence given these names in the

explanations of plates is rather confusing, since a large pro-

portion of them are practically new names. — H. A. P.

Waves and Tides. By R. C. H. Russell, M.A., and Commander

D. H. Macmillan R.N.R. Philosophical Library, N. Y. 348

pages, over 100 line drawings and photographs. Everyone in-

terested in the sea is concerned with waves and tides. The many

problems of Wave form and action and the theory and the com-

plications of tidal phenomena are presented here in clear, non-

technical language. It can be read with pleasure by all whose

occupation or diversions take them on the sea. — H. A. P.

Between the Tides. By Philip Street, M.Sc, F.Z.S. Philo-

sophical Library, Inc., 75 E. 40th St., N. Y. 16, N. Y. 175 pp.,

profusely illustrated with photographs. Though this book is

intended primarily for young naturalists, it is not written down

to them and the chapters on seaweeds, crabs, mollusks, the

plankton and others, give a great deal of essential information

in very readable form. The illustrations from photographs by

the author are extremely good. The drawback for American

readers is that it is based upon the animals and plants of British

shores, many of them unlike anything to be found on our coast,

but not the less interesting. — H. A. P.

THE NAUTILUS 68 (2)

PLATE 2

Fig. 1, Ocenebra minirosca Abbott, holotypc. Fig. 2, Ocenebra

miiriroides C. B. Adams [holotype of Tritnnalia caribhaea Bartsch and

Rehder]. FiG. 3, Ocenebra emlpowlusi Abbott, holotype. Fig. 4, Terebra

areas Abl)ott, holotype. Figs. 5-6, Terebra floridana stegeri Abbott, (fig.

5) paratype; (fig. 6), holotype. Fig. 7, T. floridana Dall (off Sambo

Reef, Fla.).

The Nautilus

Vol. 68 OCTOBER, 1954 No. 2

NEW GULF OF MEXICO GASTROPODS

(TEREBRA AND OCENEBRA) *

By R. tucker ABBOTT

Associate Curator, Division of MoUusks, U. S. National Museum

The Gulf of Mexico is still relatively unexplored for mollusks,

and despite the occasional acquisition of new forms from shrimp

fishermen, the subfaunal regions and subspeciation problems are

as yet poorly understood. As more specimens from new lo-

calities appear, the morphological boundaries between some

species become less pronounced, especially in such families as

the Muricidae (M. heaui versus hranchi), Conidae (C. clarki

versus C. frisbeyae) and the Volutidae.

During the past several years, we have had an attractive and

unknown Terebra sent for identification by several private col-

lectors. The unusually fine series submitted by Barbara and

Dan Steger of Tampa, Florida, has prompted us to describe what

we believe is a new subspecies of Terebra floridana Dall. The

shells are quite variable in color, sculpture and proportions, but

despite the obvious differences seen in the most divergent speci-

mens, there is sufficient overlap of characters to consider it only

as a subspecies. Typical T. floridana is known from 5 to 118

fathoms of water along the east coast from South Carolina to

Key West, Florida ; the subspecies described here is known from

the region north of Campeche Banks, Yucatan Peninsula,

Mexico.

Dall originally described floridana in very meager terms.

* Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu-

tion.

37

38 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

Therefore, we are giving a fuller description and some addi-

tional records.

Terebra (Myurella) floridana Dall. PI. 2, fig. 7

Terebra (Siibula) floridana Dall 1889, Bull. Mus. Comp.

Zool., vol. 18, pt. 2 ("Blake Report"), p. 63; 1902, Proc.

U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 24, no. 1264, p. 503, pi. 29, fig. 9 ; 1903,

reprint of Bull. 37, U. S. Nat. Mus., pi. 75, fig. 9.

Description. — Shell from 50 to 75 mm. (2 to 3 inches) in

length, very slender, its width being about 34 oi its length;

with 24 to 30 whorls; angle of spire about 10°; color a semi-

glossy, uniform, pale lemon-yellow to yellowish white ; 2 nuclear

whorls smooth, opaque-white, the last being slightly larger than

the first postnuclear whorl. Sculpture between sutures consists

of two spiral rows of short, retractively slanting axial riblets

which occupy the upper two-thirds of the whorl. The ribs in

the upper row (immediately below the suture) are twice as

long as those in the lower row. The lower one-third area of the

whorl is concave, usually smoothish, but may have very weak,

protractively slanting riblets or growth lines or bear three to

six weak, spiral threads or incised lines. Outer lip with a

fairly strong sinuation at the periphery of the whorl. Siphonal

canal fairly short and slightly twisted to the left. Columella

with two very weak folds, the upper one being almost obsolete.

Operculum horny, transluscent-brown, quadrate ungulate.

This species is characterized by its long, slender, yellowish

shell and relatively straight siphonal canal. It belongs to the

subgenus Myurella Hinds 1845.

Records. — South Carolina: 63 miles S.E. of Charleston,

45 fms.. Pelican station 195-7. Florida : just off Grecian shoals,

east side of Key Largo, 56 fms., coral sand bottom, April 9,

1886, Albatross station 2640 (holotype, U.S.N.M. 87222) ; about

6 mi. due south of Key West, 45 fms., coral bottom, bottom temp.

75° F, Jan. 15, 1885, Albatross station 2318 (paratype, U.S.N.M.

93678) ; 2V2 nii. off Fowey Rocks, 36 fms., sand, bottom temp.

74° F, Mar. 30, 1903, Fish Hawk station 7517 ; off Sambo Reef,

118 fms., 1916, Eolis station 331; off Miami, 5 fms., 20 fms.,

25 fms., 30 fms., 40 fms., all Eolis stations.

Oct., 19541 THE NAUTILUS 39

Terebr.v (Myttrella) floridana stegeri n. subsp.

PI. 2, figs. 5-6

Description. — Shell 50 to 80 mm. (2 to 3 inches) in length,

moderatelj- slender, its width being about ^ of its length.

Similar to floridana, but differing in being stouter, in ranging

in color from bright-orange, lemon-yellow to wax^^ white, in

having the siphonal canal considerably more twisted to the left,

in having weaker and more numerous axial riblets which in-

crease in number in later Avhorls, and in lacking the upper fold

on the columella in nearly every specimen. Operculum like that

of floridana.

Width No. Whorls

Holotype, U.S.N.M. No. 613884

Paratype, U.S.N.M. No. 613885

Paratype, U.S.N.M. No. 605184

Typea. — The holotype (613884) and seven paratypes (613885)

are in the U.S.N.M. Tavo specimens from the Campeche Banks

were kindly donated by Mr. and Mrs. Jack N. Sennott. Eleven

paratypes were returned to Barbara and Dan Steger, after

whom this subspecies is named, and one is in the Acad. Nat. Sci.

Phila. No. 191709.

Type locality. — 50 miles west of Campeche, Yucatan Peninsula,

Mexico, in 12 fathoms. Collected in 1953 by the Stegers' shrimp

boat, the "Sea Hag."

Remarks. — There is a superficial resemblance between stegeri

and T. taurina Solander (formerly flammea Lamarck), particu-

larly in the early whorls. However, the much larger taurina

differs in having a longer and straighter siphonal canal, in being

spotted with color, and in having nearly twice as many, much

finer, axial riblets that extend from suture to suture. The degree

of slant of the riblets is about 40° off the axis of the shell in

taurina, and about 10° in stegeri.

The axial riblets are coarser, larger and fewer in number in

stegeri than those in floridana. In the last whorl, stegeri has

from 28 to 39, while the latter has from 17 to 23 (rarely up to

26). The angle of spire is more variable in stegeri, ranging

from 14° to 10° with a mean of 13°, while in floridana the range

is from 11° to 8° with a mean of 10°. Although these differences

40 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

are mathematically small, the resulting obesity of these long

shells is quite different to the eye.

We have a single specimen 55 mm. in length which has all the

characters of floridana, except that it has numerous, brownish

color flammules and weaker subsutural riblets. It was dredged

in 36 fathoms by the Fish and Wildlife boat, "Pelican," 44

miles southwest of Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida (U.S.

N.M. 485734). Until other specimens are collected, we refrain

from naming what may be either a color form or possibly a

hybrid between floridana and taurma Solander.

Terebra ( Strioterebrum ) ARCAS n. sp. PI. 2, fig. 4

Description. — Shell 15 to 27 mm. (1 inch) in length, mod-

erately slender, its width being about ^ of its length; semi-

glossy, usually opaque-white, but may be blushed, particularly

on the early whorls, with light yellowish orange ; rarely with

one wide spiral band of orange; li/^ nuclear whorls smooth,

glossy, transparent and clear or tan-orange. Suture sharply

impressed and wavy. Whorls convex. Axial ribs strong, smooth,

moderately arched and extending uninterrupted from suture to

suture ; 12 to 16 ribs per whorl, with the interstices concave and

with rounded sides. Spiral sculpture consists of 5 to 7 sharply

incised lines which are absent or weak in the first few whorls,

but become increasing strong in later whorls. Only the upper-

most and strongest incised line crosses the crest of the axial

ribs in some specimens. Last whorl and base well-rounded and

with a total of about 16 incised spiral lines. Lower half of

outer lip slightly advancing. Siphonal canal relatively large

and only slightly twisted. Siphonal fasciole bordered above by

a small, sharp thread. Columella with one weak, spiral fold at

the base.

Width No. Avhorls

Holotype, U.S.N.M. No. 613882

Paratype, Steger Collection

Parat.ype, U.S.N.M. No. 613883

Types. — Twenty-one paratypes were returned to the Steger

collection in Tampa, Florida; one is in the Acad. Nat. Sei. Phila.,

No. 191712, and 8 are in the U. S. National Museum, No. 613883,

including the holotype, U.S.N.M. No. 613882.

Oct., 1954 J THE NAUTILUS 41

Type locality. — East of Areas Cays, southern Campeehe Bank,

Mexico, 23 to 24 fathoms. 1953. Shrimpboat, "Sea Hag."

The type lot is apparently a mixture of the above locality and

two others: 35 miles E.N.E. of Areas Cays, 17 fathoms; and

25 miles N.N.W. of Areas Cays, sandy mud, 26 fathoms. I sus-

pect that the 14 young specimens, which show little spiral

sculpturing, come from one locality, and that the two orange-

banded specimens are from another locality.

Remarks. — In morphological characters, Terehra areas is

closest to T. glossema Schwengel 1940 and 1942 (see Nautilus,

vol. 53, pi. 12 and vol. 56, p. 65, pi. 6). The latter was recorded

from off Pelican Shoal, Florida Keys, and the National Museum

now has specimens from 1 to 3 fathoms from Cardenas Bay,

Cuba, collected by the Tomas Barrera Expedition. T. glossema

differs in having more and less arching axial ribs (27 on the

last whorl) and in having much flatter-sided whorls. Both of

these species (or subspecies) somewhat resemble T. nassula Dall

from the West Indies and the shallow-water T. protexta Conrad

of southeast United States.

OCENEBRA (OcINEBRINA) EMIPOWLUSI U. sp. PI. 2, fig. 3

Shell. — Small, from 7 to 8 mm. in length, broadly fusiform,

and somewhat resembling a Favartia; color white throughout ;

3y2 post-nuclear whorls ; last whorl with 6 rounded axial, varix-

like ribs; penultimate whorl with 7 to 8 similar ribs; the spiral

sculpture consists of strongly raised, squarish, slightly fimbri-

ated cords of which there are 17 to 20 on the last whorl, and 4

to 7 showing on the apical whorls. The one nuclear whorl is

pronounced, glossy-white and bearing on the first half turn a

strong, smooth spiral, carina, which gives the nucleus an obliquely

carinate appearance ; last half or third of nucleus without the

carina, and succeeded abruptly by the well-sculptured post-

nuclear whorls. Aperture oval, almost complete and somewhat

spout-like, with a thin, sharp inner and outer lip. No anal

fasciole present. Inside of outer lip with 5 or 6 weak, elongate,

glossy-white teeth of spiral origin. Outer lip slightly crenulate.

Siphonal canal well developed, and almost closed along its length,

except for a narrow slit. To its left are the ends of 3 or 4

42 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

earlier siphonal canals which overlap each other, one inserted

in the other. Operculum horny, light-brown, oval, narrowed at

the siphonal end, and ungulate in structure.

Length Width No. whorls

8.0 mm. 5.0 mm. 4.5 Holotype, U.S.N.M. No. 613881

7.5 mm. 4.5 mm. 4.5 Paratypc, A.N.S.P. No. 191711

7.9 mm. 4.5 mm. 4.5 Paratype, D. Steger collection

Tyjjes. — Holotype in U.S.N.M. No. 613881 ; on paratype in

A.N.S.P. No. 191711 ; three paratypes returned to the Steger

collection in Tampa, Florida.

Tyjje locality. — 90 miles west of Fort Myers, Florida, in 90

fathoms; rubble bottom. Dredged from aboard the shrimp

trawler, "Sea Hag" in 1953 by Captain M. E. Powlus, after

whom the species is named.

Remarks. — This is the third Ocenehra to be described from the

Western Atlantic. The first was described by C. B. Adams as

Fusus niuricoide.'i, the synonymy of which is appended below.

Ocenehra muricoides differs in having 9 to 10 smaller, axial ribs,

in being more elongate, with a mauve-brown aperture, and in

having strongly-colored, spiral bands of cream and reddish

brown.

0. eniipowlusi apparently belong to the subgenus Ocmehnna

Jousseaume 1880, Revue et Magasin de Zool. for 1879, p. 332

(original type designated: Fusus corallinus Scacchi [— 0. aci-

culata] ) . CoraUinia Bucquoy, Dautzenberg and Dollfus 1882,

Moll. Marins du Roussillon, vol. 1, p. 24 and vol. 2, p. 765, is a

synonym, with aciculata Lamarck as the original genotype desig-

nated. Dentocenehra Monterosato 1917, Boll. Soc. Zool. Italiana,

ser. 3, vol. 4, p. 21 is a subjective synonym with Purpura

edwardsi Paj^raudeau 1826 as the genotj'pe. The latter species

is closest, especially in nuclear characters, to our 0. emipowlusi.

Such Eastern Pacific species as gracillima Stearns, inter fossa

Carpenter, and lurida Middendorff apparently belong to this

subgenus.

Additional anatomical studies are needed to clarify the posi-

tion of the subgenus Favartia Jousseaume. Clench and Farfante

treat it as a subgenus of Murex (Johnsonia, vol. 1, no. 17, p. 51),

but it could probably be treated as a subgenus of Ocenehra.

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 43

OCENEBRA (OcINEBRINA) MINIROSEA 11. sp. PI. 2, fig;. 1

Murex (Chicoreusf) micromeris Dall 1890, Trans. Wagner

Free Inst. Sei., Phila., vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 141 (in part).

Shell. — Small, from 5 to 7 mm. in length, elongate-fusiform ;

color all pink or yellowish tan with a pink or brownish pink

aperture ; 4l^ postnuelear whorls ; last whorl with 7 to 9

rounded, axial ribs, the last of which forms a thickened varix;

penultimate whorl with 9 to 11 similar ribs; spiral sculpturing

consists of strongly raised, squarish cords which are crossed by

distinct, crowded fimbriations. The latter are inclined to be

fluted and raised into minute spine-like projections in the region

of the axial ribs. The lowest cord, just above the ends of the

former siphonal canals, bears 5 to 7 large, fluted scales. Last

whorl with about 10 of these major spiral cords, but one or two

much smaller fimbriated threads may occur between them.

Nucleus with one smooth, glossy, pink or whitish whorl. Aper-

ture oval ; peristome almost complete and somewhat spout-like,

with a thin, sharp inner and outer lip. Inside of outer lip with

5 or 6 weak, elongate teeth. Outer lip crenulate. Siphonal

canal well developed, and almost closed along its length, except

for a narrow slit. The ends of 3 or 4 siphonal canals show at

the left.

Width No. whorls

Holotype, U.S.N.M. No. 103380

Paratj'pe, U.S.N.M. No. 41665.5

Paratype, U.S.N.M. No. 416655

Type locality. — Jamaica, West Indies. Dredged by the "Alba-

tross," but no station record; probabh' off Kingston.

Tyjyes and records. — Holotype, U.S.N.M. No. 103380 from

Jamaica ; paratypes in U.S.N.M. from Bo(|ueron Ba3% Puerto

Rico (161271) ; St. Thomas (103413) ; 1 mi. southeast of Fowey

Light, Florida, in 25 fathoms by the "Eolis" Station 8 (416653) ;

off Bear's Cut, Miami, in 18 to 20 fathoms, "Eolis" Station 113

(416655) ; off' Government Cut, Miami, in 35 to 38 fathoms,

"Eolis" Station 117 (416654).

Remarks. — Ocenehra minirosea is similar to Ball's 0. niicro-

meris described from the Caloosahatchie Pliocene beds of

Florida, but diff'ers from that species in being more elongate.

44 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

with more strongly fimbriated sculpturing, and in having one or

two additional, more pronounced axial ribs per whorl. One

might suspect that micromeris was a progenitor of the Recent

minirosea.

OcENEBRA (Ocinebrina) MURicomES (C. B. Adams)

PI. 2, fig. 2

Fusus miiricoides C. B. Adams 1845, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat.

Hist., vol. 2, p. 3 (Jamaica).

Ricinula muricoides C. B. Adams, Clench and Turner, 1950,

Occ. Papers on Mollusks (Cambridge, Mass.), vol. 1, no.

15, pi. 39, fig. 9.

Tritonalia {Ocinebrina) carihhaea Bartsch and Rehder,

Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 98, no. 10, p. 7, pi. 1, fig. 1

(Old Providence Island).

We are adding the above synonymy of the third Western At-

lantic species of Ocenehra, and a figure of ^the holotype of

Tritonalia carihhaea Bartsch and Rehder which appears to be

a synonym of 0. muricoides C. B. Adams.

SOME NOTES ON THE RADULA

By S. C. HOLLISTER

During the course of a recent field trip to Sanibel Island,

Florida, when the writer attempted to relate juvenile to adult

stages among some of the Fasciolaria by means of radula char-

acters, it was discovered that the number of cusps on the laterals

of F. gigantea vary with the length — hence with the age — of the

shell. Collecting was at once begun of other species, and sub-

sequently specimens of several series have been examined. The

accompanying chart (Fig. 1) gives the relation between the

length of the shell and the number of cusps on the lateral plates

for F. gigantea Kiener and F. tulipa Linne.

Two species of Busy con were also examined, B. " contrarium"

B. Smith {=B. perversum of authors) and B. carica Gmelin.

The laterals of this genus have two large cusps with smaller

Oct., 1954]

THE NAUTILUS

45

intermediate cusps between them. Only these intermediate

cusps are here plotted. The chart shows that the number of

these intermediates varies similarly with the length of shell for

both species.

The number of cusps on the laterals on each side of a given

radula were not always alike. The central teeth of the species

of Busy con " contrarium" did not possess a constant number of

cusps; they varied from three to seven. This variation was not

dependent on sex or size of shell. Several specimens from

Barkers Island, N. C, had six or seven, while several from

Sanibel, Florida, and the Dry Tortugas had five or less. More

data are required before these geographic differences may be

considered significant.

B. carica from Harkers Island had six cusps on the central

tooth, while specimens from Cape Cod had only four or five.

Such variation did not depend upon sex or size of shell.

Sterki, in Proc. ANSP, vol. 45, 1893, p. 388, pointed out the

need for ontogenetic and morphologic studies of the glosso-

too 200 300

SHELL LENGTH IN MILLIMETERS

400

Fig. 1.

4() THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

phorous molluska generally. In his own studies of land snails

he had noticed that "certain characters of the radula which are

very indistinct in the adult, or even overlooked by careful ob-

servers, become of characteristic value in the lijjht grained by

the examination of the earliest stages of growth." As an ex-

ample, it was found that in the young of F. gigantea there were

on the rachidian tooth three nearly equal cusps, while in the

gerontie stage the central cusp remained with scarcely vestiges

of a suggestion that the cusps on either side had existed earlier.

When reporting upon dentition of radulae it would appear

desirable to include in addition to the detailed description of the

radula, (1) size of shell and number of whorls; (2) sex; (3)

localit3^ In this way a body of literature for comparative study

may be accumulated. The shell should be retained for later

study. Characters of radulae other than number of cusps

should be noted for diagnostic purposes.

SOME MARINE SHELLS FROM THE PERSIAN GULF

By Dr. F. HAAS (Chicago)

Chicago Natural History Museum has received recently a

small collection of marine shells which Avere collected by Mr.

Ronald Codrai, from Janviary to July 1953, at Dubai, on the

Trueial coast of Oman. Dubai, also written Dibai or Dabai on

various maps, is situated south of Sharja. at about 25° 10' North

Latitude and 53° 20' East Longitude. Dr. Henry Field of

Coconut Grove, Fla., presented us with the collection mentioned

above which is his second contribution to our knowledge of the

moUuskan fauna of the Persian Gulf (see Haas, 1952). The

species contained in this second collection are listed here :

Diodura funiculata (Reeve)

Haliotis (Sanhaliotis) planata Sowerby

Trochus [Infundihulops) cariniferus Beck

Trochus (Infundibidops) erythraeus Beck

Thalotia (Thalotia) kotschtji (Philippi)

JJmhonium {Umhonium) vestiarium (Linnaeus)

Turbo {M arm or 0 stem a) radiatus Gmelin

Nerita (Theliostyla) iilexa Chemnitz

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 47

Turrit ella (Haustator) maculata Reeve

Cerithidea (Cerithideopsis) ftuviatilis (Potiez & Michaud)

Clava fasciata (Bruguiere)

Clypeomorus clypeoniorus Jousseaume

Calyptraea (Crucihulum) violacea (Carpenter)

Canarmm (Conomurex) luhuanum mauritianum (Lamarck)

Polinices (Neverita) ampla (Gmelin)

Polinices (Polinices) mamilla (Linnaeus)

Erosaria (Erosari^) turdus turdus (Linnaeus)

Niotha albescens splendidula (Dunker)

Niotha clathratula (A. Adams)

Fusus (Fusiis) colus colus (Linnaeus)

Oliva (Carmione) inflata Lamarck

Oliva (Oliva) ispidula (Linnaeus)

Ancilla (Ancilla) cinnamomea Lamarck

Cylinder pennaceus (Born)

Bulla (Bulla) ampulla (Linnaeus)

Area (Area) uropygmelana Bory de St. Vincent

Area (Barhatia) fusea Bruguiere

Area (Acar) plicata Chemnitz

Glyeymeris (Glyeymeris) taylori (Anags)

Glyeymeris (Pectunculus) nodosus (Reeve)

Glyeymeris (Pectunculus) peetiniformis (Lamarck)

Pteria, (Pinetada) inflata (Schumacher)

Peeten (Chlamys) senatorius Gmelin

Spondylus foliaeeus Chemnitz

Ostrea (Lopha) erista-galli Linnaeus

Cardita (Cardita) hicolor Lamarck

Codakia (Jagonia) fibula (Reeve)

Laevicardium (Tr achy ear dium) flavum (Linnaeus)

Erronea (Erronea) caurica eaurica (Linnaeus)

Mauritia (Arabica) arabica arabiea (Linnaeus)

Notoeypraea pulicaria (Reeve)

Semieassis (Semicassis) pila (Reeve)

Cymatium ranzanii (Bianconi)

Pyrula papyratia reticulata Lamarck

Murex (Murex) ternispina Lamarck

Chieoreus (Chicoreus) anguliferus Lamarck

Drupa (Morula) eoneatenata (Lamarck)

Mancinella (Maneinella) intermedia (Kiener)

Mitrella (Mitrella) blanda (Sowerby)

Lampusia pilearis (Linnaeus)

Rapana bulbosa (Solander)

Bullia (Bullia) mauritiana Gray

Nassa (Nassa) pullus (Linnaeus)

Lioeoncha eallipyga (Born)

Gafrarium (Circe) lenticulare (Deshayes)

48 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

Gafrarium (Circe) scriptum (Linnaeus)

Sunetta (Sunetta) scripta (Linnaeus)

Dosinia (Dosinidia) contracta Philippi

Dosinia (Dosinidia) laminata (Reeve)

Venus (Chione) lilacina Lamarck

Mactra (Mactra) grandis Gmelin

Mactra (Mactra) lilacea jickelii Weinkauff

Asaphis (Asaphis) de/Iorata (Linnaeus)

Angulus (Homala) triradiatus (H. Adams)

Thalotia (Thalotia) kotschyi (Philippi) is the only species

endemic in the Persian Gulf that is represented in the collection.

Haliotis (Sanhaliotis) planata Sowerby. The only specimen

of what I think is this species differs in various respects from

the original description as well as from the specimen of planata

at hand, which comes from the Philippine Islands (Chicago

Natural History Museum no. 32896) . It is much larger, 110 mm.

against about 45 mm. for typical planata; furthermore, it is by

no means flat, its height being 27.5 mm. However, the pattern

of the surface sculpture and the coloration of the upper side

are in conformity with the indications given by Sowerby in his

original diagnosis of planata. What induces me to believe that

the shell from Dubai is identical with Sowerby 's species is that

its umbonal region, in fact the entire shell with the exception of

the last half whorl, is very much flattened and that it therefore

looks very much like a specimen of planata, measuring 45 mm.

in length. It is, thus, conceivable that our Dubai specimen is

really an adult Haliotis plaimta, such as, apparently, had never

come to be known before. This is the second record from the

Persian Gulf, the first having been published by Melvill (1928,

p. 96).

Cymatium ranzanii (Bianconi). The specimen from Dubai

resembles C. tigrinum (Broderip) from the Pacific coast of

Central America in its triangular aperture. No similar species

has ever been reported from the Indopacific Ocean; however,

C. ranzanii, originally described from Mozambique, East Africa,

looks very much like our specimen from the Persian Gulf, so

that I, tentatively, identify the Dubai specimen as such.

Bianconi 's species seems to have been figured only once, by

Tryon (1881, pi. 10, fig. 71) and to the best of my knowledge it

has not been reported again.

Oct., 1954 1 THE NAUTILUS 49

Despite the many contributions toward our knowledge of the

molluskan fauna of the Persian Gulf, mostly by Melvill alone

or with associates, our knowledge of the littoral shells of that

region is still very imperfect. The rather extensive literature

on the mollusks of the region under consideration is to be found

in Melvill 's publication of 1928. It is strange that we should

know comparatively more about the deepwater shells, obtainable

only through dredging operations, than about the shore fauna,

which can be collected without the use of instruments; never-

theless, this is the case.

Under these circumstances, even vSmaller collections, such as

the one dealt with here, are of considerable importance, since

they always help to increase our defective knowledge. This

knowledge about the malacofauna of the Persian Gulf, as of

today, does not yet allow the drawing of definite zoogeographical

conclusions about the origin of the shell fauna of the region;

all that can be said now is that the bulk of the Persian Gulf

mollusks is of Indopaeific origin, that a certain, not yet ap-

preciable portion of this fauna is Erythrean, or from East

Africa, and that but very, very few species are endemisms. The

role which the many smaller deep-water shells described by

Melvill and his associates play in this distribution, is not yet

clear, since almost all of them are known only from the original

finding and the original locality. This does not exclude, how-

ever, the possibility that in the future they may be found out-

side of the region we are concerned with.

Literature

BiANCONi, G. G., Description d'une nouvelle espece de Triton. —

Rev. Mag. Zool. (2), 3, pp. 217-218; 1851.

Haas, F., Shells collected by the Peabody Museum Expedition

to the Near East, 1950. I. Mollusks from the Persian GuK.

—Nautilus, 65, pp. 114-116; 1952.

Melvill, J. C, The marine mollusca of the Persian Gulf, Gulf

of Oman, and North Arabian Sea, as evidenced mainly through

the collections of Captain F. W. Townsend, 1893-1914.—

Addenda, Corrigenda, and Emendanda. — Proe. Mai. Soc. Lon-

don, 15, pp. 93-126, 1 map ; 1928.

Tryon, G. W., Jr., Manual of Conchology, 3, 310 pp., 87 pis.;

1881.

50 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

THE MEADOWS COLLECTION OF

ACHATINELLIDAE

By YOSHIO KONDO

The Edmund J. Meadows Collection of Oahu (Hawaii)

Achatinellidae was one of many that were examined between

July and December 1953 while studying in four museums across

the U. S. with the aid of a fellowship granted by the Guggen-

heim Foundation. Principal aspects of these researches will be

submitted at a later date.

In recent years, several species and lesser forms of Achatinella

have become so rare where they once flourished that today they

may be considered nearly extinct. Private collections contain-

ing all or most of the 42 species are not abundant and any rep-

resentative collection finding its way into institutions will be

of value in the future.

In 1947 the Museum of Comparative Zoology acquired the

Meadows Collection from John Q. Burch. It consists of 40

species of Achatinella, one Partulina, eight Amastra, and three

Laminella. The Achatinella species are distributed among 653

lots totalling 9225 specimens. Two species not in the collection

are A. solitaria Newcomb and A. thaanumi Pilsbry and Cooke.

Only two specimens of the former are known (Cumingian Coll.)

and this species may be dextral aberrants of the sinistral A.

fulgens Newcomb.

History. Edmund Meadows began collecting in 1925 but

he did not begin to accumulate a systematic series until 1932

at which time he joined William H. Meinecke in his field trips.

This association continued until 1942, so that the Meadows

series wvaj be considered a modest duplication of the Meinecke

Collection now in the Bishop Museum. Others with whom

Meadows collected occasionally were Brick wood Lyman, Leo-

pold Blackman, Irwin Spalding, and George Arnemann.

Mapping. Meadows attempted to map every locality in which

he collected. Most of the stations are plotted fairly closely

but many, particularly those in the deep interior and in mist-

covered highlands, should be considered doubtful until closely

checked with the Meinecke Collection and maps.

Oct., 1954 1 THE NAUTILUS 51

Data. No data except his rough maps exist. Shells were not

numbered.

Labels. Small slips of paper with locality numbers were en-

closed with most of the shells. Specific names were given for

some but were omitted in many instances.

Exchanges. Shells acquired from colleagues were added to

his collection without notation.

Storage and arrangement. Flat cardboard boxes containing

48 units, each II/2 inch square, were used to hold the species of

a certain region. Box No. 1, for instance, contained the five

species from Kealakei, Kuliouou. and a part of Niu Valleys.

Colonies were numbered from 1 to 8. A. pkaezona was from

colony 1, tacniolata from 1, 2, 3, 6; fuscobasis from 8, viridans

(rutila) from 4 and 7, and fulgens from 5 and 6. Box No. 2

contained the species from l^^ valleys to the east of No. 1, the

colonies being numbered from 1 to 5. The circuit of the Kollau

range was made clockwise and contained in 39 boxes. Maps

were pasted inside the cover.

Shells were arranged from left to right, top to bottom; each

lot was separated from the adjoining by one empty unit or more.

Several colonies were often lumped together. The label

would then read 1.2.3.4., etc. Several lots contained no labels.

Some labels had no accompanying shells. Quite often labels of

two species were switched.

Evaluation. In spite of the errors enumerated, the Meadows

Collection will be of value, due to the reasons given in ]^ara-

graph two, above.

TWO NEW SUBSPECIES OF MONADENIA

FIDELIS (GRAY)

By ROBEET R. TALMADGE

Willow Creek, California

In the course of an intensive study of the distribution of the

large banded coastal snail Monadenia fidelis (Gray) in the

Klamath Mountains of northern California and Oregon, two

well-defined, new races have been found. Until recently little

52 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

has been done on the interesting distributional problems pre-

sented by the genus, since Dr. S. Stillman Berry of Redlands,

California described several new species and sub-species. Al-

though Allyn Smith and the Chaces had made collections from

portions of the territory, there were many gaps that needed

attention. This called for a systematic check of the territory,

part of which had been worked, but much of which was still a

blank. New areas were opened to science by the aid of students

and other interested groups.

An important contribution to the distributional problem was

made a short time ago by Mr. Rae Baxter, a fisheries student, at

Humboldt State College, Areata, California, while collecting a

series of Monadenia fidclis along the Oregon coast. In his ma-

terial was a new off-shore ecological form, easily distinguished

from the adjacent mainland forms. Another new form was

located by tracing the distribution of specimens on the basis

of animal coloration from an area where apparent intergrada-

tion exists to a locality where the animals of the snails collected

have a consistently uniform coloration. Specimens from this

locality were brought in by an Explorer Scout expedition to

the Marble Mountains, Siskiyou County, California.

Monadenia fidelis baxteriana Talmadge, new subspecies

A small, high-spired Monadenia of six and one-half well-

rounded whorls, suture deep, aperture large and ear shaped,

with a thin peristome that flares back at the base and half covers

the small umbilicus. The nuclear sculpture is too eroded for

adequate description. From the second whorl, the sculpture

consists of a series of fine, rounded striae, which in many speci-

mens are carried over onto the base. The close set lines of

growth are cut by the striae, forming a checked aspect. The

periostracum is highly polished on the base, but is somewhat

duller on the spire. Color of the shell tawny on the dor.sal sur-

face, with a black-brown periphical band about two millimeters

wide, base a rich chocolate brown. Measurements of five speci-

mens are as follows.

No. 763. Diam. max. 27, min. 23, alt. 16, umb. 2 mm. Holo-

type

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 53

No. 730. Diam. max. 28, min. 24, alt. 16, nmb. 2 mm. Para-

type

No. 730. Diam. max. 28, min. 22, alt. 16, umb. 2 mm. Para-

type

No. 730. Diam. max. 27, min. 24, alt. 17, umb. 1^/4 mm. Para-

type

No. 730. Diam. max. 29, min. 25, alt. 17, umb. 2 mm. Para-

type

Animal : Maculations are a dull purple interspaced with areas

of dull black. There is no trace of a dorsal stripe nor does the

flare of the foot or tail become lighter in hue. The foot is a

dull gray with purplish tints at the edge. The animal is re-

markably uniform in coloration and except for the rare M.

marmarotis is the darkest known of the Monadenia.

Type locality: Sisters Rocks, a few hundred feet off-shore in

Curry County, Oregon. Taken from under drift logs and rubble

on grass-covered rocks by Mr. Rae Baxter in July 1953.

Type : in Talmadge Collection, Willow Creek, California.

Paratypes in the collection of the California Academy of Sci-

ence, and the private collections of Allyn G. Smith and Rae

Baxter.

Remarks : This form occupies the same ecologic position on the

Oregon coast that M. f. pronotis Berry and ilf. /. trinidadensis

Talmadge do on the northern California coast. M. f. haxteriana

seems to be more closety related to the adjacent mainland forms

than to the other off-shore races. Compared with the more or

less typical fidelis and the green based heryllica, haxteriana can

be easily separated by size and color of the animal. Baxteriana

will probably be found on other suitable grass-covered rocks

on the same general reef. It is assumed that when the headlands

became separated from the coast, a few snails survived and

due to unfavorable ecologic factors became dwarfed. These

large broken off headlands are generally further broken up into

scattered rocks. Baxteriana like the two California off-shore

races will probably be found on these other rocks as they are

explored. This subspecies is named after Mr. Rae Baxter, of

Humboldt State College, who gathered the first material.

54 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

Monadenia fidelis salmonensis Talmadge, new subspecies

Shell a medium-sized Monadenia of six and one-half whorls,

with a somewhat depressed spire, and a well-defined deep suture.

There is no trace of a carina on juveniles except those under

25 mm. in diameter, the aperture is ear shaped and large, de-

pressed above, peristome thin, recurving at the base so as to

cover one-third to one-half of the well-like umbilicus, the latter

beini>- contained in the diameter of the shell about ten times.

Sculpture consists of a series of sharp ridges that cut across

the whorls diagonally, parallel to the lines of growth, and are

carried onto the base where they smooth out as the umbilicus

is reached. There is no noted spiral sculpture. The perio-

stracum is dull but shows a sheen on fresh specimens under

side lighting. Color of the shell is remarkably uniform, even

at extremes of the color pattern. All specimens are multi-

banded with the spire ranging from ochre to burnt ochre. A

dark brown band follows the suture to the periphery of the

body-whorl, where it widens to about two and one-half milli-

meters. Above this each whorl has two distinct faint bands

of burnt ochre to chestnut that are spaced equidistant between

the suture and the periphery of each whorl. Below the periph-

ical band there is a narrow ochre to straw-colored stripe that

is about one to one and one-half millimeters wide. The base is

the usual polished brown, but is cut with numerous flares of

tawny yellow, radiating out from the umbilical ]iit. In some

examples this yellow area covers nearly one-half the base.

The measurements of five specimens are as follows :

No. 764. Diam. max. 33, min. 28. alt. 18, umb. 2 mm. Holo-

type

No. 749. Diam. max. 33, min. 28, alt. 18. umb. 2 mm. Para-

type

No. 749. Diam. max. 22, min. 29, alt. 18, umb. 2 mm. Para-

type

No. 749. Diam. max. 35, min. 30, alt. 21, umb. 2^/4 mm.

Paratype.

No. 749. Diam. max. 33, min. 28, alt. 19, umb. 2 mm. Para-

type

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 55

Animal shorter and thicker than animals of the same size in

adjacent and allied races, maeulations small and oval, color tan

interspaced with areas of dull black. The distinct dorsal stripe

consists of a double set of rod-shaped maeulations of a lighter

hue, almost an ivory. The flare of the foot and tail appears

darker than the rest of the animal, but .this is found to be caused

by the much smaller maeulations in these areas. The foot is tan.

Type locality: Wooley Creek, from near mouth (elevation

ca. 1200) to the vicinity of the North Fork of Wooley Creek

(elevation ca. 3000). Salmon River, Siskiyou County, Cali-

fornia. Taken under logs by the Explorer Scout Expedition to

the Marble Mountains August 1953.

Additional localities : Steinacher Creek, a tributary to Wooley

Creek, elevations ca. 1200 to 2500 feet, by Mr. Rae Baxter,

Areata, California.

Type: in the Talmadge Collection at Willow Creek, California.

Paratypes deposited in the collection of the California Academy

of Sciences and the private collections of Allyn G. Smith and

Rae Baxter.

Remarks : During the summer of 1953 several field trips were

made into the Salmon River region in an effort to trace the

range of various subspecies of Monadenia fidelis that are found

within this mountainous area. It had been found that M. f.

klamathica Berr.y extended up the Salmon River a few miles.

Between this station and a station where the M. f. ochromphalus

Berry had crossed from the Scott River Valley into the Salmon

drainage was an area that had not been systematically checked.

Within this area snails that appeared to be intergrades were

noted. This snail had a duller periostracum than either of the

two known highly polished races. The animal was different and

did not fit what might be considered an intergrade between

klamathica and ochromphalus. The material brought back by

the Explorer Scout Expedition and later by Rae Baxter yielded

the first specimens of this new race. Salmonensis occurs in the

glacial basins and creeks on the north side of the Salmon River

in Siskiyou Co. It is a dull race that has apparently inter-

graded with both the ochromphalus and klamathica along much

of the Salmon River and at the mouths of the side streams.

These intergrades follow the coloration of more well-known

56 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

races, but have the duller periostracum of the salmonensis. The

animals are closer to those of the river races, but always have

a brownish cast, depending upon their location along the

streams. Dr. Berry gave the range of callindina to include

Butler Creek on the Salmon River. However, the writer has

specimens from that area that are now known to be probable

intergrades between salmonensis and klaniathica. At first glance,

comparing the shells and not the animals one would hardly

hesitate to identify the specimens from this region as callitidinn.

The animal of salmoneyisis is much browner than any other race

of fidelis that the writer has noted. It is darker than leonina

and the shell is much different. Compared with the more

highly sculptured species, cristulata and callipeplus, the shell

lacks the adornment and the coloration of the other animals.

The snail is named after the principal waterway within its known

range, the Salmon River.

THE INFLUENCE OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS ON THE

DISTRIBUTION OF FIVE SPECIES OF BIVALVES

IN THE LITTLE ANNEMESSEX RIVER,

CHESAPEAKE BAY

By J. FRANCES ALLEN

Department of Zoology, University of Maryland

Introduction

During the past several years, collections have been made of

the pelecypoda which occur intertidally and subtidally along

the shore of the Little Annemessex River in the vicinity of

Crisfield, Maryland. The present paper is confined to a discus-

sion of the occurrence and distribution of five bivalves, with

reference to the influence exerted by sediment types.

The Little Annemessex River which is located on the eastern

shore of Maryland, extends in an easterly direction from the

lower end of Tangier Sound, for a distance of approximately

two nautical miles as measured from the buoy at the outer side

of James Island. After passing the inner end of James Island,

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 57

the Little Annemessex changes to a northern direction and runs

between the mainland and James Island for a distance of approx-

imately two nautical miles where it enters the Annemessex Canal,

which in turn, empties on the other end into the Big Annemessex

River. Three quarters of a mile below the entrance to the Canal,

the small boat harbor comes off from the Little Annemessex River

toward the east. (See U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart

No. 1224.)

The shore line consists of beaches, separated intermittently

by marsh and banks. The beaches vary in consistency; some

are sand ; some mud ; and some a mixture of sand and mud,

with a considerable variation in the proportion of the con-

stituents. Clay is also an important part of certain mud-sand

flats, especially where dredging for the small boat harbor cana'

was carried out.

Spartina alternifiora, the cord grass, and Yohella demissa

DillwjTi), the ribbed mussel, together form the banks. The

soil composition of the banks is mud, sand, and some clay.

The mussel is present in great abundance throughout the entire

area where it is found growing at the base of Spartina alterni-

fiora and where it is embedded in the bank itself, as well.

The subtidal .substratum also varies from sand to mud. The

area which is sand beach becomes mud bottom as one goes off

shore and then beyond that are areas which are sand. Gener-

ally speaking, however, the substratum off shore is mud, and

according to Cowles (1930), the bottom of the Bay is mud ex-

cept in a few rocky areas.

While the entire area was .subject to random sampling, four

stations were established. Station A was located on the inner

end of a cove which indents easterly from the Little Annemessex

at the southern limits of Crisfield; Station B, on the sand flat

opposite the railroad sidings, midway up the Little Annemessex

River; Station C, on another flat just below the entrance to the

Annemessex Canal; and Station D, adjacent to the small boat

harbor.

The area in general is quite shallow, the average depth ranging

between one and four feet at mean low water. The channel is

dredged to a depth of eleven and one-half feet for a width of

100 to 125 feet.

58 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

Materials and Methods

The bivalves under particular consideration here include:

Mya arenaria (Linn.), Tagelus pleheius (Solander), Macoma

halthica (Linn.), Barnea costata (Linn.), and Mercenaria

m ercenaria ( Linn. )

At the four stations mentioned, transects were mea.sured off

from the shore beginning at the high tide mark, tovt'ard the

deeper vrater. The average distance covered was 35 meters.

At intervals of two meters, a one-half meter quadrat was estab-

lished on each transect. The bottom material from each of these

quadrats was collected and washed through a large flour sieve,

having a mesh of 225 openings per square inch. In some eases

w^here Tagelus was burrowing down into the substratum, the

quadrat was dug to a depth of as much as two and one-half

feet. Usually, however, the upper eighteen inches of soil was

removed from each quadrat. In the case of Mercenaria, raking

the quadrat with a clam rake usually sufficed for obtaining the

specimens.

In addition to (piadrat samples, large size areas were marked

off at each station as wtII as in other localities, and all the

bivalves exposed by systematic digging of the area, were col-

lected. After the shells had been cleaned, length measurements

were made to the nearest millimeter. The shell weights were

determined on an analytical balance.

Observations

As has been previously mentioned, the composition of the

bottom varies in different areas as far as its relative compo-

sition is concerned, the constituents being sand, mud, and clay.

At Station A, on the cove flat, the bottom is soft, sticky black

mud containing very little sand. Apparently there is a con-

siderable amount of decomposition of organic matter, and there

is, at times, a strong sulfide odor. Station B has a substratum

which is a mixture of sand and mud, but it is predominantly

sand, and becomes increasingly muddy as one goes off shore.

Station C is also made up of sand and mud but the greater part

is sand, which seems to be somewhat coarser than at Station B,

and there is also a considerable amount of clay below the soil

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 59

surface. This flat is exposed to comparatively rough wave ac-

tion. Station D, adjacent to the small boat harbor, is a bar

shaped flat, about 150 feet in length when exposed at low tide.

It is bounded by the channel which was dredged about seven

years ago. The remainder of the flat is surrounded by an ex-

panse of Spartina patens. The composition of the substratum

consists largely of sand which becomes progressively more muddy

as one approaches the inshore side. Beneath the mud and sand

is hard clay. Near the channel and the bank, the flat is mud-

sand.

Mya arenarm (Linn.), the soft clam, was found in all types

of sediments examined. They vary in relative abundance de-

pending upon the composition of the substratum. M. arenaria

occurs intertidally as well as below the usual low tide level.

In the areas of sand bottoms, thej^ are more abundant than in

the mud-sand habitat. Their siphons are long and they are able

to live at a considerable depth.

It was noted that the shells of small clams are more abundant

in the mud but apparently they do not survive the silting which

occurs there. In the cove. Station A, where the bottom is black

mud, this species occurs in large numbers during the first year

of growth. This is shown by the fact that on April 3, 1952, 229

small clams were collected from an area less than 50 feet square.

The specimens from this collection ranged in length from 5.8

to 29.3 mm., with an average length of 14.87 mm. The follow^-

ing July, only an occasional small clam was collected and the

shore was littered with shells from dead clams.

At Station B, Mya arenaria was present but not as abundant

as were the other bivalves. This species was totally absent from

Station C. Its absence from the area where one would expect

to find representatives may, in part, be due to the fact that

there is a great deal of wave action here, and the surface sand

is shifting. At Station D, adjacent to the small boat harbor,

where there is considerable sand and clay, the same species

ranged from 7.3 mm. to 52.1 mm. in length, with an average

length of 25.18 mm.

Tagelus pleheius (Solander), the short razor clam, occurred

in all locations but it was especially abundant where there was

more mud than sand. Specimens collected ranged from 4.0 ram.

60 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

tx) 94.0 mm. in length. At Station A. the greatest number were

between 65.0 and 75.0 mm. in length. At Station B, where

there was more sand, the greatest number fell between 60.0 and

70.0 mm. in length. At Station C, where the surface is subject

to wave action, this species was more abundant in mud and

clay areas. The largest proportion of these bivalves from this

station ranged from 70.0 to 74.0 mm. in length. Here, they

burrowed to a depth of thirty inches. It was noted that the

color of the foot and sometimes of the periostracum is much

darker in the mud habitat, so that they tend to be dark green

or black in color. At Station D, the greatest number were from

65.0 to 75.0 mm. in length. They were not as abundant here as

they were at Station A or Station C.

Macoma halthica (Linn.) is found in mud and mud-sand flats

where it grows to a length of 40.0 mm. In the cove, Station A,

it ranks second only to Tagelus pleheius in number, with Mya

arenaria being third in abundance. M. halthica was absent or

occurred sporadically in mud-sand areas which were predomi-

nantly sand. At Station A, they ranged from 14.6 to 37.0 mm.

in length, with the average length being 29.19 mm. Only two

specimens were collected from Station C, 11.6 and 13.7 mm. in

length, respectively. Again at Station D, only two Macoma were

taken, one 23.7 mm. and the other 15.7 mm. in length. Their

absence in these areas may be due to the shifting of the sub-

stratum as well as to the fact that the proportion of clay is

relatively high.

Barnea costata (Linn.), the so-called angel wing, occurs in

considerable numbers at Station D, the tidal flat where one

section is mainly clay. Of the four areas examined, this was the

only locality in which Barnea was found, and here it lives at a

depth of as much as 26 inches. It ranged in size from 60.0 to

95.0 mm. in length, with an average length of 82.04 mm.

Mercenaria mercenaria (Linn.), the northern quahog, lives

subtidally in the more sandy parts of the Little Annemessex

River, This form does not occur intertidally in the Little

Annemessex River. It is widely distributed off shore from the

southeastern end of James Island which is the line of demarka-

tion between the Little Annemessex River and Tangier Sound.

It was found in small numbers off shore from Stations B and C.

Oct., 19541 THE NAUTILUS 61

Another aspect of distribution worthy of comment was shown

by the transects extending off shore. These observations showed

that Tagelus plebeius extends from the upper limits of the high

tide line for a considerable distance off shore. Macoma halthica

extends from between the tide marks in an off shore direction,

and Mya arcnnria, while somewhat intertidal in distribution,

becomes more abundant as it moves off shore. In the Little

Annemessex River, Tagelus plehciiis is the most abundant of

the bivalves, with Macoma halthica second in abundance in the

muddy areas. However, Mya arenaria is second in abundance

in the more sandy areas.

The influence of bottom sediments on growth and shell thick-

ness may be noted from the data on Tagelus. Shell weights

were determined on the razor clams from each of the four sta-

tions. The average weights of length groups which were most

abundant in each area were determined first. It was found

that at Station A, the cove, the average shell weight for the

group between 65.0 and 75.0 mm. was 6.44 grams. The group

from Station B between 60.0 and 70.0 mm. was 4.97 grams;

from Station C, the group from 70.0 to 74.0 mm. was 7.47 grams ;

and from Station D, the group from 65.0 to 75.0 mm. was 8,17

grams. It was noted that those from Station D were consider-

ably heavier in the same length range than were those from

the muddy area of Station A.

The average shell weights were determined for those in the

same size range, 60.0 to 70.0 mm., from each of the four stations.

The results were Station A, 5.75 grams ; Station B, 4.97 grams ;

Station C, 5.24 grams; and Station D, 6.23 grams. The shells

which were lighter in weight were from the more sandy area,

while those from the more muddy areas were intermediate in

weight, and those from the more densely packed bottom of mud,

sand and clay were the heaviest. It was noted that there was

a greater uniformity of weights and size from Station A than

from any of the other three localities.

Discussion

Newcombe (1935a) in his study of a sand beach in St. Croix

River, New Brunswick, states that among the factors exerting

a limiting effect on the rate of growth of Mya arenaria is the

62 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

soil ; two types being; unfavorable, soft mud with a layer of silt,

and fine shifting sand. Below the mean low w'ater level, the soil

contained a high percentage of soft mud and for twelve meters

below mean high water level, the soil consisted of coarse sand

covered with small stones, and below this zone to the mean low-

water level, a fine grade of sand was present. Below the mean-

low water mark, Mya occurred only occasionally, and he found

no submerged communities of clams.

As was noted at Station A, the cove, the soft sticky mud ap-

parently affected the survival of the young clams, and at the

other stations it was noted that Mya was more abundant in

areas where at least part of the substratum contained a good

deal of sand. Their absence from Station C, which was subject

to considerable shifting, also bears out the fact that these forms

are affected by shifting sand. The same author (1935b) found

that in the Bay of Fundy Region, Mya aren<iria maintains itself

satisfactorily from below mean high tide toward the very low

levels where there is a subsequent increase in mud, and at only

very low levels are these conditions deleterious to animals. This

indicates that with the decrease in the Mya population, there

is an increase in the mud proportion of the substratum which

may, at least in part, account for the absence or limited occur-

rence of this clam in the muddier areas.

Newcombe (1935a) gives the distribution of the soft clam in

Puget Sound as extending from one and one-half meters above

low tide to eight meters beloAv low tide. This same author

says that in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and in Chesapeake Bay,

Mya communities are subtidal. In the area observed, the

author agrees that Mya is subtidal but they are also intertidal

as was demonstrated in all the areas examined where they oc-

curred.

Swan (1952), after noticing differences in shell weight of

soft clams from areas consisting of muddy sand to sand with

fine gravel mixtures, and one where the sediment was a mud-

sand-gravel mixture, planted experimental boxes containing both

types of soil to see what effect the soil would have on the growth

of the clam. He found after nearly a year's time that there

was great individual variation in growth but that the average

linear growth of the '^lams in sand was roughly double that of

Oct., 1954 1 THE NAUTILUS 63

those planted in a mud-sand-o-ravel mixture. Data are not

available on Mya collected from the four stations relative to

differences in shell weigfht of this form, but information is

available regarding- Tagelus. It was found that the shells were

heavier at Station D, and that they were lighter at Stations,

A, B, and C. The lightest in weight were collected from Station

B. where the mud-sand mixture was predominantly sand. The

heaviest ones occurred at Station D where there was consider-

able clay, and where they were not as abundant. Those with

the lighter shell weight were taken from the more sandy areas.

These findings agree with those of Swan (1952).

Dexter (1947) recognizes the Mya-Nereis biome at Cape Ann

as that of the intertidal loose sediments. In the Little Anne-

messex River it was observed that Mya is present in the loose

sediments and that they are not as abundant where the mud-

sand-elay mixture is tightly packed.

Newcombe ( 19.35a and 1935b ) mentions the fact that the effect

of large quantities of sulfide is practically non-existent and thus

would not be a limiting factor. Similar observations at the

cove, Station A, indicated the sulfide is high and it was also

noticeable in the other areas examined, but apparently it has

little or no effect.

Pearse, Humm, and Wharton (1942), when discussing bur-

rowing mollusks, state that those slender clams with long siphons

at Beaufort burrowed quickly and well and that the burrowing

mollusks have either a wide slimy foot and a small shell and

crawl with ease directly through the sand, or else they have a

slender foot that can expand at the end and enough anchorage

to pull itself downward. These same authors observed that

Tagelus gihhus (Tagelus pleheius) frequents dark sands which

border on muddy bottoms and that it can remain buried at a

depth of from 40 to 50 cm., and also that it maintains two

openings at the surface with the siphons. Observations by this

author indicate that Tagelus pleheius prefers a similar habitat

in the areas studied.

Fitch (1953) says that the northern razor clam, Siliqua patula

(Dixon) occurs on broad sand}" flats where they are exposed to

pounding surf, and that they may dig to a considerable depth

wiien disturbed. This trait mav account for the survival of

64 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

T. pleheius to the exclusion of the other bivalves at Station C

except for the two specimens of M. halthica collected from there.

Like T. pleheius, T. californianus Conrad, has a smooth line

permanent burrow. This latter form is found in muddy sand

or mud in back bays, sloughs, and estuaries to a depth of 15

to 20 inches (Fitch, 1953). This characteristic also applies to

T. pleheius for as previously mentioned it occurs at consider-

able depth, as much as 26 inches.

Barnea costata which was found only at one location, Station

D, does occur elsewhere in the Bay. It has been collected by the

author in the inshore region of Tangier Sound and in the inshore

region of Pocomoke Sound.

Mercenaria mercenuria occurs only subtidally on the more

sandy bottoms where it is found near the surface, slightly em-

bedded in the bottom. This observation is similar to that of

Pearse, Humm, and Wharton (1942) who state that at Beaufort,

this species with its heavy short siphons does not burrow

deeply.

Summary

Five bottom dwelling pelecypods have been collected in the

vicinity of the Little Annemessex River. Quantitative sam-

plings from four established stations have shown that their dis-

tribution and abundance is influenced by the composition of

the substratum, and that shell weight of at least one form,

Tagelus pleheius, is affected by the composition of the bottom

sediments.

It has been pointed out that Mya arenaria occurs in all types

of sediments but that it is most abundant in mud-sand bottoms

where it occurs intertidally and subtidally. In muddy areas,

it apparently does not survive one year of growth. Wave action

and subsequent silting may prevent its occurrence in some areas.

Tagelus pleheius prefers a mud-sand mixture where the greater

part is mud. This form ranges from high tide line to well below

low tide. Macoma halthica is found in all types of sediments

but it is most abundant in mud-sand where there is a greater

proportion of mud. Barnea costata occurs only in clay where

it lives at a considerable depth.

Mercenaria mercenaria lives only subtidally in the sandy

Oct., 1954J THE NAUTILUS 65

bottoms where it is near the surface so that it is only slightly

embedded in the bottom.

Literature Cited

CowLES, R. P. 1930. A biological study of the offshore waters

of Chesapeake Bay. Bull. U. S. Bur. Fish. 46 : 277-381.

Dexter, R. W. 1947. The marine communities of a tidal inlet

at Cape Ann, Massachusetts : a study in bio-ecology. Ecol.

Monogr. 17: 26^294.

Fitch, John E. 1953. Common marine bivalves of California.

Mar. Fish. Branch, Dept. Fish and Game, Fish. Bull. No. 90.

102 pp.

Newcombe, Curtis L. 1935a. Certain environmental factors of

a sand beach in the St. Andrews Region, New Brunswick with

a preliminary designation of intertidal communities. Jour.

Ecol. 23: 334-355.

Newcombe, Curtis L. 1935b. Growth of Mya arenaria L. in

the Bay of Fundy Region. Canad. Jour. Res. 13 : 97-137.

Pearse, a. S., H. J. HuMM AND G. W. Wharton. 1942. Ecology

of the sand beaches at Beaufort, North Carolina. Ecol.

Monogr. 12: 135-190.

Swan, Emery F. 1952. The growth of the clam, Mya arenaria

as affected by the substratum. Ecol. 33 : 530-534.

A NEW SPECIES OF MESODON FROM THE GREAT

SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

By LESLIE HUBEICHT

Mesodon (Inflectarius) vertjs new species

Shell imperforate, translucent, pale reddish-brown to cream-

buff colored, depressed, spire convex or low conoid, whorls 5-5.5,

periphery rounded, with a prominent crest and deep gutter be-

hind the lip. First two whorls with radially elongated granules,

third whorl with radial wrinkles and some spiral striae, spiral

striae disappearing on the last two whorls, and radial wrinkles

becoming more prominent with numerous erect triangular perio-

stracal processes. Peristome white, rather widely reflected,

thickened within, especially in the base, without teeth, outer lip

somewhat dished, concave, descending in front. Parietal tooth

well developed, long and slightly curved.

Diam. 13.5 mm., height 7.2 mm. Holotype.

Diam. 14.6 mm., height 7.8 mm. Largest paratype.

Diam. 12.1 mm., height 6.1 mm. Smallest paratype.

66 THE NAUTILUS |Vol. 68 (2)

Type locality. — 3570 ft., ravine, head of Mt. Sterling Creek,

1 mile north of Mt. Sterling Gap, Haywood Co., North Carolina.

Holotype G07137 and paratypes 607138 U.S.N.M., paratypes

191211 A.N.S.P., and 12640 collection of the author.

Mesodon verus may be readily distinguished from all other

members of the subgenus Inflectarius by the complete absence of

teeth on the peristome. It bears a strong resemblance to

Mesodon suhpalUatus (Pilsbry) from which it may be dis-

tinguished by the difference in color, the prominent crest behind

the lip, the strongly concave outer lip, and the longer and lower

parietal tooth.

VARIATION IN THE OLIVE SHELLS OF

TROPICAL WEST AMERICA

By HOWARD R. HILL

Curator of Marine Zoology, Los Angeles County Museum

In nearly every family of univalve moUusks, certain species

show considerable variation in color, size and shape. In the olive

shell family there are a number of variable forms found on the

West Coast from Mexico to Chile. One species in particular,

Olive spieata Roding, is so variable that twenty-eight different

names have been applied to it and its nine varieties. No two

authorities have agreed on the nomenclature for these forms.

Consequently, students and collectors have long been confused

as to the proper scientific names to use for them.

It is the hope of the writer that this paper will be helpful

in the identification of the above-mentioned variable species.

In addition, the variation in other olive shells of the tropical

West Coast will be discussed.

1. Oliva spicata spicata Roding. Typical 0. spieata is a com-

mon species, 21/2 inches in length, ranging from West Mexico to

Panama Bay. The typical form is found in the same regions

as many of its color varieties. The shell is elongate with a

moderate spire. The color of the aperture is white. Externally,

the ground color is light gray or light yellow, shaded with a loose

network of brown, pink-gray or blackish markings. The net-

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 67

work in some individuals is broken up into spots. The sutural

fasciculations are elongate and dark in color. The synonyms

are : melchersi Menke ; oriola Duclos, araneosa Lam. ; ohlonga

Marrat, intertincia Carpenter; arachnoidea Roding. The va-

rieties are as follows :

a. Oliva spicata violacea Marrat resembles the typical form in

all respects except that in this the aperture is violet in color.

b. Oliva spicata pindarina Duclos is like typical spicata in

markings, but has spire more produced and is more angled at

the periphery.

c. Oliva spicata fuscata Marrat has the color pattern nearly

obliterated by reddish-brown. 0. perfecta Johnson is a synonym.

d. Oliva spicata cumingi Reeve. In this variety, the network

markings are not present. The shell is cream-colored with sev-

eral wide, brown bands circling the body-whorl.

e. Oliva spicata hemphilli Johnson. In this nearly white

form, only traces of the color pattern are present.

The following varieties are short and thick with short spires

and short, dark fasciculations below the sutures :

f. Oliva spicata venulata Lamarck. This variety is the most

common form of spicata, and is called the "Netted Olive" be-

cause of its network pattern of black zigzag lines over a ground

color of either yellow or gray or olive. Lamarck described a

decorticated or worn specimen of his venulata as a distinct

species, Oliva liarpidaria, which is illustrated in Reeve's mono-

graph on the olives. Oliva punctata Marrat is also a synonym

of venulata.

g. Oliva spicata polpasta Duclos is quite similar to venulata

but more slender and lighter in color. The network pattern is

more or less broken up into dark spots. Occasionally two wide,

cream-colored bands encircle the body-whorl.

h. Oliva spicata suhangulata Philippi has a characteristic

angular shoulder on the body-whorl. It might be mistaken for

a small Oliva angulata Humphrey. However, the young of the

latter, when they are the same size as the full-grown suhangulata,

do not have a well-developed shoulder angle. The network

pattern of dark lines is speckled Avith black, triangular spots

arranged in interrupted lines.

68 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

i. Oliva spicata ohesina Duclos. This variety is bulbous with

a swollen body-whorl. The ground color is gray or milky white.

Instead of a network, dark spots are well scattered over the

surface.

2. Oliva juliettae Duclos. Formerly considered a variety of

venulata, this species has a characteristic thick lip and a vivid

green ground color, overlaid by a pattern of dark arrow-shaped

spots arranged in longitudinal rows. Synonyms are Oliva porcea

Marrat; 0. mariae Duclos; 0. graphica Marrat; 0. timoria and

0. timorensis Duclos.

3. Oliva incrassata Humphrey, the Angled Olive, is not angled

at the shoulder in the juvenile state. Young shells resemble

Oliva spicata venulata in their markings, but can be distinguished

from the latter by the pink tinge of the lip and columella.

Adult shells usually have a ground color of creamy-white or

light yellow, overlaid by brown spots and several longitudinal

rows of black blotches.

Two interesting color varieties occur at San Felipe, W.

Mexico, at the northern end of the Gulf of California. One

unnamed variety is orange in color and devoid of markings.

The other, Oliva incrassata nivea Pilsbry, is white. The type

was described from a shell with a slight trace of dark. Re-

cently, however, an entirely white specimen was collected alive

at San Felipe by Mrs. Milton Zim of the Pacific Shell Club,

Los Angeles.

In the literature, the Angled Olive is frequently referred to as

Oliva angulata Lamarck.

4. Oliva peruviana Lamarck is restricted to the west coasts of

Chile and Peru. Five varieties have been described.

a. Oliva peruviana livida Johnson is creamy-white in color.

b. Oliva peruviana subcastanea Vanatta is light brown.

e. Oliva peruviana castanea Johnson is dark brown.

d. Oliva peruviana fulgurata Martens is streaked longitudi-

nally with lightning-like brown stripes on a cream-colored back-

ground.

e. Oliva peruviana coniformis Philippi has a reduced spire,

with swollen body-whorl and angled shoulder.

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 69

The typical peruvmna is covered with brown spots on a light

background.

5. Olivella undatella Lamarck varies in color and in the pat-

tern of its markings. Some shells are nearly white, others are

almost entirely brown. Most of them are patterned with zigzag,

longitudinal brown stripes on the body-whorl, often arranged

in two broad bands around the shell. Another pattern shows

large, dark, triangular flames on a light background. Olivella

nedulina Duclos is a synonym.

6. Olivella volutella Lamarck is usually unicolor and may be

yellowish or blue-gray or brown. A variety Olivella volutella

zonalis Lamarck is white with several wide, brown revolving

bands, two on the body-whorl and one on the spire. Olivella

rasomola and 0. selasia of Duclos are synonyms of the typical

form, while Olivella zanoeta Duclos represents the variety

zonalis.

7. Agaronia testacea Lamarck. Ground color varies from

light-gray to brown, often with a bluish-cast. Frequently

marked with zigzag longitudinal brown streaks.

The other members of the olive family on the tropical West

Coast show but little variation in shape or color. They are the

following species : Oliva porphyria L., Oliva kaleontina Duclos,

Oliva spledidula Sby. Olivella eolumellaris Sby., Olivella dama

MaM'e, Olivella gracilis Brod. & Sby., Olivella inconspicua C. B.

Adams (0. myriadina Duclos), Olivella tergina Duclos, Olivella

versicolor Marrat, Olivella petiolita Duclos, Olivella anazora

Duclos. Of this group, Oliva kaleontina, Olivella inconspicua,

0. versicolor and 0. petiolita are rather uncommon.

TWENTIETH ANNUAL MEETING, AMERICAN

MALACOLOGICAL UNION

By MAKGAEET C. TE8KEY, Secretary

The second-largest crowd in A.M.U. history assembled in

Durham, New Hampshire on August 16th, 1954 as guests of

Dr. George M. Moore and the University of New Hampshire.

70 THE NAUTILUS | Vol. 68 (2)

The weather was perfect, the setting was delightful, and lobster

was king! Over the three-day period seventy-eight persons,

members, their families and guests, enjoyed every moment as the

clock rolled around and carefully planned events fell neatly into

place.

The program w^as varied : registration, brief opening session

followed by scientific papers, the evening meal a picnic by the

sea where an especially low tide made collecting easy, an early

morning collecting trip, papers in the afternoon, a shore dinner

de luxe as guests of General Frank and Dr. Jeanne Schwengel

. . . and so it went. As always, time passes too quickly and

only the prospect of meeting another year (New York City)

kept farewells in a cheerful vein.

Among the business matters transacted by the Executive

Council was the act of attaching a by-law to the newly adopted

Constitution whereby the membership dues are raised to two

dollars per year, additional members of a family, one dollar

each. This change was most necessary, since rising prices have

made the old assessment inadeqiiate to meet expenses. A

corresponding change in the life membership fee (to forty

dollars) involves a change in the Constitution itself and will be

voted upon by the membership as a w^hole.

The following officers were elected to serve for 1954-55 :

President, Morris K. Jacobson ;

Vice-president, AUyn G. Smith ;

2nd Vice-president, Ralph 0. Fox;

Secretary-treasurer, Margaret C. Teskey;

Couneillors-at-large, K. Tucker Abbott ;

Anthony D'Attilio;

Yoshio Kondo ;

Ruth D. Turner.

NOTES AND NEWS

Cyclinella tenuis (Recluz) in the vicinity op Charleston,

S. C. — On March 21, 1954, I found on Magnolia Beach, on the

northeast coast of South Carolina, perfect Cyclinella tenuis

Oct., 1954] THE NAUTILUS 71

(Recluz) in abimdaiiee. In 1882 Wm. G. Mazyck found a per-

fect specimen on the neighboring beach of Pawley's Island. In

the intervening years many single valves were found, ranging

from Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, to Magnolia Beach. As

none of the authorities mention the Cyclinella tenuis occurring

on South Carolina beaches, it seems worth while making the

report. Below is a list of dates and findings of this species,

taken from the records of the Charleston Museum.

1882. 1 fine specimen. Pawley's Isld. (W. G. Mazyck, p. 28

his list S. C. shells 1913)

1929, 9/12-13. 1/2, broken. Pawley's Isld. (Mrs. E. C. House

& E. B. Richardson)

1929, summer. 1/2. Isle of Palms (near Charleston). (Mrs.

F. H. Horlbeck)

1929, 10/20. 1/2. Pawley's Isld. (Museum party)

1931, 5/17. 5/2. Pawley's Isld. (E. B. Chamberlain & E. B.

Richardson)

1931, 9/7. 2/2. Isle of Palms. (E. B. Richardson)

1931,9/1-4. 4/2. Magnolia Beach, near Murrell's Inlet. (E. B.

Richardson)

1932, 4/15. 1/2. Folly (near Charleston). (E. B. Richard-

son)

1932, 12/1. 1/2. Isle of Palms. (E. B. Richardson)

1933, 9/7-9. 4/2. Pawley's Isld. (E. B. Richardson)

1934, 7. 1/2. Dewees Isld. (E. D. Porcher)

1935, 10/1. 5/2. Magnolia Beach (Birnie's Beach). (E. B.

Richardson)

1940, 2/7. 1/2. Sullivan's Isld. (0. J. MuUer)

1940, 4/18. 1/2. Magnolia Beach. (Jim Doctor)

1940, 8. 1/2. Pawley's Isld. (Mrs. J. Kaminski)

1940, 11/17. 3/2. Pawley's Isld. (E. B. Richardson)

1948, 10. 1/2. Pawley's Isld. (Susan A. Bennett)

1954, 3/21. In quantity, perfect. Magnolia Beach. (Susan A.

Bennett)

— Susan A. Bennett, 37 Legare St., Charleston, S. C.

ANSP Monograph 8 : Pliocene Mollusca of Southern

Florida. Addendum & Corrigendum.

Subgenus Bamhusum Olssou and Harbison, 1953

Type by original designation, Caecum coronellum Dall (Olsson

and Harbison, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Mon. 8, p. 11).

The description of Bamhusum, proposed as a new subgenus

of Caecum, was inadvertently left out during the printing of

72 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (2)

our monograph on the Pliocene Mollusca of Southern Florida

(Mon. 8, Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 319). This omission is here

supplied.

Adult shell relatively large, curved, with little or no taper,

the apertural end thickened by a stout collar with a sharp or

coarsely serrate edge. Sculpture consists of weak or strong,

longitudinal and circular riblets. Posterior plug a flattened or

cap-like plate with a short, eccentric mucro.

We take this occasion also to change the name of Noetia

ponderosa macneili Olsson and Harbison, 1953 (Mon. 8, p. 42),

preoccupied by Noetia macneili Marks, 1951 (Bulls. Amer. Pal.,

vol. 33, No. 139, p. 323), to Noetia ponderosa locklini Olsson

and Harbison. — A. A. Olsson and A. Hakbison.

Note on the flying behavior of certain squids : erratum. —

With the thought that you would wish to be advised of errata

inadvertently appearing in Nautilus, we call to your attention

that the above-mentioned paper by Arata, Vol. 68, No. 1, July

1954, is shown as Contribution No. 126 from the Laboratory,

but that this should be Contribution No. 125. — Stella Pogany,

for: F. G. Walton Smith, Director.

Additional food mollusks of the Wampanoag Indians. —

Since the publication of our paper on "Utilization of marine

life by the Wampanoag Indians of Massachusetts" (Speck,

F. G. and R. W. Dexter. Jour. Wash. Acad, of Sci. 38 : 257-

265, 1948), information has come to hand on the use of two

additional species of mollusks as items of food. These are the

horse mussel {Modiolus modiolus) which was used in making

chowder and the rock snail or dog winkle {Thais lapillus)

which was boiled and the flesh extracted with a pin-like utensil.

— Ralph W. Dexter, Depart, of Biology, Kent State University,

Kent, Ohio.

Mrs. Kate Stephens, widow of the late Dr. Frank Stephens,

died in San Diego at the age of 103. Both she and Dr. Stephens

were lifelong members of the A.A.A.S., and will be long re-

membered as the founders of the San Diego Museum of Natural

History. Mrs. Stephens was considered an authority on the

algae and shells of the Pacific until disabled by loss of sight in

her advanced years. She is mourned by a host of friends. —

Leon M. Wright,

William James Eaymond, 1865-1947

The Nautilus

Vol. 68 JANUARY, 1955 No. 3

OBSERVATIONS ON DONAX FOSSOR SAY AT

ROCKAWAY BEACH, NEW YORK

By MOREIS K. JACOBSON

During the past summer I noticed some peculiar actions on

the part of the clam Donax fossor which I have not seen men-

tioned or described in the literature. It might be of some in-

terest and value to make a record of this.

All during the summer in the years when D. fossor appears

in the sandy beaches of Rockaway, it can be seen and collected

when it is uncovered in smaller or larger numbers by the rush-

ing surf. As soon as the clams are uncovered they begin to

burrow into the wet sand and in a few moments all of them

have vanished. This repeated process caught my attention and

I began to devote some time to observing it more closely.

The behavior of D. fossor in the rush of water is highly inter-

esting. As soon as it is flushed from its hiding place, the clam

extends its foot and its siphons. The foot is extended from the

front half of the shell, reaching from about the middle point

of the dorsal edge clear around to a similar point on the ventral.

The foot is large, thin, the color of clouded mucous except for

the tip, which is thicker and has a light buff tinge. The entire

foot can be extended to a length equal to that of the shell, and

the tip itself is capable of its own farther extension. This tip

is very active and moves about excitedly, seeking with the aid

of the incurved edge of the foot, to anchor itself against the

rush of the water. Simultaneously with the foot, the siphons

are exserted, the dorsal siphon (efferent or anal) pointing up-

ward toward the dorsal line, the ventral siphon (afferent or

branchial) pointing straight out, in a line almost parallel to

the general direction of the ventral edge. If, however, 'the

animal is caught in the backwash of the wave before it has

succeeded in anchoring itself, it is turned so that its long axis

73

74 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

is parallel to the rush of the water, the wide posterior section

facing in the direction of the current. As this is taking place,

both siphons turn sharply toward the umbo, the dorsal siphon

lying in direct contact with the posterior edge of the shell

and the ventral siphon lying close alongside the latter. The

siphons turn either to the left or the right, depending upon

which valve the shell happened to fall. This position of the

siphons is maintained until the foot finds a secure purchase in

the sand. Once this has happened, the siphons surrender the

curved position, assume momentarily the "relaxed" position

(dorsal upward, ventral straight out) and are then immediately

withdrawn. After a few preliminary wriggles while the foot is

being further inserted in the sand, the shell upends and in six

to ten convulsive jerks (rarely as much as thirteen), lasting

from two to four seconds, it disappears. At times I have ob-

served D. fossor acting in a like manner in the upsurge of a

wave, but in this case the shell, instead of having the posterior

section facing the ocean, has it facing the beach and the animal

burrows in in this position. Occasionally the shell, in the down-

rush of the water, is left in a small tide pool formed at the base

of the jetty poles. In this case the siphons assume the "re-

laxed" position and the clam remains in this posture for some

time before withdrawing the siphons and burrowing in.

Now and then, when the receding wave is weak, the clam

does not assume the position perpendicular to the wave line, but

remains more or less parallel to it. When this happens the

siphons remain in the "relaxed" position until the moment the

burrowing begins, when as usual they are withdrawn. When

the current is at its roughest and the clam is hurled about, the

siphons are exserted but do not curve umbo-ward. This curv-

ing takes place onl}' when the receding water has somewhat

slowed down and the clam has a chance of securing an anchor-

age.

When one has watched the behavior of the clam for some time,

it becomes difficult to avoid the opinion that the siphons are

being used either as a steering organ, to help turn the shell

perpendicular to the wave line, in which case it is being aided

by the elongated wedge shape of the valves, or as a braking organ

to help halt the shell in its rush and to enable the foot to obtain

a purchase in the sand, or as both simultaneously. Even though

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 75

I believe the second of the two conjectures to be the sounder

one, we still have here a most unique function for these tubes.

It can be argued that the siphons are turned umboward in an

attempt to keep them from being damaged on broken bits of

shells and pebbles as the shell is being swept along. But if

such is the case, it is much more likely that the siphons would

be entirely withdrawn into the shell. Besides, if this turning

is indeed for protection, it is not clear why the dorsal siphon,

which curves up near the posterior edge of the shell, needs to

be better protected than the ventral siphon which lies pos-

teriorly alongside it, since both are equally' ^Tilnerable.

If we try to seek a reason for the actions just described, we

might find an answer in a report by Mori (1938) on the be-

havior of Donax semigranosus Dkr. (in his paper printed D.

semignosus) on the coast of Okinosu in Tokusima-si, Japan.

He found that f^emigranosus lived in largest concentration in

the area limited seaward by the line which represents the limit

of beach that is continually under water (this line moves with

the tide), and landward by the line reached by the outmost

lapping of the waves. (See his table I.) It is clear that to

maintain this position, the mollusk has to migrate with the

rising and falling of the tide, which, according to Mori it does

for a distance of 3 to 6 meters at neap tide and as much as 30

meters at the spring tide. In the ease of D. fossor, which also

apparently engages in such a migration, at least during the

summer months, the distance averages roughly 20 feet.

In this connection, I have observed two factors that enable

fossor to maintain its position in the changing tides. Since the

shell has to be flushed from its subsurface position by the rush-

ing water, it never takes its place at the verj^ tip of the ad-

vancing surge like a bit of flotsam, but is usually a short distance

behind the van, where, should it stop at this point, it would

probably be reached by a succeding wave even in a falling tide.

Similarly it usually succeeds in anchoring itself during or just

after the interval between the onrush and the backwash of the

wave, and hence occupies a place in front of the line that is

continually covered by water. By these two devices it succeeds

in keeping itself from being abandoned on land by the receding

tide on the one hand, and driven to deeper water on the other.

Eva Stoll (1937) describes certain motions of Donax vittatus

76 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

Da Costa that enable it to creep forward or to leap backward

in order to escape from an unfavorable environment (rocks

etc.) upon which a chance wave had thro\^Ti it. I have never

observed this motion in D. fossor in Rockaway and believe that

its entire migration is accomplished by wave action alone.

Here it might also be noted that when the habitat of D. fossor

is given as "near the ebb line" (Alexander 1941, p. 127) that

is only part of the truth.

Mori reports that semigranosus leaps from the sand in ad-

vance of the wave and is then washed up or drawn back to a

different location. He was able to trick the clams into coming

forth by simulating the characteristics of a breaking wave : he

sprinkled water about, scraped the sand with his foot and

rapidly rotated a can in which sand and a Donax had been put.

All these attempts to rouse D. fossor in Rockaw^ay remained

fruitless. I have at times observed it to "leap" up from below

the surface so that in one jerk it had its shell half uncovered,

but since this occurred mainly at the jetties where Donax and

its chief associate, the sand crab (Emerita talpoida Say) were

concentrated in unbelievable numbers, I concluded that D.

fossor did this to avoid an obstructing crab or another clam.

However, it is entirely possible that this leaping from the sand

does occur as the wave passes over the buried clam. But since

the water at this moment is completely roiled by loosened sand,

observation is impossible. It would be of value to experiment

further to settle this point.

It is interesting to note the position assumed by the Japanese

Donax as drawn by Mori in his figure 13b. Here too the shell

orients itself with its longer axis parallel to the rush of the

water, the wide posterior end facing in the direction of the

current. The siphons however, are only little exserted, the

ventral one about half as much as the dorsal, and both pointing

straight back, neither assuming the curved position of fossor.

It would be of great interest to observe the behavior of other

Donax species throughout the world.

The contrast between the behavior of young Spisula solidis-

sima Dillw. and D. fossor is significant. The former is a true

sand dweller and being flushed from its shelter represents a

tragedj'' for it. It lies helplessly in the open or makes a few

feeble attempts to dig in. Unless by chance it succeeds in

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 77

getting back to deep water, it dies. In the waves and rush of

water, it withdraws both siphons (united to the tip), and the

foot, and is aimlessly thrown about like a dead shell.

The Donax, however, seems to have chosen its restless en-

vironment, and its behavior in it lies well within its natural

mode of life. This can be seen in the amazing success it has

in keeping alive in this dangerous ecology. At its peak, Z>.

fossor in numbers comes directly after the Spisula and perhaps

Mytilus edulis L. in Rockaway. Yet dead Donax shells are

surprisingly rare whereas the others clutter up the beaches the

year round.

References

Alexander, Robert C. 1941. Some shells from South Cape

May Beach. Nautilus, Vol. 54, pp. 126-128.

Mori, Syuiti. 1938. Donax semignosus Dkr. (sic) and the ex-

perimental analysis of its behavior at the flood tide. Zoologi-

cal Magazine Tokyo, Vol. 50, pp. 1-12.

Stoll, Eva. 1937. Beobachtungen ueber die Fortbewegung

bei einigen grabenden Muscheln. Revue Suisse Zool. (Geneve),

Vol. 44, pp. 383 ff.

THE OCCURRENCE OF POLYGYRA TEXASIANA

(MORICAND) IN ALABAMA

By HUGH C. EAWLS

Department of Chemistry, The Citadel

The purpose of this paper is to report the occurrence, in

west-central Alabama, of Polygyra texasiana (Moricand), a

species heretofore not recorded from that state.

Hinton (1951) recorded this species as Polygyra triodontoides

(Bland), with the information that the shells were found in

abundance in open prairie-land in Hale County, Alabama. Sub-

sequently, the writer (1953), while studying Hinton 's specimens,

noted that the aperture of each shell presents an althogether

different picture from that of P. triodontoides: the teeth are

similar, close together, and almost completely basal, whereas

those of P. triodontoides are dissimilar and widely separated.

In addition, the spire is quite depressed, whereas that of trio-

dontoides is distinctly elevated. The features thus noted were

78 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

strongly suggestive of Polygyra texdsiana, and upon comparison

with topotypes of that species the writer has concluded that

Hinton's specimens are indeed shells of texasiana. Sixty speci-

mens from one locality in Hale County were measured and found

to be separable into two sizes. Larger shells average 5.0 mm.

in height and 10.0 mm. in diameter ; smaller specimens average

4.0 mm. by 8,0 mm. Both large and small forms have H/D

indices of 0.5, as do individuals slighth^ intermediate in size.

Pilsbry (1940) notes that texasiana is variable in size, and

states that, in shells from single colonies in Texas, the diameters

range from 7.6 mm. to 10.9 mm. Extreme diameters of Alabama

specimens are well within this size range, and all other morpho-

logical features are those of typical texasiana.

According to Pilsbry (1940), the range of texasiana extends

from Brownsville and San Antonio northward and eastward

through Texas into Oklahoma, western Arkansas and Louisiana.

The occurrence of this species in Alabama represents an eastern

extension of its known range, and constitutes a new state record.

The three known localities in Alabama are very close together,

within six miles of each other. Such proximity, coupled with

the fact that texasiana has not been found elsewhere in the state,

suggests that this species may have been introduced. Hinton

(1951) points out that the localities in which he collected are

in an area where livestock is imported from Texas, and that the

possibility does exist that the snails were introduced in herbage

used for feed during the transport of cattle. This seems rather

unlikely to the writer, since no other foreign shells were taken

in the localities in which texasiana was found.

The discovery of Polygyra texasiana in Alabama should not be

surprising; the localities are within the limits of the Alabama

Black Belt, which is a typical long-grass prairie which shows

rather distinct western affinities. Several other species have

ranges which extend throughout the Gulf Coastal Plain, and the

discontinuity between the Alabama localities and the previously

published range of texasiana simply indicates the need for fur-

ther work in the intervening states.

Alabama records: Near the Hale-Marengo county line, just south

of Allenville on U. S. 80.

Prairieville, at the junction of U. S. 80 and Ala. 13. Four

miles north of Faunsdale, on Ala. 99.

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 79

Literature Cited

HiNTON, J. H., 1951 : The terrestrial shell-bearing Mollusca of

the Black Belt of Alabama. Master's thesis, University of

Alabama.

PiLSBRY, H. A., 1940: The Land Mollusca of North America,

vol. 1, part 2, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila-

delphia.

Rawls, H. C, 1953 : The land snails of Alabama, with notes on

their ecology. Doctor's dissertation, University of Alabama.

NOTES ON THE GENERA LANX AND

FISHEROLA (PULMONATA)

By J. P. E. MOEEISON i

The Division of Mollusks of the United States National

Museum recently received for identification two lots of Fisherola.

One lot of more than a dozen specimens with the animals was

collected by members of the Idaho State Fisheries service, from

the Snake River. These were sent to us by Dr. A. F. Bartsch

of the Division of Water Pollution Control of the U. S. Public

Health Service. The second lot, of more than 100 specimens

with the animals, was collected and submitted to us by J. J.

Davis, biologist of the Hanford, Washington, laboratories of the

General Electric Corporation. These were collected by him

from the Columbia River at McNary Dam, Benton, Co., Wash-

ington. In the course of preparation and identification of these

lots, all the shells of specimens of the Family Lancidae in the

United States National Museum collections were reexamined.

H. B. Baker has published rather complete studies of the

anatomy of Lanx (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. (ser. 4) 14: 143-169:

1925), together with figures of the radula and jaw of Fisherola.

The superficial examination of these available animals of

Fisherola shows them to agree in general external characters with

those of Lanx. Specifically, Fisherola agrees with Lanx in com-

pletely lacking a gill as Pilsbry (Nautilus 38: 73-75: 1925) has

stated, and in the right posterior position of the anal opening

in the mantle edge.

1 Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu-

tion.

80

THE NAUTILUS

[Vol. 68 (3)

Baird was apparently the first observer, and for many years

the only one, to put on record the true orientation of Fisherola

shells. In his 1863 description of kootenaiensis, Baird said :

"vertice antico." Later authors gave the wrong orientation to

the shells for many years. It remained for Pilsbry (loc. cit.,

p. 74) with the animals available, to correctly give the position

of the apex (fundamentally anterior to the middle of the shell

— in the midline) as a family character. Some of the old indi-

viduals of Lanx in the United States National Museum collec-

tions have shells with the apex a little posterior of the middle

Fig. 1. Lanx, diagram of shell outline (left profile).

Fig. 2. Fisherola, diagram of shell outline (left profile).

Fig. 3. Lanx, diagram of muscle scar on interior of shell.

Fig. 4. Fisherola, diagram of muscle scar on interior of shell,

anterior; P. posterior; R. right; L. left.

of the shell by actual measurement. Therefore we believe sub-

central is the best word to use in describing the position of the

apex of the Lanx shell (fig. 1).

Fisherola shells differ externally from those of Lanx in the

position of the apex, notably forward of the middle of the shell

outline (fig. 2). The anterior slope is usually concave. Baker

(loc. cit., pi. 11, fig. 2) has figured the (columellar) muscle

ring by means of which the animals of Lanx are attached to

their shells. Fortunately for identification involving only the

shells, the muscle scars on the interior of the shells are always

present and characteristic for the Family Lancidae. Careful

examination of these muscle scars will serve as a positive means

of separating the shells of the genus Fisherola from those of

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 81

Lanx. A diagram of the shell interior and muscle sear of Lanx

shows a "faulted" step in the middle region of the right side

of the ring- (fig. 3). In contrast, shells of Fisherola show a

condition matching the animals, with a distinctly open gap,

wider than the width of the muscle (or sear), a little forward

of the middle position on the right side of the muscle ring (fig.

4). In addition, this muscular ring (or scar) is more notably-

narrowed over the anterior (head) position of Fisherola than it

is in the genus Lanx. The muscle scar picture of Fisherola

shells is a mirror image (right and left reversed) of the Euro-

pean genus Pseudancylus, and is strongly reminiscent of that

of Siphonaria shells. The Fisherola shells of course are not

asymmetrical, as are those of Siphonaria, and Fisherola has this

gap in the muscular ring for the passage of the intestine and

lung complex, instead of for a siphon. This is very probably

a functional convergence of the pattern of muscle sears, since

we know by the other anatomy that the Lancidae are only in-

directly related to the Siphonariidae.

The geographic distribution of the Lancidae is most inter-

esting. To the best of our knowledge, the genus Fisherola

is confined to the Columbia River drainage system. Pilsbry

(loc. cit., p. 75) has suggested that all the forms of Fisherola

may belong to the species nuttalli. The material in the United

States National Museum collections is insufficient to completely

prove this point. According to our material, the named form

lancides from the Snake River may be a good subspecies. All

the material we have seen from the rest of the system agrees

with nuttalli, although individually variable. As the type

locality of kootenaiensis, Baird gave the Kootenai and Spokane

Rivers. The Kootenai River is here selected as the restricted

type locality, so that if the form from that river (a form we

have not seen) is different, the name will continue to be available

subspecifieally. Our material from the Spokane River is not

distinct enough on shell characters to be considered different

from nuttalli.

The generic distinction of Fisherola shells is proven in the

fossil record also. In the United States National Museum col-

lections, there are two specimens of Fisherola nuttalli lancides

Hannibal, from the "late Tertiary" fossil deposits at Minidoka,

82 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

Idaho (U. S. Geol. Surv. No. 4411) collected years ago by Dr.

G. K. Gilbert. These specimens show the characteristic muscle

scars perfectly, and prove that Fisherola has been in the Co-

lumbia (Snake) system since at least these "late Tertiary"

times.

The species of Lanx, s.s., are only kno\\ai from the Coastal

river systems to the south of the Columbia. The Umpqua River

system of Oregon is the locality of Lanx suhrotundatus Tryon.

The Ro<}:ue River has a form in it apparently identical in shells

to siihrotundatus. "We have not seen enough material to prove

or disprove this apparent identity. Does one species occur in

more than one river system, or does each river system have a

biologically distinct species? The Klamath River system is the

range of the species altus Tryon. The upper Sacramento River

is the true locality of Lanx newherryi Lea, according to Pilsbry

(loc. cit., p. 75). With Lea's type material in front of us,

and no other matching specimens collected and added to the

United States National Museum collections since, except from

the Sacramento River system, we are inclined to agree whole-

heartedly with this correction of the locality by Pilsbry.

The section or subgenus Walkerola, which differs from typical

Lanx only by the depressed shell shape, is a special development

only known from the southern part of the range of the genus

Lanx. Lanx (Walkerola) klamathensis Hannibal, as its name

implies, is from the Klamath Sj^stem. Lanx (Walkerola) patel-

loides Lea is from the upper Sacramento River drainage. This

species may include hannai Walker (Occ. papers, Mus. Zool.,

U. of Mich., No. 165, p. 6, pi. 3, figs. 1-4: 1925) as a synon:^Tn.

In this connection, the following problems of species characters

or variation is worthy of attention and study. Lanx klama-

thensis is unicolor, sometimes pale, but one lot seen, USNM

No. 334388, said to be from L. Klamath, Klamath Falls, Oregon

(W. Westgate) contains 5 specimens typical of klamathensis,

and 2 specimens with the spotted color pattern of patelloides.

Lanx patelloides (Lea) is characteristically so spotted like a

Patella shell, that Tryon disdained to include it in his 1870

Monograph of Freshwater forms. We do not blame Tryon for

being so suspicious of the origin of this species, at a time when

incorrect locality data was much more of a problem than it is

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 83

today. Since he did not have personal experience as to the

true habitat, it just didn't look right to him.

Now the problem is — are there only two species of Walkerola:

(1) klamatliensis (unicolored) and (2) patelloides (spotted),

with a few specimens mixed (incorrectly out of place) as re-

gards locality data? Or — do both species occur in both river

systems?? Or — are there 4 species: Mamathensis (unicolored),

and another species (variegated) from the Klamath River sys-

tem; with liannai Walker (unicolored) and patelloides Lea

(variegated) both from the upper Sacramento River tribu-

taries???. More material must be collected, and the animals

critically examined before this problem will be permanently

resolved. It may not be fundamentally important, but it cer-

tainly will be interesting to know whether or not the family

Lancidae is such an old relict type, that every species is now

endemic, restricted to a single river system.

References

Baker, H. B. 1925. Anatomy of Lanx, a limpet-like Lymnaeid

Mollusk. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. (ser. 4), 14 (8) :143-169,

pis. 11-14.

PiLSBRY, H. A. 1925. The family Lancidae distinguished from

the Ancylidae. Nautilus, 38 : 73-75.

Walker, B. 1918. A Synopsis of the Classification of the

Fresh Water Mollusca of North America, North of Mexico,

Misc. Publ. No. 6, Mus. Zool., U. of Mich. (Lancinae, pp.

17-18).

. 1925. New species of North American Ancylidae and

Lancidae. Occ. Papers, No. 165, Mus. Zool., U. of Mich.

A NOTE ON AMYGDALUM PAPYRIA CONRAD IN

MARYLAND WATERS OF CHESAPEAKE BAY

By J. FRANCES ALLEN

Department of Zoology, University of Maryland

Amygdalum papyria Conrad, the paper mussel, occurs in

Texas and Maryland to Florida (Abbott 1954). This genus

has been described as thin and smooth, often with colored

cobwebby designs, and this particular species as being elongate

84 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

and smooth, glistening, fragile, and colored a delicate two tone

bluish green and soft yellowish brown, with the interior an

iridescent white (Abbott 1954).

Chesapeake Bay is represented in the collections of the United

States National Museum by specimens from five localities. Mr.

Ralph W. Jackson found them in the Little Choptank River at

Town Point (Cat. No. 361668), and at Dailsville (Cat. No.

361669), both in Dorchester County. These two lots vary in

color from yellowish brown to various shades of green and some

from each locality have faint markings. He also collected this

same species (Cat. No. 348954) from sea grass on the bank of

the Choptank River at Sandy Hill. These had the same general

appearance as those from the Little Choptank. During the

Potomac River Oyster Survey carried out by the U. S. Fish and

Wildlife Service in 1943, specimens (Cat. No. 518856) were

collected from Chicken Cock Bar in the St. Mary's River, St.

Mary's County. They were yellowish to green with no mark-

ings. Apparently the first collected at Crisfield was a single

yellowish green specimen with a few irregular lines (Cat. No.

474091), found by Dr. Waldo Schmitt.

In 1951, the author found two of these small mussels attached

to submerged vegetation at Ape Hole, Pocomoke Sound. Both

were pure green in color with no cobweb-like markings and

each measured 7 mm. in length. In July 1953, the same species,

but of noticeably different color, was collected from the Little

Annemessex River. During the same summer, and again in

1954, an effort was made to find additional representatives from

Pocomoke Sound and the Little Annemessex River to determine

the nature of their distribution and abundance in this area of

the Bay.

Fifty-two specimens mostly attached to Ruppia maritima

(Linn.) and to a lesser degree on Zannichella palustris (Linn.)

occurred off shore in the Little Annemessex River, near the

entrance to the small boat harbor at Crisfield, and just below

the entrance to the Little Annemessex Canal (Allen 1954a).

The3^ ranged in length from less than 3 mm. to 14.5 mm., averag-

ing 10.5 mm. Their color varied from bright blue-green with

no markings to pale green, almost olive, with a few brown mark-

ings ; to pale green with numerous brown markings ; to dark

brown or black with dark markings and with the periphery of

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 85

the shell, a distinct green. Occasionally, the umbo area was

brown and devoid of any markings. Sometimes the markings

varied in number from few to many, with some lines being very

fine while others were wide and dark.

Eight specimens were found attached to grass off shore from

the McCready Memorial Hospital, located at the junction of the

Little Annemessex River and the Annemessex Canal (Allen

1954a). The largest one, 8 mm. in length, was extremely dark,

almost black, with markings and a green tinge at the edge of

the shell ; while a second one, 4.5 mm., was dark brown with no

markings. Of the six less than 3 mm., one was pale green to

almost buff with indistinct marks; another was brown with

no marks; and the other four were nearly white with neither

color nor any indication of lines.

For collections in Pocomoke Sound, an ordinary crab scrape

was used to remove the vegetation from the bottom, a two-

gallon bucketful of which was retained for examination. The

plants were washed twice, the washings screened to remove

specimens and the vegetation was observed closely for addi-

tional mussels still attached. A small dredge net was also used.

Collections were made in Pocomoke Sound from Ape Hole to

Cedar Straits. Three specimens collected from the general area

had different color variations: one was green with irregular

brown markings; one was dark brown only; and the other was

brown at the umbo region, changing to light green and then

becoming darker at the periphery. A dredge net tow extending

from near the entrance of Ape Hole going inshore toward

the harbor secured 12 specimens ranging in length from 6.6

mm. to 14.6 mm., averaging 10.5 mm. The color differed from

entirely black and brown with black markings to pale green

with brown markings, and pale green with markings and a

black periphery of the shell.

At Lower Ape Hole, six specimens averaged only 5.05 mm. in

length while an additional eleven specimens were 3 mm. or less.

Here all types of color variations were evident. However, the

edge of the shell was often dark brown or even black. Nearly

all individuals were attached to Bwppia maritima and the bottom

here is very black mud. In June 1954, three specimens measur-

ing in length 1 mm., 3.2 mm. and 4.7 mm. respectively were

found in this same locality. The first one mentioned was entirely

86 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

tan in color, and the other two, found beneath R. maritima above

the high tide mark, were almost black with a total absence of

lines.

The largest mussel, 18.9 mm., was found at "Ware Point, the

average length of the twenty specimens collected from this

locality being 12.32 mm. Color variations included all types

previously mentioned, also some brown shells with a pinkish

or red east which shaded to green with dark markings, so intense

that the shell was dark at the edge, where in similar coloration

the edge was green.

Only one specimen, 12 mm. long, green with brown markings,

was found at Watkins Point. At Broad Creek, 3 specimens in

shades of brown, one with markings and two without, and lack-

ing any green were collected. One olive colored specimen with

brown markings measuring 10.4 mm. was found off Long Point.

The following localities were also sampled but no representa-

tives of this species were found: Manhoe Knoll, Big Island,

Oyster Shell Point, and Green Harbor.

Some of the larger specimens in the collection at the National

Museum were measured for length. One mussel from Sandy

Hill measured 24.4 mm., while the larger ones from Town Point

measured 27.1 27.3, 28.5, and 31.3 mm., respectively.

Of the collections reported here, all specimens were in general

much smaller than those previously collected except for the one

collected by Dr. Schmitt. The color of those mussels from

Pocomoke Sound and from the Little Annemessex River show a

wide assortment of color shades, from blue-green to olive, to

yellow green, to an intense green ; markings are tan to light

brown, to dark brown or black. In some cases, there is a com-

plete absence of green or of markings. The markings them-

selves, may be either so numerous or so wide that the shell ap-

pears to be black or browTi unless it is examined under magnifi-

cation. Overtones of red, rose, and pink occur on the darker

shells. Occasionally, the irregular markings become circular

lines which follow the contour of the shell.

From preliminary observations, it appears that color, size, and

distribution are greatly influenced by environmental character-

istics. The shade of green tends to be present in shells from

less muddy areas than are the areas from which the dark shells

were collected. In the localities visited, these mussels are usu-

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 87

ally found attached to Ruppia maritima but apparently they are

not abundant and their distribution is spotty. The genetic in-

fluence on color is well recognized but since it has been estab-

lished that the substratum (Allen 1954a, 1954b) and other en-

vironmental factors influence the color and color shades in bi-

valves, it seems that the possible effect of habitats on the wide

differences in these forms is at least of interest. The perio-

stracum is secreted by the mantle and it is the periostracum

which gives this form its variety of color shades and patterns

of markings.

The author is indebted to Dr. J. P. E. Morrison of the U. S.

National Museum for permission to examine the collection of the

Division of Mollusks. Appreciation is expressed to Mr. Howard

Tyler and to Mr. Brice Tyler for the use of their boats and for

their assistance in collecting.

Literature Cited

Abbott, R. Tucker. 1954. American Seashells. D. Van Nos-

trand Co., Inc., New York, N. Y. 541 pp.

Allen, J. Frances. 1954a. Notes on the gastropods collected

in the vicinity of Crisfield, Maryland. Naut. 67: 92-94.

. 1954b. The influence of bottom sediments on the distribu-

tion of five species of bivalves in the Little Annemessex River,

Chesapeake Bay. Naut. 68 : 56-65.

THE OCCURRENCE OF ESTUARINE BIVALVES

IN AN UNUSUAL HABITAT

By J. FRANCES ALLEN

Department of Zoology, University of Maryland

For several seasons the Crisfield Crab Co. of Crisfield, Mary-

land has been shedding blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun,

in indoor tanks. The building housing this operation is con-

structed over the waters of the Little Annemessex River which

is adjacent to Tangier Sound of Chesapeake Bay. A continu-

ally running supply of water is pumped through rubber tubing

which at the intake has a screen with .223 inch openings, through

plastic pipe into tanks made of wood. These tanks drain into

88 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

wooden troughs whicli are six inches wide and four inches in

depth. Approximately two and one half to three inches of

water was flowing through these drains at all times. A certain

amount of sediment settles out in these drains resulting in the

formation of a shallow mud-sand substratum, largely mud.

In the spring of 1954, Mr. A. Wellington Tawes made the

building available to Dr. R. A. Littleford and the author for

experimental studies on crabs. Upon examination, the troughs

were found to be almost completely filled with shells of various

bivalves. Mr. Tawes stated that the water flow in the tanks

had begun on May 1, 1953, and was continuous until the middle

of August 1953, when due to hurricane winds, the power failed,

the flow ceased, and the plant was closed for the season.

The mollusks found here had obviously been brought in with

the water as planktonic larvae and having found a habitat satis-

factory for attachment or burrowing were able to survive. They

could not have been sucked into the intake as it was two and

one half feet from the bottom, a sufficient distance to prevent

this. When the plastic pipes were washed out, it was found

that they also contained bivalves. Apparently, they simply at-

tached to the pipe rather than to the troughs.

A random sample of shells filling two ten-quart buckets was

collected.

Of the eight specimens of Volsella demissa Dillwyn, the ribbed

mussel, the average length was 12.92 mm., the smallest one being

7.4 and the largest 14.5 mm. Amygdaluni papyria Conrad, the

paper mussel, was represented by three individuals, all of which

were small, measuring 7.1 mm., 12.8 mm., and 16.8 mm., re-

spectively. Three oysters, Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, meas-

uring 23.1, 29.5, and 31.5 mm. in length were found. The largest

one was very fragile and was attached to the upright of the

drain where nothing was present to impede its growth. In

shape, it was only slightly convex, almost flat, and measured

34 mm. across the valve. The left valve was a very thin shell

which was almost impossible to remove from its support. There

were tints of gray, rose, and tan in the shell and superficially

it did not closely resemble the ordinary oyster.

Of the species collected, Lae vicar dium mortoni Conrad was

third in abundance. This is the first time, to the author's

knowledge, that the so-called Morton's egg-cockle has been col-

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 89

lected from this vicinity. The size range extended from 4.8 mm.

through 18.3 mm. It is possible that the mud-sand habitat of

the inshore areas is not suitable for survival as this area has been

carefully examined and sampled (Allen 1954a).

Mulinia lateralis Say, the dwarf surf clam, was by far the

most abundant of the species present. It demonstrated good

growth as some were nearly an inch long, 22 mm., although some

representatives were small. Their occurrence and size in this

habitat are of particular interest to the author for until this

occasion, she had collected only two very small specimens, 4.8

mm. and 9.7 mm. long, in Ape Hole of Pocomoke Sound, and

Somers Cove of the Little Annemessex River, respectively.

Since M. lateralis apparently prefers sand (Dr. J. P. E. Mor-

rison, personal communication), the high mud content of the

inshore substratum in the areas previously examined was not

conducive to survival and growth. Three malformed specimens

were found among the normal forms. Both valves of each clam

were deeply cleft and superficial examination would not neces-

sarily indicate that they are members of this species. The ab-

normality was so similar in each case, that they looked like a

different type.

The angel wing, Crytopleura costata Linn, (following the

generic name as designated by Turner, 1954, rather than

Barnea), was second in abundance. They measured as much as

22.7 mm. in length. Their small burrows riddled the dried

mud, and the fact that the posterior of the shell was sometimes

curved vertically was due to crowding against the drain. The

smallest specimen measured was 5.6 mm. long, but due to their

fragility, and the hardness of the dry mud in which they oc-

curred, incidental observations indicated that they were even

smaller.

Mya arenaria Linn., the soft clam, was quite numerous. The

lengths of 78 specimens ranging from 14.2 to 29.5 mm. averaged

20.93 mm. However, the few smaller specimens measured only

5.2 mm. This clam, as well, exhibited good growth.

The development and growth of these species of bivalves in

this unusual habitat is important in several ways. It is now

known that the larvae of these forms are present in these waters

and conditions are satisfactory or even optimum for their sur-

vival and growth, if given a chance. The fact that the habitat

90 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

under discussion was available only from the first of May until

the middle of August, a period of three and one half months,

at most, gives a starting place for life history studies and re-

productive cycles in these groups and shows that their growth

must be relatively rapid. One fact worthy of note is the total

absence of the short razor clam, Tageliis pleheius Solander, and

of Macoma halthica Linn., which are so abundant in the mud-

sand substratum of this region (Allen 1954b). Obviously, their

spawning periods are not simultaneous with those of the other

forms mentioned, for at least some representatives would have

survived.

Appreciation is expressed to Mr. A. Wellington Tawes for the

use of the facilities described and for pertinent information,

and to Mr. Frank Evans for his interest in being sure that the

author had examined the drains and for his cooperation for

using the facilities made available.

Literature Cited

Allen, J. Frances. 1954a. Notes on the gastropods collected

in the vicinity of Crisfield, Maryland. Naut. 67 : 92-94.

. 1954b. The influence of bottom sediments on the distri-

bution of five species of bivalves in the Little Annemessex

River, Chesapeake Bay. Naut. 68 56-65.

Turner, Ruth D. 1954. The family Pholadidae in the Western

Atlantic and the Eastern Pacific. Part I — Pholadinae. John-

sonia 3 : 1-64.

ESCAPED ESCARGOTS

By DR. W. J. EEES

British Museum, London

There are moments in the life of the wanderer far from kith

and kin (be he immigrant, explorer, or mere tourist) when

some small object or incident brings back instant memories of

home. So it was with John Carson, an English immigrant to

the Australian State of Victoria in 1849, when he found a slug

in his garden which he immediately recognized and greeted as

an old friend from his native land. In nostalgic mood he care-

fully replaced it on the ground, but, within a year, the situation

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 91

was radically different, and he spent much of his evenings fight-

ing a losing battle against the hordes, which now threatened the

very existence of his garden.

The story outlined above is a familiar one in the history of

introduced animals and plants in countries where they are not

native. We have, among many others, the prickly pear and the

rabbit in Australia, and the giant African snail in the Indo-

Pacific — all amply demonstrating the folly of interfering with

the balance of Nature, either by accident or design.

Among the many snails which have succeeded in spreading

to various parts of the world are several European species.

None has been more successful and more widely dispersed than

the persecuted dweller in British gardens, the common snail.

In its travels it has acquired a large number of vernacular

names, but it is as Helix aspersa that it is known to naturalists

all over the world.

In England, Helix aspersa is only a very minor garden pest,

but, because of its comparatively large size, it is often blamed

for the more serious depredations of the smaller slugs. It is a

home-loving creature, spending most of its days in a crevice,

to which it returns after foraging expeditions, made mainly at

night. During the winter, it may hibernate for six months or

more with the mouth of the shell sealed up with a kind of

diaphragm (epiphragm) of dried mucus. In this state it can

exist for over a year, drawing on its reserves of fat and glycogen

at a much reduced rate, but once climatic conditions become

favorable again, the snail resumes an active life. Similarly,

summer dormancy is induced by drought. This ability to lie

dormant for long periods during adverse times has undoubtedly

played a great part in enabling the snail to survive lengthy

trans-ocean journeys in days when travel was more leisurely

than now.

Snails are a favorite item in the diet of Latin peoples, and

what is more natural than that they should take with them a

consignment of escargots, hibernating in casks, to relieve the

monotony of a diet of salt pork on voyages? It is, in fact,

well known that sailing vessels would depart on long voyages

carrying no fewer than seven or eight thousand snails of this

species. At ports of call what better gift to a fellow countryman,

official or priest, than some escargots for his table? We do not

92 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

have to imagine the sequel as it has been recorded for us by

E. L. Layard, an officer of the Consular Service, for Cape Town

and New Caledonia, and it is likely to have been repeated at

many other places.

Concerning Cape Town, where the mollusc is to-day abundant

and a great nuisance in gardens, Layard records: "In 1854

(or 1855, I am not sure which) I was living in the 'Gardens,'

that part of Cape Town running up the slope of Table Mountain.

I one day noticed in the vineyard attached to my house, on a

wall, a cluster of young H. aspersa. Of course I knew at once

they must be an introduction. Soon complaints were made of

vines and vegetables being devoured by snails, and as I was

known to be a ' snail collector, ' the introduction of the marauder

was set down to me. This I at once repudiated, and set to

work to find out who had done it. I discovered that some months

previously a French man-of-war had been in the harbour and

having received much kindness and attention from the French

Consul, Monsieur Dastre, had requited it somewhat by pre-

senting him with a little barrel of 'escargots' of which he was

very fond. Monsieur Dastre was a wise man ! He reasoned with

himself — 'I'll eat the big ones and plant the little ones' — and

chucked them over the garden walls; and they increased and

multiplied and filled the land. ..."

Many years later (in 1879) Layard was able to record finding

it for the first time in New Caledonia, "and went off in a spirit

of inquiry (seasoned with diplomacy) to Monsieur Luguier

[the Resident] ... a little manoeuvring brought round the

question, did he like escargots? 'Ah, yes!' and he had lately

had a stroke of luck; a French man-of-war had called in and

given him a nice lot of them; he had eaten the large ones and

had distributed the small ones about the place, and when they

grew bigger and had large families, he would have a dish at

command. ' '

There seems little doubt that the fondness of the Latin

peoples for transporting and importing edible snails was a

major factor in dispersal to many places, notably, Haiti (1822) ;

Cayenne (1822) ; French Guiana, Senegal, St. Helena, and Rio

de Janeiro (1837) ; Cape Town (1854) ; Mauritius (1873) ; New

Caledonia (1879) ; and the Seychelles (1880) — in some instances

these dates only note the time when the snails were first re-

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 93

corded. The original introductions may have been much earlier,

and, in this connexion, dare we suggest that Helix aspersa's

presence at St. Helena goes back to the days when Napoleon was

exiled there?

It also occurs at Madeira, the Canaries, and the Azores, but

whether imported as edible snails or accidentally with plants

is not clear. Entry in soil with plants or among commercial

plant products is recognized as one of the easiest ways for the

spread of snails — how else could they have reached the mid-

ocean islands of Pitcairn, Norfolk Island, and Hawaii? Even

more remote are Tristan da Cunha (in the Atlantic) and Easter

Island (in the Pacific), but the common snail has reached them

and appears to be quite at home.

Helix aspersa has found its way to practically every country

in the new world, from Canada in the north to Argentina in the

south. Most of the colonies in the Latin-American countries

seem to have originated from importations for culinary pur-

poses— many of the records going gack to the middle of the

nineteenth century and earlier.

In the United States the snail is now naturalized in no fewer

than six states as a result of independent introductions — for food,

on account of misplaced zeal by enthusiastic conchologists, and,

it is thought, in at least one instance, accidentally with plants.

The first colony existed at Portland, Maine, in 1838, but its

descendants seem to have disappeared from this locality. It

was naturalized in gardens at Charleston, South Carolina, and

in New Orleans before 1850, and specimens from Ireland were

released at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in 1883,

The most successful introduction was to California, between

1850 and 1860, where the climate provides ideal conditions for

the snail to multiply. A stock of snails from France was

brought to San Jose by a man called Delmas, who released them

in vineyards, and he is reputed also to have started colonies at

Los Angeles and San Francisco. By the turn of the century the

snail was recognized as a pest, and by 1931 it could be found

in most of the cultivated areas of California, from San Diego

County to Sonoma County.

A report written at this time showed that it had become a con-

siderable pest in citrus groves. The culture of citrus trees in-

volves regular irrigation and mulching of the soil, which pro-

94 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

vide ideal conditions under which the snail can breed practically

the whole year round, so that enormous populations of the

mollusk can become established. These quickly defoliate the

trees and injure the fruit, allowing fungi to complete the spoil-

ing of the latter. Control measures, such as hand picking and

the use of poison baits, are effective so long as they are main-

tained.

In the Antipodes, too, this common snail is found in Australia,

Tasmania, and New Zealand. There are no precise records of

how or when it got to Australia, but it was plentiful around

Melbourne in 1879, and later it was found to be equally abund-

ant in gardens at Sydney. It was also known to be naturalized

in gardens at Adelaide in 1884, and rapidly spreading, so that

by 1924 Sir Joseph Verco was able to say that for many years

it had been the common snail of South Australia. From Mel-

bourne it was deliberately imported to Hobart, in Tasmania,

about the year 1878, by the conchologist Beddome. By 1884 it

was thoroughly acclimatized, spreading by 1890 to many towns

on the coast. In more recent times it has been reported from

Perth and Fremantle but it appears to be absent from Queens-

land and the more arid parts of the country.

In Sydney gardens, where aspersa is much more of a pest

than in England, some interesting observations have been made

on its relations with other species. A native carnivorous snail,

Strangesta capillacea, which is only half the size of a full grown

aspersa, has acquired a taste for the immigrant, and, once it

finds its slimy track, will follow like a bloodhound, finally over-

taking and eating it. The meal lasts several days, and if the

Strangesta remains continuously on a diet of aspersa for a

month it will die — it is presumed from the cumulative effects of

a mild poison in the tissues of its prey. This is not the end of

the tale, for there is another actor in the drama, the cellar snail

(Oxy chillis cellarius) — also an abundant British immigrant —

which feeds on the young of both species. Whether Strangesta

will continue to include aspersa in its diet, no one can tell, but

its final verdict may well be that it is not good eating.

Such preliminary observations merely lift the corner of the

veil on problems arising from even a slight disturbance in the

balance of Nature.

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 95

A FRESHWATER MOLLUSK SURVEY OF

NORTH FLORIDA RIVERS

By WILLIAM J. CLENCH

Under the auspices of the University of Florida/ a mollusk

survey has been conducted of the Jim Woodruff Dam area. The

dam is situated at Chattahoochee, Florida on the Apalachicola

River and, when completed, will flood areas in Florida, Georgia

and Alabama. It is built a few hundred yards below the place

where the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers join to form what is

known as the Apalachicola River, which continues south to the

Gulf of Mexico. Studies on the birds, reptiles, insects and other

groups are being made by members of the University of Florida

as well as by members of other institutions. Our party in the

summer of 1953 consisted of Mrs. Clench, Dr. Ruth Turner and

the author. The survey for mollusks was continued in 1954,

and was broadened to include several other major streams in

northern Florida from the Escambia on the west to the Suwan-

nee on the east. The party this year consisted of Dr. Ruth

Turner, Donald McMichael (Australian Museum, Sydney) and

the author. Actually the beginnings of this broader survey

went back to 1929 when Dr. Peter Okkelberg (now Professor

Emeritus, University of Michigan) and I made a survey of the

upper Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. Subsequent collecting

was also done by Dr. Henry van der Schalie and me in 1933.

The main purpose of the survey during both 1953 and 1954

was to collect mollusks in the area to be inundated when the

dam is completed. This will put on record its present fauna and

later, other surveys will be conducted to note and record any

changes in the biota after lake conditions have prevailed for

some time. The year 1953 was a more or less normally wet year.

The large rivers were *'up" and it was nearly impossible to

collect in them. Land shell collecting, however, was good to

excellent. In 1954, the south had a drought, its worst in many

years with dry conditions prevailing over a wide territory.

1 Eesearch supported in part by the U. S. National Park Service, in

cooperation mth the Florida State Museum, the Department of Biology,

University of Florida and the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard

University.

96 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

The big rivers were "down" and, what was most unusual, they

were clear. This was my fourth attempt to collect in the lower

reaches of these rivers. High water during the first three trips

prevented anything but casual collecting other than in the

smaller streams. The recent trip of 1954 was of a "jack-pot"

status. As stated above, all of the big rivers were low and clear

and the mollusks were available for the taking.

Years ago the Chattahoochee River possessed a rich biota.

Today it is barren, at least for mollusks. We possess many lots

of freshwater mollusks for this large river, all collected nearly

a century ago, but now all appear to be extirpated. During the

war between the states, farming on an intensive scale brought

about the destruction of most of its fauna. Rapid erosion of the

soil silted the river beyond the capacity of the mollusks to

survive and our museum series alone bears mute testimony to

its once rich fauna. We have attempted on four trips to collect

in this stream but without results. Even in its low and clear

stage of the past year our search was completely fruitless at

a place some eight miles northeast of Bascom, Florida (Florida,

Route 2). Not even a fragment of a dead shell was to be found

within a distance of about 500 yards above and below a ferry

landing at this point.

The Flint River, however, is still a rich stream and, when at

low water stage, is very rewarding for the collector. Silting

has been nearly as heavy here but the Flint has a series of huge

springs which feed it and aid in keeping the river partially

clear, at least diluting the silt sufficiently to keep its fauna alive.

Northern Florida is far different from the central and southern

portions of the peninsula. In reality it is the same as southern

Georgia and Alabama, having slightly rolling country with pro-

nounced valleys, through which the streams and rivers have

cut their way. Coastal Florida, even in the northern Gulf area,

is, of course, flat, much of it being freshwater swamp land which

gives way to the salt marsh area on the coast proper. Time did

not allow investigation of this lowland area. All our time was

spent in the northern strip, a country of mixed farming, pineland

and some deciduous forests. At nearly every bridge which spans

a major stream, little side roads lead down to the water's edge,

making it easy country to collect when the rivers are low and

clear.

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 97

A more detailed account of the fauna will appear at a later

date though I would like to highlight a few stations that we

found to be of more than passing interest. "We made two sta-

tions on the Flint River, the first at Hutchinson's Ferry near

Recovery, Georgia and the second at Bainbridge, Georgia. Un-

fortunately these stations will be destroyed when the dam is

completed and the area flooded. Both places were visited in

1953 with very indifferent luck as to freshwater mollusks. The

story was very different in 1954, the water being down and

clear. In both places ledge rock was exposed and there were

clear pools of varying depths. Pleurocerids were rather rare

but unionids were very abundant. Campeloma geniculum Con-

rad was exceedingly abundant at Bainbridge; we could have

filled a bushel basket in an hour.

Rivers, like people, develop personalities when you get to

know them. The Chipola River, a tributary of the Apalachicola,

is outstanding as such a stream. Its drainage area is narrow

and most of its water comes from several large springs which

feed it continuously with clear water. Its banks are sandy mud,

much of it margined with cypress, and these beautiful trees are

usually festooned with Spanish moss. We made six stations on

this river ; all were rich. At its lower end, just before draining

into the Apalachicola, it broadens out into a reach of water

known as Dead Lake. Here it is a mile or so wide with ridges of

cypress trees running parallel with the shore.

Amhlema neislerii Lea has always been considered a very rare

unionid, and it occurs only in the Apalachicola system. We

found it to be very rare other than at Dead Lake, but here they

existed in vast numbers. For that matter I might mention that

I have never seen such rich collecting as existed in this locality.

Species are not numerous in any of these rivers, at least not

when compared with the Coosa or Tennessee river systems, but

individuals of one or more species do exist in great abundance.

At this station nearly all of the species we obtained occurred in

considerable numbers.

The Ocklockonee River differed materially from the Chipola.

Its upper reaches above the coastal plain cut a shallow valley,

mainly in sandy country. Mud and vegetable detritus were

rare and so were gastropods. Only a few Campeloma and Physa

98 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

were found; no pleuroeerids at all. Unionidae were plentiful

and some of the finest examples of their kind were taken from

some six stations made on this stream.

Perhaps I should close with the Suwannee River. Near Old

Town, on U. S. Route 19, there was a little roadside park with

water and tables. A flight of cement steps took us down to the

Suwannee 's edge, and the shells were abundant. Our only com-

plaint was that we had to get our feet wet to collect the shells

and there was no park attendant to boil out the catch ! ! !

WILLIAM JAMES RAYMOND, 1865-1947

By ALLYN G. SMITH i and WILLIAM K. EMERSON 2

With the passing of William James Raymond on February

27, 1947, West Coast conehology lost one of its elder students.

Professor Raymond belonged to the period of early Pacific

Coast resident conchologists and it is due in large measure to

the efforts of these avid students and intrepid collectors in the

field that our knowledge of the West American mollusca has

attained its present status.

Born on July 27, 1865, in Utica, New York, young Raymond

was brought by his parents to live in Oakland, California when

he was twelve years of age. He spent nearly all of his life in

the San Francisco Bay area, attending primary and secondary

schools there and continuing his studies at the University of

California at Berkeley, where, in 1887, he received the degree

of Bachelor of Science with a major in Physics. After gradua-

tion he continued his association with the University of Cali-

fornia and in 1891 was appointed an Instructor in Physics.

With the exception of a year 's graduate study at Johns Hopkins

University in 1892-93 he remained on the teaching staff of the

Department of Physics until his retirement in 1935, when he

became Professor Emeritus.

The early research interests of Professor Raymond were de-

voted to the West American marine and non-marine mollusca,

both living and fossil. His extensive field work, plus exchanges

1 Research Associate, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco.

2 Museum Paleontologist, University of California, Berkeley.

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 99

with contemporaries, resulted in the accumulation of a sizeable

collection of mollusks and in the publication of twelve papers

on conchologieal subjects (see bibliography). He was a close

associate of Dr. James G. Cooper, in collaboration with whom he

published an important paper on the mollusks of the central

Sierra Nevada (1890) — the result of a pack trip into the high

Sierra. "While on this trip Raymond discovered Sphaerium

[= Musculium] raymondi J. G. Cooper and Planorhis [= Heli-

soma] suhcrenatus disjectus J. G. Cooper. With Williard M.

Wood he published the first list of the mollusks of San Fran-

cisco County (1891). His knowledge of the chitons was relied

upon by Professor Josiah Keep in the preparation of the section

on the Amphineura in the early editions of "West Coast Shells."

It also resulted in a published paper on the genus Nuttallina

(1894).

On the invitation of Professor William E. Ritter, Professor

Raymond was a member of an expedition which conducted ex-

tensive dredging operations off the coast of southern California

between San Pedro and San Diego in 1901 under the auspices

of the University of California Marine Biological Laboratory.

Raymond was the navigator of this expedition and the mollusks

procured were placed in his care for study and later report.

From this material he described the following new species:

Trivia ritteri (1903) ; Dentalium vallicolens (1904) ; Pleurotoma

(Antiplanes) catalinae (1904) ; and Pleurotoma (Genota)

stearnsinna (1904). Unfortunately, the remainder of the dredg-

ings was never worked up and was discovered shortly after his

death by the senior author in the process of disposing of the

Raymond collection and library at the request of Mrs. Raymond.

It is now in the California Academy of Sciences along with other

invertebrates taken at the same time but subsequently turned

over to the Academy by the University of California Depart-

ment of Zoology for curation of the salvageable material.

Toward the end of his active interest in conchology, Professor

Raymond devoted his research to the West Coast fossil and

living turrids. In 1904 he described Pleurotoma {Genota)

riversiana, named in honor of Professor J. J. Rivers, first

curator of the University of California Museum. This species

was from the "Pliocene" [= Pleistocene] of Santa Monica,

100 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

California. His final mollusk paper (1906) was an illustrated

re\aew of the West American turrids of the subgenus " Genota,"

as he interpreted them. After 1906 his publications were in the

fields of electrical measurements, terrestrial magnetism, and

harmonic motion.

His private collection of shells was purchased in 1950 by Miss

Ruth E. Coats of Carlsbad, California, now permanent secretary-

treasurer of the American Malacological Union, Pacific Division.

Professor Raymond's interest in conchology led to consider-

able correspondence with fellow workers throughout the world.

As a result of his field work and his associations with others,

several species of mollusks were described in his honor. These

include: the aforementioned Musculium (1891); an Odostomia

and a Turhonilla by W. H. Dall and Paul Bartsch (1909) ; a

Pleistocene Eulima [= Stromhiformis] by J. J. Rivers (1904) ;

a Miocene Astralium [= Astraea] by B. L. Clark (1915); a

Miocene Pecten by B. L. Clark (1915) ; a Pliocene Trophon by

C. L. Moody (1916) ; and a Recent " Trachydermon" — [ Cyano-

plax] by H. A. Pilsbry (1894), the latter now unfortunately

but properly placed in the synonymy of C. dentiens (Gould).

Organizations in which Professor Raymond held memberships

included the old American Association of Conchologists, one of

the predecessors of the American Malacological Union, which he

joined in 1890 as one of its first members ; the Society of Sigma

Xi; Phi Beta Kappa; and the American Physical Society.

Professor Raymond's personal qualities were well summarized

by his University associates, who described him as "a man of

noble character, of dignified bearing, of courteous manner. His

teaching was characterized by sound scholarship, careful prepa-

ration, clear exposition, and kindliness toward students. He

was a lover of truth and a faithful teacher. ' ' ^ The senior

author, who was one of his students and who knew him well in

his later years, can give personal testimony to this characteriza-

tion.

He was survived by the late Mrs. Isabella M. Raymond, his

wife, and by two daughters, Mrs. Thomas E. Johnston and Mrs.

William I. McLaughlin.

*&'

3 Lenzen, V. F., Louderback, G. D., and Minor, E. S., 1947, William

James Raymond, In Memoriam, University of California Press, 4 pp.

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 101

MoLLUSKS Collected or Described by W. J. Raymond, with

Repositories of Types or Type Material Indicated

Sphaerium raymondi J. G. Cooper, 1890 [= Musculium]

No record of desigrnated types. Original material found in

the Raymond collection. Now AGS no. 8746, in Calif. Acad.

Sei., and several other West Coast collections.

Planorhis suhcrenatus disjectus J. G. Cooper, 1890 [= Helisoma]

No record of designated types. Original material found in

Raymond collection. Now AGS no. 8800, in Calif. Acad. Sci.,

and other West Coast collections.

Mytilus stearnsi Pilsbry and Raymond, 1898 [= Brachidontes]

Types in Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Mus. no. 55863. Type

material not found in Raymond collection.

Trivia ritteri Raymond, 1903 [= Pusula]

Syntypes: Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll. nos. 9400.

9401, 9403, 9404; Univ. Calif. Mus. Paleo. Type nos. 33477,

33687.

Dentalium vallicolens Raymond, 1904

Syntypes : Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll. nos. 9405, 9406.

Hypotypes: Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll. nos. 9407,

9408, 1758.

Pleurotoma (Genota) stearnsiana Raymond, 1904 [= Mega-

surcula]

Syntypes : Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll. nos. 9395, 9396,

9397, 9398, 9399.

Pleurotoma (Antiplanes) catalinae Raymond, 1904 [Antiplanes]

Syntypes: Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll. nos. 9388,

9389, 9390, 9391, 9392, 9393, 9394.

Pleurotoma (Genota) riversiana Raymond, 1904 [= Megasur-

cula]

Type lost? Not found in the Raymond collection.

102 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

Bibliography op Conchological Writings

BY Professor Raymond

1890 Why does Prophysaon shed its tail? — Naut. 4: 6-7.

1890 Notes on the Subalpine Mollusca of the Sierra Nevada,

near Lat. 38° [with] Additional Notes and Descriptions

of New Species by J. G. Cooper, M.D. — Proc. Calif. Acad.

Sci., ser. 2. vol. 3, pp. 61-91, pi. 1, August 8, 1890.

1891 Mollusks of San Francisco County— with W. M. Wood—

Naut. 5 : 54-58.

1892 Limax agrestis Linn, in California — Naut. 6 : 101-102.

1893 G. W. Lichtenthaler (Obit.)— Naut. 6: 131.

1894 The California species of the genus NuttalUna — Naut.

7: 133-134.

1895 Note on Septifer hifurcatus Conrad — with H. A. Pilsbry

—Naut. 12: 69-71.

1902 Dr. James G. Cooper (Obit.)— Naut. 16: 73-75.

1903 Writings of James G. Cooper, M.D., on Conchology and

Paleontology, with list of species described by him —

Naut. 17: 6-12.

1903 A new Californian Trivia— Nant. 17 : 85-86.

1904 A new Dentalium from California — Naut. 17 : 123-124.

1904 Two new species of Pleurotoma from California — ^Naut.

18: 1-3.

1904 A new species of Pleurotoma from, the Pleistocene of

California— Naut. 18: 14-16.

1906 The West American species of Pleurotoma, subgenus

Genota^Naut. 20: 37-39, pi. 2.

RAYMOND C. RUSH, M.D., 1875-1954

On June 23, 1954, Dr. R. C. Rush of Hudson, Ohio, suddenly

passed away in his 79th year. His death removed the oldest and

best-known conchologist and one of the last of the old-school

naturalists in northeastern Ohio. Dr. Rush was born in Kirt-

land on August 8, 1875. As a boy he began to collect shells

which remained one of his chief interests to the end of his life.

Eventually he turned his attention to all phases of nature and

was encouraged in his boyhood hobbies by two residents, Alfred

Pettingill, a local jeweler and amateur naturalist, and Mathew

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 103

C. Read, who was an assistant on the staff of the original Ohio

Geoloorical Survey.

Dr. Rush graduated from the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical

College at which he earned his M.D. degree in 1891. He was

later given an honorary degree by Ohio State University. While

he became a brilliant physician, his tirst interest throughout

life was natural history. He was not a mere amateur collector,

but a serious student of zoology. He was well versed in sci-

entific literature and knew many of the leading naturalists,

especially conchologists, either personally or through correspond-

ence.

While conchology remained a dominant interest, he also de-

veloped proficiency in local geology, botany, entomology, and

herpetology. He worked on the fossils of the Waverly group

found locally and furnished many museums with specimens ; he

became an expert on the oaks and developed an arboretum of

some 34 species and varieties of oaks.

His closest friend and field companion was Dr. Victor Sterki

of the Carnegie Museum. The two frequently made their shell

collecting trips together and assisted each other in their mutual

interest. Dr. Rush collected especially the land and fresh w^ater

mollusks of Summit County, Ohio, and used these as a basis for

exchange with collectors all over the world. He never pub-

lished a major work, although he penned a number of small

articles and notes for magazines and newspapers. For a period

of three years he was a field biologist for the Ohio Division of

Forestry.

During his later years he retired from active life and lived

in a small cottage he built in the woods on the outskirts of

Hudson. He presented his shell collection of some 3500 species

to Kent State University. Dr. Rush also gave much of his

library including a long series of The Nautilus to the Univer-

sity. In retirement he established a small experimental nursery

in which he specialized in developing his collection of oaks and

in growing dwarf evergreens. One of the varieties was a dwarf,

globular tamarack which he had discovered himself and propa-

gated for the nursery trade. This gave the name of "The

Tamaracks" to his nursery.

He occasionally lectured at Western Reserve Academy, the

University of Akron, and Kent State University. He also fur-

104 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

nished scientific specimens to these institutions. His scientific

membership included the AAAS., the Ohio Academy of Science,

and the American Microscopical Society.

Naturalists such as Dr. Rush who exhibit versatility in wide-

ranging interests are becoming rare. They mark the end of

an era in American science. — Ralph W. Dexter, Dept. of

Biology, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.

NOTES AND NEWS

Calvin Goodrich, Curator Emeritus of mollusks at the Uni-

versity of Michigan Museum of Zoology, died suddenly in an

Asheville, North Carolina, hospital, Sunday, November 7th.

He was 80 last February 22nd. Widely known for his studies

on pleurocerids, he will be missed by his many friends.

The Unionidae of B. H. and S. H. Wright. — This note is to

call attention to a paper by C. T. Simpson (1900, Proceedings

Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, pp. 74—86, pi. 1-5)

in which there are many figures of the types of various species

of Unionidae that were originally described but never figured

by the Wrights. Many of their descriptions appeared in the

early volumes of The Nautilus, mainly from volumes 4 to 13. —

W. J. Clench.

The S. S. Holt Collection of Liguus. — The Peabody Mu-

seum of Natural History at Yale University, New Haven, Con-

necticut, has just received as a gift the Sidney S. Holt collection

of Florida and West Indian Liguus.

Mr. Holt, who on July 6, 1954, passed away in his eighty-

fifth year, had been interested in the tree snails since he was a

young man. He had collected in Florida and Cuba nearly every

year for more than fifty years. This collection consists of some

1000 lots, all in plastic vials, and all carefully documented.

Included are many varieties that have been extinct for years,

and representative lots from numerous localities that have now

become thriving towns or resorts. — Percy A. Morris.

Chair of Malacology created by the Academy of Natural

Sciences of Philadelphia in honor of Henry A. Pilsbry. —

In recognition of the work of the Academy's Henry A. Pilsbry,

a member of the scientific staff for more than 66 years, and

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 105

ranked as one of the world's authorities on mollusks, the

Academy announces the Henry A. Pilsbry Chair of Malacology

with R. Tucker Abbott as the incumbent.

The endowment for this chair is being provided in part by

Mr. Alfred J. Ostheimer, 3rd, Philadelphia insurance man and

President of the Natural Science Foundation, together with

Miss Anne Harbison and other friends of the Academy. The

endowment will be known as the Henry A. Pilsbry Fund.

Dr. Pilsbry was 92 on December 7. He is now Curator of

Mollusks and other Invertebrates.

Mr. Abbott comes to the Academy from the United States

National Museum, Washington, where he has been Associate

Curator of Mollusks. — H. Radclyffe Roberts, Director, A.N.S.

Nenia in the Argentine. — A new southern record for this

genus has recently been made known: Nenia argentina Hylton

Scott (Neotropica 1: 1-4, 1954). It is from La Capillus, Prov.

Jujuy, northwestern Argentina, a place far to the south of any

previous record of this Andean genus of Clausiliidae.

Preparation of Nudibranchiata. — While working in south-

east Alaska during 1946 some experiments were made in an

endeavor to kill and preserve some nudibranch mollusks in a

fully expanded condition for Dr. F. M. MacFarland. It is well

known that these animals are prone to shed appendages and

contract badly when disturbed by the usual methods of prepara-

tion such as anesthetizing.

One method which promised success could not be carried to

conclusion through lack of facilities and it was not until July

1954 that the subject could be taken up again. The Arctic

Research Laboratory at Point Barrow offered ideal conditions

in this respect and it was found that the local nudibranchs

which were obtained incidentally in connection with marine

geological work could be killed and preserved fully expanded

and with all appendages intact. The method consisted of

putting the specimens in a vessel of normal sea water sufficient

only to permit them to crawl about quietly. The vessel was

then transferred to the freezing compartment of a refrigerator

or a deep freeze and the water was frozen solid. All specimens

which have been tried have not shown the slightest tendency

to contract or disengage parts. Upon removal from the freezer

I have added alcohol at times and formaldehyde (4%) at other

106 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

times. In either ease, as melting proceeded, nothing' happened

to the specimens ; they were killed in the same attitude in which

they were frozen.

In view of the simplicity of the process it is interesting to

speculate upon the possibility of using it for gastropods and

such marine animals as sea anemones which are prone to con-

tract upon the least provocation. — G. D. Hanna.

Labyrinthus Beck vs. Lampadion Roding. — In the course

of some recent studies on the American Camaenidae I had oc-

casion to investigate the nomenclature of the various generic

groups. During this bibliographic work an item of some interest

occurred. This was the validity of Lampadion Roding, 1798.

The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature rec-

ognized the sales catalog, Museum Boltenianum, as nomencla-

torially available under Opinion 96. It was assumed from this,

by subsequent students, that Lampadion Roding replaced

Labyrinthus Beck, 1837, a commonly recognized generic term

among the American camaenids.

Gray, 1847, selected as type for Lampadion (probably without

ever seeing a copy of Museum Boltenianum), Helix otis So-

lander, 1786. This species, as it was not included in Museum

Boltenianum under that name, cannot be accepted as type of

Lampadion (Art. 30, II, a).

Helix otis has priority over Labyrinthus labyrinthus "Chem-

nitz" Deshayes, 1838. This is a species long recognized, and no

doubt it is what Gray had in mind when selecting H. otis as

type of Lampadion, as he included Labyrinthus in his synonymy

of Lampadion. Roding, in Museum Boltenianum, did include

a species, Lampadion labyrintha. However, as a reference for

this species, Roding referred to Favanne (pre-Linnaean), pi.

63, fig. 2. On this plate there are seven figures labelled *'2",

separable from each other by a letter prefix (viz., A, B, D, F,

G, I and L). None of these is L. labyrinthus "Chemnitz"

Deshayes. However, this latter species is represented on the

plate by figure "F 11." Therefore, I here select as type for

Lampadion Roding, 1798, Museum Boltenianum, pp. 77-78,

his Lampadion labyrintha, choosing figure F 2, plate 63, of

Favanne as type. This figure is of some "Helix." I do not

recognize the species. It would appear that this action effec-

Jan., 1955] the nautilus 107

tively buries the generic term Lampadion as far as current

nomenclature is concerned. — Charles B. Wurtz.

Melania cancellata Say — This species ^ of Say was based

upon a single specimen "collected" by Capt. Leconte in the

St. John's River, Florida. It was never figured. The short

description seems to apply to Goniohasis floridensis Reeve, a

widely distributed species in central and northern Florida,

but is usually rejected by most authors as not quite fitting the

characters possessed by this common Florida species.

Apparently this species is not a member of our North Ameri-

can fauna but one from India, along with Paludina multilineata

Say and Ampullaria rotundata Say. Both of these species also

were stated to have come from the St. John's River, Florida

and to have been ''collected" by Capt. Leconte. They are,

however, now known to be species from India.^ Melania cancel-

lata Say can be added to these two ; it is an absolute synonym

of Melanoides iuberculaia Miill., a very common and exceedingly

widely distributed species in Africa and southern Asia.

In some manner, a small collection from India had become

mixed with Capt. Leconte 's other material from the St. John's

River and subsequently were considered as new by Say. This

was a easy error for Say to make, certainly at the time they

were described, because of the similarity of the species in both

of these remote localities. — William J. Clench.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

Distribution and variation of the Hawaiian tree snail

Achatinella hulimoides Swainson on the leeward and northern

slopes of the Koolau range, Oahu. By d'Alte A. Welch. Proc.

Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 106, pp. 63-107, pis. 1 and 2.

1954. — This is the third of Dr. Welch's interesting studies on

Achatinella in the mountains of its only island. The other two

(Bishop Mus. Bull. 152, pp. 1-164; and Smithson. Misc. Coll.,

vol. 103, no. 1, pp. 1-236) discussed, in equal exactness of detail,

the distribution and variation of A. mustelina and A. apexfulva.

1 Melania cancellata Say 1829, New Harmony Disseminator 2, p. 260

(St. John's Eiver, Florida),

2 Pilsbry, H. A. 1953, Nautilus 67, p. 58.

108 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (3)

In the present contribution, out of 10 subspecies recognized, 6

were new. As a general trend, similar to that found in A.

mustelina, mean height of the shells varied inversely with eleva-

tion and relative humidity. But, the very highest localities

all had larger shells than those below them, which may indicate

less rainfall at the summits of the Koolau ridge. The same

color patterns, especially the white ones, reoccurred in different

areas, but the brown showed a wider range of patterns than did

the white. Colors changed at different elevations and also

horizontally in each altitude zone. Ecologic factors, as well as

the effects of isolation, seemed to influence the divergence of

subspecies. Although not so big as our Liguus, the colors and

high polish in Achatinella make it far more beautiful. — H. B. B.

Inland Mollusca op northern Mexico. II. Urocoptidae,

Pupillidae, Strobilopsidae, Valloniidae and Cionellidae. By

Henry A. Pilsbry. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 105,

pp. 133-167, figs. 1-3, pis. 3-10. 1953.— Coelocentrum (PUjcho-

donta) endolophus, Propilsdrya potosiana, P. infernilla, Holo-

spira {Prionoloplax, n. subg.) odontoplax, H. temeroso, H.

catorceana, H. maxwelli, H. pedroana laevissima, H. stenopylis,

H. cyclostoma, H. (Bostrichocentrum) ayiomala, H. (Allo-

coryphe) remondii (Gabb), subspp. laevior, yaquensis and forti-

costata, H. (A.) deniaxis, with subspp. lamellaxis, striatella and

potamia, Coelostemma saltillensis, C. chilpancingensis, C. lisso-

centrum, C. hazelae, C. (Apertaxis, n. subg.) amplaxis, Hender-

soniella palmeri simplex, Gastrocopta Mhasidens and Chaenaxis

sonorensis are new taxonomic entities. All are figured, with

remarkably clear photographs of their peculiar columellar arma-

tures.—H. B. B.

The Idaho-Montana slug Magnipelta (Arionidae). By

Henry A. Pilsbry and Royal Bruce Brunson. Notulae Naturae,

no. 262, pp. 1-6, 10 figs. 1954. — More complete details are given

for this remarkable slug, from a new locality near Missoula, Mon-

tana. From fig. 1, its locomotion appears to be less "arhyth

mic" (without sole waves) than in some other Arionidae. —

H. B. B.

The nautilus

Vol. 68 APRIL, 1955 No. 4

HETERURETHROUS AND AULACOPOD

By H. BUREINGTON BAKEE

The land snails or geophiles/ as restricted, include at least

4 suborders: (1) Orthurethra (pupilloids, etc.).- (2) Mesu-

rethra (cerionoids). (3) Heterurethra, including Succineidae,

Aillyidae and (?) Athoracophoridae. (4) Sigmurethra, includ-

ing Achatinoidea, Bulimuloidea, Arionoidea, Limacoidea, etc.

In the Orthurethra, the kidney and/or direct ureter are

long, so that the urinary opening is quite near the pneumostome

even when a short, primary or adrenal, reflected ureter is

represented by an open groove (LMNA2, p. 852) or when it is

closed, as apparently in Pupisoma (p. 1007) and also in

Planorbidae (F. C. Baker) and ''Bulinidae" (order Linino-

phila).

In the Cerionoidea, the ureter is represented mainly by the

lateral opening of the relatively short kidney, as in Dorcasiidae

(Pilsbry, 1905, f. 7), Corillidae (f. 3), Strophocheilidae (Scott,

1939) and Cerionidae (LMNA2, p. 160).

In the Heterurethra, Succinea (LMNA2, p. 771) and Oxyloma

(Quick) have an aulacopod foot and a heterurethrous pallial

complex. The lung is short, as it is in superficially similar

Sigmurethra (1940n & 1942n). The aulacopod foot has 2

pedal or peripodial grooves, as in Zonitidae (LMNA2, p. 232,

f. A) or Helicarionidae (1938z & 1940z). These extend around

the foot^ just above the sole. The heterurethrous lung has a

1 Order Geophila Terussac, 1812. This return to the earliest name is be-

cause it is not preoccupied, has no different modern connotation, and is short.

2 Superfamily Pupilloidea. Outside of moUusks, in which Thiele used

the ending " — acea" for his "stirpes," this suffix (-oidea) is becoming

standard in zoology. Cf. G. G. Simpson, 1945, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat.

Hist. 85, p. 25.

3 Neither of them is above the foot, i.e., * * suprapedal " (H. B. B.,

1925).

109

110 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

transverse kidney, which extends from the pericardium to the

rectum ; it lies at right angles to the heart axis along the apical

lung wall. The primary limb of the ureter begins at or very

near the pericardium and runs transversely across to the rectum.

The secondary ureter along the rectum continues the short

distance to the urinary chamber of the pneumostome; i.e., it is

complete.

In some more slug-like Heterurethra, such as Omalonyx

(1926m, f. 79) and Ailhja (Odhner, 1927), which (when pre-

served) apparently had no or only one pedal groove, the heart

axis of the lung is rotated, so that the kidney becomes longi-

tudinal in respect to the body. Similar rotation occurs in

many unrelated slugs, such as geophile limacoids and Chlamyde-

phoridae, and gjTiinophile * Veronicellidae {PhyJlocaulis) , and

also in patelliforms, like limnophile Lancidae (1925L) and

Ancylidae, and thalassophile Siphonaria (Hubendick). It is

carried farther in VeroniceUa (1925p) and results in complete

reversal in Onchidiidae (Gjonnophila) and Testacellidae (Geo-

phila). Incidentally, the lung of the bulimulid slug Gaeotis

(1940n, p. 62) is unlike that of Aillya, although somewhat

similarly rotated.

The' athoracophorid slugs combine somewhat less rotation

with a long, folded ureter and a reduced lung, both of which

also occur in patelliform Ancylidae (Limnophila) and in veroni-

cellid slugs (Gymnophila). They also have lung lobes, which

are intriguingly similar to the lung venation of Omalonyx.

In Atkoracophorus, the anal, urinary and air pores are sepa-

rated, but some separation of these is also a peculiarity of

Omalonyx (1926m, f. 80).

Now please come back to the main theme, which began with

Succinea.

In some Sigmurethra with a considerably longer lung, a

similarly transverse or heterurethrous kidney again is associ-

ated with an aulacopod foot, as in primitive Achatinidae like

Opeas (LMNA2, p. 182) and Neosuhulina (1927m, f. 9). Fur-

4 Order Gymnophila : Rathousiidae, Veronicellidae and Onchidiidae. The

1st and 2nd are Soleolifera (1890), the 2nd and 3rd Teletremata (1898),

and only the 3rd introverts its eye tentacles, "die gewohnlich wie bei den

Stylommatophoren eingestiilpt werden konncn" (Plate, 1893); but they

are all naked slugs.

April, 1955] the nautilus 111

thermore, an aulacopod foot and a less transverse kidney, which,

still extends from the pericardium to the rectum, is found in

other primitive Achatinidae, such as Ferussacia and Cecilioides

(Watson, 1928), Ochrodermella (1945n, p. 87), Pseudoglessula

(Pilsbry, 1919, f. 52; Odhner, 1932) and probably Connolly a

(Odhner). Somewhat the same combination occurs again in

primitive Arionoidea: Trachycystis (Watson, 1934), Helicodi-

scus (LMNA2, p. 628), Punctum (p. 642), Radiodiscus (p. 655,

& 1927p, f. 30), Chanomphalus (f. 52) and Rotadiscus (f. 17-

20). Associated with a less aulacopod foot, similar kidneys

also appear in other Achatinoidea : Streptaxidae (Pilsbry, 1907,

& 1919, f. 68; Odhner, 1932, textf. 1, 2 & 8). Austroselenitinae

(1941n2). Subulininae (Odhner, textf. 13, 19 & 24; LMNA2, p.

176; & 1927m, f. 2). Spiraxidae (1939n). And even in

bulimuloid Urocoptidae (1927m, f. 28 & 30).

In many of these achatinoids and arionoids, and in the

bulimuloids, the pericardial extension of the kidney is longer

than the rectal one, and thus approaches the usual sigmurethrous

condition. In very small species of arionoids, like Punctum,

and of achatinoids, like Spiraxis and Micromena (1939n, both

f. 3), the kidney becomes U-shaped. In other achatinoids, such

as Ferussacia, Cecilioides and Ochrodermella, the rectal limb

is considerably longer than the pericardial one ; this perhaps

goes the farthest in the arionoid Rotadiscus. As stated in 1927,

this still looks "like an unproductive experiment in the opposite

direction from the sigmurethrous" arrangement.

All this evidence points to but one conclusion : the ancestors

of the Sigmurethra probably had an aulacopod foot and a

heterurethrous lung, which perhaps was rather short. Both

have been modified secondarily, in otherwise divergent groups.

Apparently, the aulacopod foot is retained in all arionoids

and limacoids (including Testacellidae) except Poecilozonites.

But it also is found in one genus of Polygyrellinae, Glyptostoma

(LMNA2, p. 506) especially in its subgenus Megomphix (p.

508) ^ which also has a tripartite sole and a caudal foss or pit.

5 This has been checked recently and its secondary ureter is open as

in Glyptostoma (LMNAl, p. 567). As used here, the Polygyrellinae, with

Megomphicinae as its prior synonym, include 2 small genera: Polygyrella

(pp. 555-566) and Glyptostoma. Attention is called to another "accessory

sac of the vagina" in the arionoid Eadioconus (1927p, f. 25 & 26) and

in the limacoid Ogaridiscus (LMNA2, p. 416, f. 3 & 4).

112 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

From the above brief summary, one might get the idea that

these hypotheses were founded on only two characters. This is

only illusory. In the preparation of a glossary of technical

terms, other structures have been studied, and most of them fit

fairly well into this general picture. Of course, adaptive con-

vergences, such as reduction of the shell (patelliforms and

slugs) and aculeate radular teeth, must be considered relatively

insignificant.

Figures and Citations

1925L: Proe. Calif. Acad. Sci. (4), vol. 14, p. 163, f . 2 & 6.

1926m: Occ. Papers Mus. Zoo. Univ. Mich., no. 167, pi. 16.

1927m : 182, pis. 20, 22, 24 & 25.

1939n: Nautilus, vol. 53(1) pi. 3, f . 3 & 10, & pi. 5, f. 3. 1940n:

54(2) pi. 5, f. 18. 1941n2: 54(4) pi. 9, f. 7. 1941n3: 55(1)

pi. 1, f. 3. 1942n: 56(2) pi. 5, f. 3. 1945n: 58(3) p. 85-87.

1925p: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 77, pi. 3, f. 3.

1927p: 79, pis. 16-20. 1943p: 95, pi. 3, f. 28.

1938z : Bishop Museum Bull. 158, pi. 1, f . 1. 1940z : 165, pi. 21,

f. 17 & 18.

Baker, F. C, 1945, The molluscan family Planorbidae, pis. 44r-

47.

HuBENDiCK, Bengt, 1945, Zoo. Bidrag Uppsala, vol. 24, p. 94,

f. 84.

LMNAl & 2: H. A. Pilsbry, Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia,

Monogr. 3, vols. 1 & 2.

Odhner, Nils Hj., 1927, Arkiv for Zoo., vol. 19a (20), p. 3,

& pi. 1, f. 12 & 13. 1932, Proc. Malac. Soc. London, vol.

20(1), p. 19-40.

Pilsbry, H. A., 1905, Proc. Malac. Soc, vol. 6(5), pi. 13. 1907,

Man. Conch. (2), vol. 19, pi. 52, f. 5. 1919, Bull, Amer. Mus.

N. H., vol. 40.

Plate, Ludwig H., 1893, Zoo. Jahrb., Anat., vol. 7, p. 98.

Quick, H. E., 1933, Proc. Malac. Soc, vol. 20(6), pi. 23.

Scott, Maria I. H., 1939, Rev. Mus. La Plata (NS), vol. 1,

Zool., p. 270.

Watson, Hugh, 1928, Jour, of Conch., vol. 18(8), pis. 4 & 5.

1934, Proc. Malac. Soc, vol. 21(3), pi. 20, f. 11, & pi. 21,

f. 39.

April, 1955] the nautilus 113

A RECTIFICATION OF PECTEN NOMENCLATURE

By GILBERT GEAU

In 1925 Dr. W. H. Dall described a new species of eastern

American pelecypod, Pec^en (Euvola) tereinus [Nautilus, 38(4),

p. 115]. Last year the writer acquired a copy of Vol. 13,

Extrait des Memoires de la Societe Zoologique de France (1900),

and upon finding therein Dautzenberg's description and figures

of a new species, Pecten chazaliei, concluded that it was almost

certainly identical with P. tereinus.

A study was made of material in the author's collection,

consisting of 8 specimens of P. tereinus ranging from 12 to 26

mm. in altitude, 21 single valves from 4 to 25 mm. and 5 frag-

ments, including a broken left valve which must have been about

35 mm. high when living. The following localities were repre-

sented : Palm Beach, southeast Florida and Fort Walton, north-

west Florida; Havana, Cuba; Tobago, British West Indies;

Tortuga Island, Venezuela; Cape La Vela, Colombia; Victoria

Channel, British Honduras; northeast Mexico (50 miles south-

east of Port Isabel, Texas). All the above material fitted the

description and figures of P. chazaliei.

An inquiry to the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris

regarding Dautzenberg's holotype elicited the information that

it was deposited in the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles

in Brussels. Dr. W. Adam, of that institution, kindly con-

sented to comparing a series of specimens of P. tereinus with

the holotype of P. chazaliei. After studying the shells he con-

cluded "As to Pecten chazaliei, your material agrees perfectly

with this species."

As the result of the foregoing, it can be stated with assurance

that Pecten {Euvola) chazaliei is the valid name for this species,

with P. tereinus Dall a synonym.

Dautzenberg's species was first collected during a cruise of

the yacht Chazalie in 1896, the type locality being station 26

(Jan. 20), Los Testigos Islands, Venezuela in 80 meters (about

45 fathoms). Dall's holotype was dredged off Key West, Florida

at station 3318 of the United States Fish Commission in 45

fathoms.

Regarding the geographical and bathymetrical range of this

114 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

species, Dall gave "Miami, Florida to the Bahamas and south

to Cape Rocque, Brazil"; C. W. Johnson, in his List of the

Marine Mollusca of the Atlantic Coast from Labrador to Texas

(Proc. Boston Soc. of Nat. Hist., vol. 40, no. 1, p. 24, 1934) gave

"Miami to Key West, Fla., 45 fath."; R. Tucker Abbott, in his

book American Seashells (1954), gave "southern Florida and

the Gulf of Mexico in 10 to 40 fathoms." The author's collec-

tion contains two specimens taken in 75 fathoms off Fort

Walton, northwest Florida, and the species has probably been

taken at even greater depths. On the basis of information

available at present we can regard the geographical range of

P. chazaUei as southern Florida, southward through the West

Indies to Cape Rocque, Brazil, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf

of Mexico ; the bathymetrical range as from 10 to 75 fathoms.

Pecten chazaliei is still a rather rare species. It differs from

P. ziczac and P. raveneli in the following respects: both valves

much thinner and very fragile, right (lower) valve much less

convex, left (upper) valve having interspaces much wider than

the ribs, internal grooving from umbonal area to margin and

paler and more delicate coloring. From the species it most

resembles, P. turtoni Smith (Saint Helena Island, southeastern

Atlantic), it differs in having a thinner shell, more numerous

and rounded (rather than angular) ribs, less convex right valve

and paler color.

It is interesting to note that in their descriptions of this

species both Dautzenberg and Dall mentioned internal grooving

rather than internal ribbing. Dall had previously discussed

the possibility that Amusium may have evolved from Pecten

by way of Euvola (Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Sci., Philadelphia,

voL 3, pt. 4, p. 693, 1898), based on his conclusion that both

Amusium and Euvola possessed internal ribs conforming to the

external. The author regards his premise as untenable for two

reasons. First, Amusium seldom shows evidence of external

ribbing; when present it is very weak and can be seen to have

no particular relationship to the internal ribbing. Second,

Euvola does not possess independent internal ribs, only grooves

which conform to and are a direct result of the external ribs.

Whether Dall reversed his opinion on this matter between 1898

and 1925 and deliberately referred to internal grooves in de-

April, 1955] the nautilus 115

scribing P. tereinus, or whether he retained the opinion and

only inadvertently used the term grooves is something we will

never know.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE ARCTIC MARINE

PELECYPOD FAUNA

By DAVID NICOL

U. S. National Museum

The main component of the arctic pelecypod fauna appears

to be primitive forms which have a free or active mode of life.

The second most important component of the fauna includes the

more specialized burrowers, but, in general, they do not appear

to be as widespread in arctic waters.

Most of the Point Barrow, Alaska, pelecypods collected and

identified by Mrs. G. E. MacGinitie are in the collections of the

U. S. National Museum. Examination of these arctic pelecypods

reveals that they represent more than the usual number of

primitive genera and families.

In what way are they primitive? Generally in this discus-

sion, the term is used in the sense of ancient. Even arctic

groups that are not primitive in the morphologic sense (e.g.,

the eulamellib ranch heterodonts) are ancient, as has become

more and more apparent with our increasing knowledge of

Paleozoic pelecypods.

To analyze the arctic pelecypod fauna, mainly from the

standpoint of evolution and ecology at the generic and familial

levels, I have drawn a great amount of information from two

papers by Soot-Ryen and have used these works to supplement

the study of MacGinitie 's partial collection at the U. S. National

Museum. Although there are many other lists of arctic pelecy-

pods, most of them nearly duplicate Soot-Ryen's works. By

way of comparison with the arctic pelecypod fauna, I have

also reviewed the pelecypod fauna of the southwest coast of

Florida as described by Perry.

The most conspicuous, and in some cases well known, char-

acteristics of the arctic pelecypods are as follows:

116

THE NAUTILUS

[Vol. 68 (4)

1. There are few families, genera, and species represented,

but these few are often exceedingly abundant as to individuals,

and many of the common species are variable. This is true of

many arctic representatives of other phyla, classes, and orders.

2. Arctic pelecypods are generally thin-shelled and usually

have a periostracum or an exterior layer of conchyolin ; the

calcareous shell is often of a chalky texture.

3. Few arctic pelecypods are colored (although a species of

Chlamys from Point Barrow has some lavender) ; the arctic

pelecypods lack the beautiful color patterns of browns, reds,

greens, purples, etc., that are common among warm-water ma-

rine bivalves. No arctic pelecypods are spinose ; ornamentation

is not common and, where present, is subdued.

Table 1. Pelecypods collected and identified by Mrs. G. E. MacGinitie

from Point Barrow, Alaska

^ Stations.

2 Individuals.

April, 1955]

THE NAUTILUS

117

4. Unlike arctic representatives of some other phyla and

classes of animals, the arctic pelecypods do not have a single

species that would be considered large in size. The largest shell

in the Point Barrow collection is a species of Chlamys, 80 mm.

high and 72 mm. long. Some of the most abundant arctic

pelecypod genera belong to groups which are consistently small :

the nuculids, nuculanids, and astartids. Some of the astartids

from Point Barrow are large for that family, but representatives

of the Astartidae never attain a large size in comparison to many

other pelecypods.

Some of the morphologic characteristics of arctic pelecypods

are also typical of deep-water pelecypods from non-arctic re-

gions. Moreover, some genera are common to both arctic and

deep non-arctic water.

Table 2. Arctic pelecypods listed by Soot-Ryen (1939, p. 20).

C — Circumarctic forms. P — Pacific forms

118

the nautilus

Comparative Analysis

[Vol. 68 (4)

Table 1 is a list of most of the pelecypods that MacGinitie

collected at Point Barrow, Alaska. Table 2 is a compilation of

arctic pelecypods from a publication by Soot-Ryen (1939, p.

20). To compare with these two lists of arctic pelecypods

table 3 is a presentation by family of the pelecypod fauna

described by Perry (1940) from the southwest coast of Florida.

Table 3. A compilation of the pelecypod families listed by

Perry from southwest Florida

Sensu lato.

April, 1955] the nautilus 119

Perry's work has been used as a standard of comparison be-

cause it is confined to one relatively small region and concerns

a warm-water fauna that is not ecologically specialized.

According to Soot-Ryen's 1939 list of pelecypods (p. 20)

there are but five families, each with one genus, which are

represented throughout the arctic : Nuculidae, Nucula; Mytili-

dae, Musculus; Astartidae, Astarte; Cardiidae, Serripes; and

Tellinidae, Macoma. However, in an earlier list (1932, p. 20)

Soot-Ryen also includes one nuculanid, Portlandia, among the

circumarctic forms, and I believe this family should be in-

cluded in a discussion of the true circumarctic groups. This

small list probably will be increased with further knowledge

of arctic pelecypods.

It may be well to analyze these six families in some detail.

All are represented in MacGinitie's collection by more than 25

specimens each. The Nuculidae are a primitive group from

the standpoint of both time and morphology. Representatives

of the family appear at least as early as the Pennsylvanian and

possibly as early as the Devonian. The Nuculanidae, like the

nuculids, are also primitive in structure and age, and typical

members of the family appear at least as early as Pennsyl-

vanian time, possibly earlier. Another family that is primitive

in the sense of time and is well represented in the arctic today

is the Mytilidae, which had its inception in the Mississippian

Period. A common family of arctic and boreal pelecypods is

the Astartidae, probably the most ancient of the living eulamelli-

branch heterodonts, which had representatives as early as Penn-

sylvanian time. The Astartidae could be considered a relict

family because it is almost totally confined to north temperate

and arctic waters. (The number of relict genera among the

arctic pelecypods may be quite large, but this subject has never

been carefully investigated.) The cardiids are also one of the

more ancient heterodont stocks, first appearing in the late

Triassic. By far the most modern group of the six and also the

largest family from the standpoint of living species, is the

Tellinidae, which is represented by the genus Macoma. The

tellinids first appeared in the Cretaceous. Thus apparently,

four of the six families — the Nuculidae, Nuculanidae, Mytilidae,

and Astartidae — are definitely primitive, having appeared at

120 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

least as early as Pennsylvanian time. Furthermore, the cardiids

cannot be considered a young family, and even the tellinids

range back to the Cretaceous.

It is interesting to note here that arctic pelecypods generally

are characterized by a dearth of attached forms, and I know

of none which like Ostrea and Chama, attaches by its shell to

the substratum. Of the six genera of circumarctic pelecypods,

Nucula, Portlandia, Serripes, and Astarte are all free or active

forms which may burrow shallowly but also move freely about

a muddy or sandy bottom. Macoma is a true burrowing form

that usually remains in one place in the fine sand or muddy

bottom. Musculus, on the other hand, is attached by a byssus

to some hard object, usually a crevice in rocks. (Most eco-

logical data are taken from Keen and Frizzell, 1939.)

It is necessary, however, to consider some other groups which

get into arctic waters, although they may not be found all over

the arctic region. In MacGinitie's Point Barrow collection at

the U. S. National Museum are 101 specimens of Nuculanidae,

not all which are circumarctic species; there are three species

of Yoldia and one species of Nuculana. Soot-Ryen (1939, p.

20) records two genera of nuculanids, Nuculana and Portlandia,

from a portion of the arctic region. Most species of the

Nuculanidae are confined to cold and/or deep water. As is in-

teresting, the nuculids and nuculanids are more poorly repre-

sented in southwest Florida than in the arctic. Besides Musculus,

two other genera of raytilids have been found in arctic waters,

Mytilus and Crenella, but their occurrence appears to be

sporadic. Mytihis is always attached by a byssus to some solid

object, but Crenella apparently moves about in sandy or muddy

bottoms. The genus Chlamys is represented by six specimens in

the collection from Point Barrow. Soot-Ryen reports the genus

from a part of the arctic in 1932 but does not mention Chlamys

in his 1939 paper. The Pectinidae are a primitive group, ap-

pearing first in either the late Permian or the early Triassic.

Chlamys is either free-swimming or attached by a byssus. In

the Point Barrow material are two species of Cardita repre-

sented by 54 specimens from 15 stations; strangely Soot-Ryen

does not mention the family in his 1939 compilation — this is

probably an oversight. However, in his earlier and more ex-

April, 1955] the nautilus 121

tensive list of arctic pelecypods (1932, pp. 20-21), he does in-

clude species of carditids as occurring in the arctic. The

carditids are free or active heterodonts which first appeared

in the Triassic Period. C lino car dium seems to occur sporadi-

cally in the arctic region; only three specimens were collected

at Point Barrow. Soot-Ryen reports Thyasira as occurring in

a part of the Arctic Ocean, but MacGinitie does not have it in

the Point Barrow collection at the U. S. National Museum.

Liocyma, a venerid, is reported by Soot-Ryen, and the Point

Barrow collection includes 13 specimens of one species. This

is certainly a poor representation for one of the largest, if not

the largest, families of marine pelecypods from the standpoint

of number of described living species. There are 20 venerid

species from southwest Florida. In the Point Barrow collection,

the Hiatellidae are represented by two genera, Hiatella and

Panomya, and over 300 specimens, and the family has also

been reported by Soot-Ryen from arctic waters. The members

of the Hiatellidae are generally burrowers. The family first

made its appearance in the Cretaceous Period. MacGinitie lists

two species of My a (70 specimens) from Point Barrow, and

Soot-Ryen also records it from a part of the arctic region. The

myacids are confined to the Cenozoic ; they burrow in sand and

mud. There are two specimens of Lyonsia from Point Barrow,

but Soot-Ryen does not list the genus from arctic waters. On

the other hand, Soot-Ryen reports Pandora and Cuspidaria

from arctic waters, but these two genera were apparently not

collected at Point Barrow. Pandora is a nestling form. Cuspi-

daria is generally found in deep water.

To summarize these data, I can say that the main component

of the arctic pelecypod fauna is made up of primitive, free or

active pelecypods like the nuculids, nuculanids, astartids, and

cardiids. The second most important component of the arctic

fauna is the more recent and more specialized burrowers or

borers — Macoma, Hiatella, Mya; these, with the exception of

Macoma, are not as widespread in arctic waters as the primitive,

free or active forms. Some genera are deep water forms, such

as Cuspidaria, which straggle into the arctic region; some of

the nuculids, nuculanids, and carditids are found at 800 to

1,500 fathoms in non-arctic regions and are also found in arctic

122 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

waters. Nestlers like Pandora and Lyonsia are found in arctic

waters, but their occurrence is sporadic.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the arctic pelecypod

fauna is not what is present, but what is either not present or

poorly represented. The venerids are scarce in the arctic —

one species is found only sporadically. This large pelecypod

family is a dominant group in most seas today. Another large

family, the Tellinidae, is represented by only one genus with a

few species, although in the southwest part of Florida it has

8 genera or subgenera and 20 species; on the basis of size,

number of living species, and genera, it should also be better

represented. The large family Lucinidae is wholly lacking in

the arctic region. The Pectinidae, another large family, is not

well represented ; and the prionodonts, including the Limopsidae,

Glycymeridae, Arcidae, Anadaridae, and Noetiidae, are either

wholly lacking or nearly so. Both the Pectinidae and the

Prionodonta are represented by a large number of byssate

forms, but the mytilids make up the bulk of the byssal attached

forms in the arctic. The mactrids and eorbulids are not found

in arctic waters, and this list could be extended to include many

other medium-sized pelecypod families.

Undoubtedly the lack of a wide variety of habitats in arctic

waters, as compared to the tropics, limits the number of genera

and families represented and also inhibits certain adaptational

types of pelecypods from entering arctic waters.

References

Keen, A. Myra, and Frizzell, Don L., 1939, Illustrated Key to

West North American Pelecypod Genera. Stanford Univ.

Press, 28 pp.

Perry, Louise M., 1940, Marine shells of the southwest coast of

Florida. Bull. Am. Paleontology, no. 95, 260 pp., 39 pis.

Soot-Ryen, T., 1932, Pelecypoda, with a discussion of possible

migrations of arctic pelecypods in Tertiary times. The Nor-

wegian North Polar Expedition with the "Maud" 1918-1925,

Scientific Results, vol. 5, no. 12, 35 pp., 2 pis., Bergen.

, 1939, Some pelecypods from Franz Josef Land, Victoriajz^ya

and Hopen. Collected on the Norwegian Scientific Expedition

1930. Norges Svalbard- og Ishavs-Unders^kelser, Meddelelse

Nr. 43, 21, pp., 1 pi., Oslo.

April, 1955] the nautilus 123

THE TITIAN R. PEALE SHELL COLLECTION

By E. TUCKEE ABBOTT

Pilsbry Chair of Malacology, Academy of Natural Sciences

of Philadelphia

When Thomas Say, America's first eonehologist, set off in the

autumn of 1817 on his first major expedition, he took with him

the youngest member of the newly established Academy of

Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Seventeen-year-old Titian

Ramsay Peale was already well-versed in museums, natural his-

tory and draughtsmanship. His father, Charles Willson Peale,

was the founder and owner of the Philadelphia Museum (known

more familiarly as " Peale 's Museum") and was at that time

America's foremost portrait painter. The material collected on

this trip was deposited mainly in the Academy cabinets, although

some specimens went to the Philadelphia Museum, and some

shells, as we now suspect, into Titian's private collection (see

Cerithium dislocatum below).

Two years later. Say and Peale were once more collecting

and sketching in unknown territory, this time as members of

Major Stephen H. Long's expedition (1819-20) which explored

the country between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains.

Peale, incidentally, was in the small group that first reached

the top of Pike's Peak. The extensive collections were largely

deposited by Major Long in the Philadelphia Museum, In

1824, the ornithologist, Bonaparte, sent Peale to collect in

Florida. Seven years later Titian accompanied the Dr. M.

Burrough's expedition to the Magdalena River in Colombia,

South America. The land and freshwater mollusks were de-

scribed by Isaac Lea, and some of the figured types were re-

tained in Titian's private collection.

Peale was one of the three naturalists on Wilkes' United

States Exploring Expedition (August 1838 to June 1842).

Couthouy was the official conchologist, and Peale 's acquisition

of some mollusk specimens was incidental to his duties as artist

and mammalogist. The great majority of the U. S. Exploring

Expedition marine mollusks in the U. S. National Museum and

elsewhere are without locality data, and as is interesting to

know, Peale 's private collection contained a few lots with ac-

124 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

curate data: Clermont de Tonnere (Minerva) Id.; Disappoint-

ment Id. (Cypraecassis rufa Linne) ; Carlshoff Id.; Dog. Id. or

Henuake {Tridacna maxima R()din<») ; Raratea; (all Taumotu

Ids., 1839) ; Tutuila Id., Samoa (Harpa major Roding, Strom-

hus gibherulus Linne, Cypraea mauritiana and Ovula ovum

Linne [the latter worn by natives and possibly brought over

from Upolu or Fiji] ; Upolu Id., British Samoa {Lamhis violacea

Swainson, Terehellum terehellum Linne and Conus generalis

Linne). No Gould types were in the collection.

Peale's main interests were butterflies and mammals, and

his shell collection therefore was quite small. He never wrote

about mollusks. He gave undescribed material to Say, Lea,

Conrad, Jay, Barnes and Green. The Philadelphia Museum

failed and was put up at public auction in 1846. P. T. Barnum

purchased the collections in 1850, sent half to his New York

Museum where it was demolished by fire in 1865, and the other

half to his Boston Museum. The latter was acquired by the

Boston Society of Natural History. Some of it may be in the

Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard.

Peale joined the Patent Office in Washington, D. C, in 1848,

and returned to Philadelphia in 1873 where he died on March

13, 1885 at the age of 85. A single-page "declaration of intent"

dated 1877 by Peale in the Academy archives indicates that he

intended to leave "three cabinets of shells and two boxes of

fossil shells" to the Academy. However, a few years later he

sold this private collection to Prof. James C. Booth, a friend

and Academy member since 1837, and resident of Haverford,

Pa. The collection was purchased in 1944 from Booth's daugh-

ter, Laurette, for the Academy by Charles M. B. Cadwalader.

The collection was in extremely poor condition, cont<iining

jumbled specimens and numerous labels, some of which bore no

other data than "China" and "Pacific Ocean." Booth had

added some material, one lot bearing the inscription *'Unio

cariosa. Jas. C. Booth, New York, 1836." The worthwhile

material that could .safely be documented included material

from T. Nuttall, 1836; about 20 lots of Exploring Expedition

material; Major Rich specimens from Peru and California,

1839-49; 11 holotype and cotypes of Isaac Lea; two cotypes of

T. A. Conrad, one probable cotype of Say's and the specimen

THE NAUTILUS 6S (4)

PLATE 4

2 N

\

.- J

Figs. 1-6. Isaac Lea holotypes from the T. Peale collection: Fig. 1,

BuJimiifi lacteus X 2. Fig. 2, Ampullaria pealiana X 1. Fig. 3, B. cornrus

X 2. Fig. 4, B. columbianus X 2. Fig. 5, Megaspira ruschenbergiana

X 1. Fig. 6, B. peaJianus X 2. Figs. 7-8, Emarginida ladoivae Eicliman,

X 5.

April, 1955] the nautilus 125

of Helix lactea which Say mentions receiving: from Peale (Ameri-

can Conchology, pt. 6, p. 4 of cover 1834). One specimen of

the rare Ligiius fasciatus form pictus Reeve, was found without

data, but presumably collected by Peale in Florida in 1824.

Cerithium dislocatum Say, 1822, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. 2,

p. 235. Label reads "Cerithium dislocatum T. S. Southern

coast. U. S." in what looks like Say's handwriting. A.N.

S.P. no. 192924. Probable cotype.

Pecten peali Conrad, 1831, American Marine Conchology, p. 12,

pi. 2, fig. 2. Conrad states the type is in the Acad. Nat. Sci-

ences no. 1400, but it has been missing since Conrad's day.

The published locality is "mouth of a river on the coast of

Maine, T. R. Peale." The species is synonymous with

Chlamys islandica Miiller. Four dead valves (A.N.S.P. no.

192925) had two labels in Peale 's handwriting; "Pecten

Pealii (Con.), Lapreau riv., N. B. T.R.P." They are cotypes.

Isocardia markoei Conrad, 1842, Bull. Proc. Nat. Inst. Wash.,

vol. 2, p. 193, pi. 2, fig. 1 (Captain Hance's Farm, Calvert

Cliffs, Md. Medial tertiary). One valve (A.N.S.P. no. 19879)

found with a label in Conrad's handwriting: "Isocardia

markoei." Probably a cotype.

Megaspira ruschenbergiana Lea, 1838, Trans, Amer. Philos.

Soc, vol. 6, p. 21, pi. 23, fig. 101. Two cotypes, A.N.S.P. no.

192928. Label in Lea's handwriting: "Megaspira Ruschen-

bergii Lea. Brazil. Dr. Ruschenberger " who knew Peale

and was once a president of the Academy. This species is

credited to Jay, 1836.

Bulimus pealianus I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., vol. 6, p. 65, pi. 23, fig.

105 (near the rapids of Angostura, Colombia, T. R. Peale).

Figured holotype (previously thought lost), A.N.S.P. no.

192929.

Bulimus lacteus I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., p. 65, pi. 23, fig. 100

(Colombia, about 100 miles up the Magdalena River, T. R.

Peale). Figured holotype (previously thought lost), A.N.

S.P. no. 192930.

Bulimus corneus I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., p. 66, pi. 23, fig. Ill

Buenavista, Columbia, T. R. Peale). Figured holotype A.N.

S.P. no. 192931 is 0.7 of an inch as stated by Lea. U.S.N.M.

no. 105078 being less than 0.5 of an inch must be considered

a paratype. Now Bulimulus huenavistensis Pilsbry 1897.

Bulimus columhianus I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., p. 66, pi. 23, fig. 110

(about 100 miles up the Magdalena River, Colombia, T. R.

Peale). Figured holotype (previouslv thought lost), A.N.S.P.

no. 192932.

Carocolla hydiana- I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., p. 98, pi. 23, fig. 73

126 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

(near Porto Cabello, S. A.). Probably cotype from New

Grenada, A.N.S.P. no. 192934.

Ampullaria pealiana I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., p. 16, pi. 23, fig. 77

Turbaco, Colombia, S. A., T. R. Peale). Figured holotype,

A.N.S.P. no. 192933.

Anodonta oregonensis I. Lea, 1838, loe. cit., p. 80, pi. 21, fig. 67

(Wahlamat, near its junction with the Columbia River. Pro-

fessor Nuttall). Two cotypes, A.N.S.P. no. 192935.

Helix mittalliana I. Lea, 1838, loc. cit., p. 88, pi. 23, fig. 74

(Fort Vancouver down to the ocean, Oregon). Three cotypes,

A.N.S.P. no. 192936.

Conus mamillaris Green, 1830, Trans. Albany Inst., vol. 1, p.

123, pi. 3, figs. 5 and 6. (Florida, Mr. Peale). Two speci-

mens from the original lot (not types), A.N.S.P. no. 192927.

These are Conus daucus Hwass.

Conus pealii Green, 1830, Trans. Albany Inst., vol. 1, p. 123,

pi. 3, fig. 3 (near Key Vache, Florida coast, Titian R. Peale).

Seven worn specimens without a label were found in the col-

lection. They are probably part of the original lot, but not

types, A.N.S.P. no. 192926. They are Conus jaspideus

Gmelin, as Clench in Johnsonia, vol. 1, no. 6, (1942) supposed.

The only other Florida cones in the collection were C. mus

Hwass and C. spurius Gmelin.

It is satisfying to know that a few types, hitherto thought

lost, have been brought to light; but it is equally disheartening

to know that such historical and valuable collections often fall

into decay or are lost. Experience has now taught workers in

our field that sharing paratypes with other large institutions is

a form of collective insurance against neglect, possible fire,

earthquakes and atomic bombs. I refer private collectors to a

pending article by the Secretary of the American Malacological

Union, Margaret Teskey, entitled, "It's Later Than You Think,"

which concerns the disposition of private collections.

The Peale collection also contained about a hundred lots of

fresh-water mussels which I leave for some expert on Unionidae

to study and report upon later, if so justified. One label reads,

"Wabash River, T. Say. 1833," which indicates that Say, up

until a few months before his death, was sending specimens to

his young friend, Titian R. Peale.

Bibliography

Lucas, Frederic A., 1917, A forgotten naturalist. The Ameri-

can Museum Journal, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 211-212 (with

portrait).

April, 1955] the nautilus 127

Peale, Albert C, 1905, Titian R. Peale. Bull. Philos, Soc.

Wash., vol. 14, pp. 317-326.

Sellers, Charles C, 1953, Peale 's Museum. Trans. Amer.

Philos. Soc, vol. 43, pt. 1, pp. 253-259, 6 figs.

Stone, Wither, 1916, Titian Ramsey Peale. Cassinia (Phila-

delphia), vol. 19, pp. 1-13 (with portrait and signature).

GASTROPODS OF THE BRIGHTON AREA,

WASATCH MOUNTAINS, UTAH

By ERNEST J. EOSCOE and LOTTIE O. EOSCOE

University of Utah

A review of the Utah molluscan literature (Chamberlin and

Jones, 1929; Chamberlin and Roscoe, 1948) will reveal a

paucity of published records from the higher (above 8,000 feet)

montane regions of the state. The present paper deals with

the gastropods from an area in the central Wasatch Mountains

at elevations ranging from about 8,850 to 9,600 feet. Pelecypods

from this area have been itemized in a previous report (Her-

rington and Roscoe, 1953).

Field work for this report was done intermittently from 1945

to 1947 as time from other duties permitted. We wish to ex-

press our appreciation to Dr. William H. Behle and Miss Mary

Gibbs for the use of cabin facilities during portions of the

study. Specimens are deposited in the University of Utah

molluscan collection.

General Description of the Area

The specimens reported herein were collected in the vicinity

of the town of Brighton, situated at the head of Big Cottonwood

Canyon, Salt Lake County, approximately 20 miles east of Salt

Lake City. Some of the highest peaks of the Wasatch Range

are included in this picturesque year-round resort area. The

present physiographic details are due mainly to the effects of

Pleistocene glaciation. The sedimentary and metamorphic rocks

128

THE NAUTILUS

[Vol. 68 (4)

of the area range in age from Cambrian to Mississippian ; there

are also igneous intrusives of late Cretaceous or early Tertiary

age. Pleistocene and Recent deposits are present locally. A

detailed account of the geology of the area may be found in

Calkins, Butler and Heikes (1943).

Complete climatological data for the Brighton area are

not available. Precipitation data are given in Table I. The

summers are pleasantly cool, fair weather being the general

rule. Afternoon thunder showers are common, however, es-

pecially in the late summer. The winters are usually severe.

Snow, which forms the bulk of the annual precipitation, may

fall as early as the latter part of September ; use of snow plows

is often necessary to keep the road open in late spring. Small

patches of snow may be found throughout the area in sheltered

places well into summer.

Table I. Average monthly precipitation for 29 year period at Silver Lake,

Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. El. 8,700 ft.

(Source: U. S. Weather Bureau)

Collecting Stations

Our objective was to make as extensive a search as possible of

the various habitats in the Brighton area in order to gather in-

formation on (1) the kinds of gastropods which occur in each,

and (2) the altitudinal range of the various snails. Circum-

stances did not permit our making detailed ecological observa-

tions. A comprehensive ecological report on a comparable region

in the southern Wasatch Mountains is available (Hay ward,

1945).

Our collecting stations are listed below, with the nature of the

habitat and the kinds of snails obtained indicated for each

station. The exact location of each station is shown on Figure 1.

April, 1955]

THE NAUTILUS

129

Fig. 1. Map of the Brighton area, Salt Lake County, Utah, showing

collecting stations referred to in text. (From U.S.G.S. Topographic

Sheet, Cottonwood Quadrangle, edition of 1939. Scale 1:25,000, contour

interval 50 feet.)

Station 1. Ravine east of Brighton, el. c. 8,850 ft., September

2, 1945. Quaking aspen litter, morainic rock. Vitrina alaskana

Dall, Vertigo concinula Cockerell, Microphysula ingersolli

(Bland), Zonitoides arboreus (Say).

Station 2. Near trail between Lake Solitude and Twin Lakes,

nearer the former, el. c. 9,350 ft., July 6, 1945. Herbaceous

plants, limestone rock. Oreohelix subrudis (Pfeiffer).

130 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

Station 3. North end of Lake Solitude, el. 9,030 ft., Sep-

tember 3 and 4, 1945. On mud flats surrounding the lake which

was at low water stage. Lymnaea humilus modicella Say,

Lymnaea palustris (Miiller). A specimen of Discus cronkhitei

(Newcomb) was found in the drift.

Station 4. Near Dog Lake, el. 9,369 ft., September 5, 1945.

Mossy meadow. Vitrina alaskana Dall, Microphysula ingersolli

(Bland).

Station 5. South side of Twin Lakes, el. c. 9,600 ft., August

8, 1947. Conifer litter, igneous rock. Vitrina alaskana Dall,

Microphysula ingersolli (Bland).

Section 6. Near trail to Twin Lakes, west of Silver Lake,

el. c. 8,900 ft., September 3, 1947. Quaking aspen litter, lime-

stone rock. Pupilla hlandi Morse, Microphysula ingersolli

(Bland), Zonitoides arhoreus (Say), Vallonia gracilicosta

Reinhardt, Vitrina alaskana Dall.

Station 7. Near trail between Silver Lake and Lake Solitude,

el. c. 8,950 ft., September 3, 1947. Quaking aspen and conifer

litter, predominantly the former ; morainic rock. Vertigo

concinula Cockerell, Vitrina alaskana Dall, Zonitoides arhoreus

(Say), Microphysula ingersolli (Bland), Punctum minutissi-

mum (Lea).

Station 8. One-half mile northeast of Silver Lake, el. c.

8,900 ft., September 4, 1947. In granodorite rock slide. Micro-

physula ingersolli (Bland), Oreohelix suhrudis (Pfeiffer).

Station 9. Near trail between Silver Lake and Lake Solitude,

el. c. 8,950 ft., September 8, 1947. In rotting logs in spruce-fir

zone, dolomite rock. Vitrina alaskana Dall, Vertigo concinula

Cockerell.

Station 10. Near trail between Silver Lake and Lake Soli-

tude, el. c. 9,000 ft., September 8, 1947. In diorite rock slide.

Oreohelix suhrudis (Pfeiffer).

Station 11. Near trail between Brighton and Dog Lake, el. c.

9,200 ft., September 4, 1947. Mixed aspen-conifer litter,

morainic rock. Microphysula ingersolli (Bland), Vitrina alas-

kana Dall, Punctum minutissimum (Lea).

Discussion

To the above records should be added the names of three kinds

of gastropods not collected by us but which have been previously

recorded from the Brighton area, viz.: Deroceras laeve (Miiller)

at Silver Lake ; Euconulus fulvus alaskensis Pilsbry, near Twin

Lakes and west of Silver Lake; and Succinea avara Say, at

Silver Lake. A total of 14 kinds of gastropods (12 terrestrial,

April, 1955] the nautilus 131

2 aquatic) are now known to occur in the Brighton region at

elevations above 8,000 feet.

According to our observations, the most common snails of the

area are Vitrina alaskana Dall and Microphysula ingersolli

(Bland). Both kinds were found in 7 of the 12 stations re-

ported herein. Much of the collecting was done in the aspen

and spruce-fir associations, but many other habitats, at eleva-

tions up to 10,646 feet (Sunset Peak), were examined with

negative results. "We were unable to find snails at any site

above timberline, which in this area is at an elevation of ap-

proximately 10,000 feet. Several small streams and all the

lakes were examined, but only one aquatic habitat (Lake Soli-

tude) yielded gastropods.

In general snails were found to be most abundant, both

as to kinds and numbers of individuals, in sites in which both

deciduous forest and limestone rock were present, e.g., station 6.

A combination of conifer forest and granite rock appeared to

be least favorable to the development of a good gastropod

fauna, e.g., station 5. Our experience has been not only in the

Brighton area but at other localities in the "Wasatch and Uinta

Mountains as well, that only a small admixture of deciduous

trees is necessary to result in a much greater abundance of

snails in the litter than is found in litter in pure conifer stands.

A quantitative study of this problem should be undertaken.

Literature Cited

Calkins, F. C, B. S. Butler and "V. C. Heikes, 1943, Geology

and ore deposits of the Cottonwood-American Fork area,

Utah. U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 201, x, 152 pp., 51 pis.,

8 text figs.

Chamberlin, Ralph V., and David T. Jones, 1929, A descrip-

tive catalog of the Mollusca of Utah. Bull. Univ. Utah,

19(4) : X, 203 pp., map, 86 text figs.

Chamberlin, Ralph "V., and Ernest J. Roscoe, 1948, Check

list of Recent Utah Mollusca. Bull. Univ. Utah, 39(2) : 1-16.

Hayward, C. Lynn, 1945, Biotic communities of the southern

"Wasatch and Uinta Mountains, Utah. Great Basin Nat., 6 :1-

124.

Herrington, H. B,, and Ernest J. Roscoe, 1953, Some Sphaeri-

idae from Utah. Nautilus, 66 : 97-98.

132 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

ELLIPTIC SPINOSUS IN THE ALTAMAHA RIVER

By IVAN E. TOMKINS

Some years ago, Dr. Francis Harper and the late Arthur

Leeds followed the Bartram trail across coastal Georgia, and

about that time Dr. Harper told me to be on the lookout for this

mollusk. Later I read the autobiography of Joseph Le Conte

who told of a trip about 1850 from his home at Midway to

the "Lakes of the Altamaha" to look for the spiny clam. He

probably followed the Old Post Road to Fort Barrington.

In October and November, 1954, my work with the Savannah

District of the Corps of Engineers required me to make several

trips to this locality, and on 19 October the first specimens were

found, including two live ones. These latter were preserved in

alcohol and given to Dr. Donald Scott of the University of

Georgia at Athens. Other visits of an hour or so were made

on 26 October; 9 and 17 November, and on 20 November Mr.

Herman Cooledge and I took a boat from Everett City and

looked over various sand bars up to Fort Barrington. On 17

November another live one was found which was preserved and

sent to Dr. Henry A. Pilsbry. Since then, a couple more visits

have been made farther up river without finding any more

specimens. It appears that the dead shells of spinosus are

found commonly up to the mouth of Pen Holloway (Phin

Holloway) River, but none above that point, though the three

other species of mussels of the river are still common.

The center of abundance seems to be about a mile below

Fort Barrington. Herman Cooledge and I picked up one

hundred pairs of shells on one sand bar. No small shells have

been found, and the scarcity of live ones seems to indicate that

the nursery beds and perhaps the main body will be found in

the "Lakes" (dead rivers) or the creeks, or possibly Penhollo-

way River. 209 shells were measured and the largest was 116

mm long, the smallest 56 mm, and the average 68.72 mm.

This summer and fall the river stage has been the lowest of

record, and the water was unusually clear. I waded in two

feet of water, and looked for live ones without success. The

mean high water slope (of the tidal estuary) meets the normal

low water slope of the river between Upper and Lower Sansa-

April, 1955] the nautilus 133

villa, though it is doubtful if there is much salt water intrusion

under normal conditions above Everett City. There is no

visible ecological barrier, limiting E. spinosus to the river below

Penholloway, and I have no knowledge how far it lives down

stream. The localities mentioned can be found on the Everett

City and Ludowici quadrangles of the XT. S. Geological Survey.

One other point seems pertinent. The Altamaha River is a

silt-laden stream, drawing much of its water from above the

Fall Line. The neighboring Satilla and Ogeechee Rivers are

Coastal Plain Rivers, are much younger, and generally carry

*' black water."

A NEW CRETACEOUS EMARGINULA

By CHAELES JETTEE EICHMAN

Emarginula ladowae, new species. Plate 4, figs. 7 & 8.

Description. Shell small, thin, elliptical in outline, with

a recurved apex overhanging the posterior outline. Surface

has 30 subequal radial ribs, with traces of intermediate riblets

near the lateral and anterior margins. The interstices are

crossed by regular concentric ridges, not visible at the summits

of the radials. There is a narrow slit fasciole, but a break in

the anterior part of the shell has removed the part where an

anal slit should be.

Named in honor of Dorothy S. LaDow, of Woodbury, New

Jersey, a friend of an inspiring naturalist.

Dimensions. Length 4.6 mm., width 3.5 mm., height 2.1 mm.

Locality. Cliff of ravine at Haddonfield, Camden County,

New Jersey. Type: ANSP No. 193149.

Distribution. Woodbury formation, Matawan group. Upper

Cretaceous,

The shell is of unaltered material in fine condition and is

filled internally with clay. Unfortunately, the part where the

anterior slit should be has been broken aAvay. Emarginula

ladowae is similar in sculpture to E. fissura (Linne) of the

British Pliocene to Recent seas, but differs from the latter by

Cretaceous of New Jersey, or of the eastern United States so

far as known.

134 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

The author wishes to express his indebtedness to Dr. Henry

A. Pilsbry and John Dyas Parker for their helpful suggestions

and acknowledge his appreciation for the encouragement re-

ceived from Dr. Horace G. Richards during the past several

years. He also wants to give recognition to Theodore M.

Hesser, Jr., who first found the locality.

SETAEPOMA, A NEW GENUS IN THE SYNCERIDAE

FROM THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

By WILLIAM J. CLENCH

In 1936, I. and B. Rensch published a Japonia (?) hedigeri

from Bougainville Island (Revue Suisse de Zoologie 43, p. 678,

fig. 25). The genus in which they provisionally placed their

species belongs in the Cyclophoridae. However, a series of this

species collected by the Whitney Expedition indicates that it is

not a Japonia but belongs to a new genus in the Synceridae.

The radula of an additional species, yet to be reported upon,

confirmed this diagnosis.

Setaepoma, new genus

Shells flattened to slightly elevated and possessing numerous

spiral threads which are slightly raised above the shell surface.

Periostracum producing long bristle-like processes which are in

spiral arrangement and grouped into three bands, one above

and one below the periphery and the third near the base of the

shell. Operculum calcareous, moderately dished, multispiral

and deeply grooved. Inner surface covered with periostracum,

smooth and having a central papilliform nucleus. Genotype,

Japonia (?) hedigeri I. and B. Rensch.

Setaepoma does not appear to be closely related to any other

known genus in the Synceridae, at least on the basis of opercular

characters. The cyclophorid type of shell is also quite different

from most other syncerids being somewhat heavy and with a

depressed spire.

April, 1955] the nautilus 135

CALVIN GOODRICH 1874-1954

The recent death of Calvin Goodrich at the age of 80 ended

the career of one of the important contributors to North

American conchology. He had already been affiliated with the

mollusk division of the Museum of Zoology for many years

when, in 1924, he was made an Honorary Associate Curator of

MoUusks, while still editor of the Toledo Blade and the Newark

Star-Eagle. Then, in 1926, he retired from the newspaper

business and accepted an appointment as full-time Assistant

Curator of Mollusks in the Museum of Zoology. In 1930, upon

the resignation of Miss Mina Winslow, he was made full Curator,

a position he held until 1944 when, at the age of 70, he retired

to live in western North Carolina with the title of Curator

Emeritus of Mollusks (1944-1954).

During the fifteen years (1929-1944) of his curatorship, the

mollusk division made notable progress in two fields of investi-

gation and in the growth of the collections. A series of ex-

peditions were made into the rich limestone regions of the

southern states and concerted efforts were directed toward

elucidating better the ecology and distribution of the mollusks

of Michigan. He was industrious and methodical and brought

to the division concepts of production he had learned in his

many years of activity in the business world. In addition to

some eighty scientific papers published by him during the time

of his curatorship, the collections grew from approximately

50,000 lots of accessioned mollusks to more than three times

that number. Much of this phenomenal growth was due to the

gift, in 1936, of the library and collections of the late Bryant

"Walker. The accessions made in connection with Goodrich's

own studies and those of his students and collaborators were

considerable. The incorporation of the huge Walker museum

collections into a single working unit was in itself a notable

accomplishment. As a consequence, during Goodrich's curator-

ship, the mollusk collection in the Museum of Zoology gained

its status as one of the finest of its kind.

The correspondence filed in our division gives an illuminat-

ing account of Goodrich's training and development as an out-

136 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

standing conchologist. During his many years in editorial work

he ardently pursued the study of mollusks, but his scientific

development in the field appears to be due largely to the influ-

ence of two key workers, Bryant Walker and A. E. Ortmann.

He began his long-continued correspondence and association

with Bryant Walker of Detroit and Arnold Edward Ortmann

of the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, while he resided in

Toledo. He used to relate how, in the 1910 to 1920 period, he

would get into the surrounding country by street cars out of

Toledo. At that time, Ortmann (letter to Goodrich dated

Dec. 15, 1919) related how he was disappointed in collecting

due to flash floods, and then added: "But I hope and trust you

will not give up, for this winter, indeed, is over. Spring will

come again!" He also asked that Goodrich give his "best re-

gards to Mr. Walker, if you see him again : he is a conchologist

to my liking and in systematic Najadology easily the foremost

in this country."

Walker, Ortmann, and Goodrich corresponded with consider-

able regularity and they cooperated with one another in their

field programs. One of the high points in Goodrich's career

came when he went to southwestern Virginia with Ortmann.

That trip was the subject of one of Goodrich's first papers en-

titled "Spring Collecting in Southwestern Virginia" (Nautilus,

27: 81-82; 91-95). Ortmann 's enthusiasm and incredible

knowledge of geology, physiography, botany, carcinology, etc.,

impressed Goodrich so much that he often reminisced about that

excursion when we were in the field together. Ortmann later

wrote to Walker (letter dated Oct. 15, 1913): "Mr. Goodrich

is an enthusiastic collector, and he knows shells. I have tried

to induce him to do geographic work in the Wabash, and ac-

cording to a letter recently received he started on this work

last summer. The Wabash needs study very badly. And that

reminds me, is anybody ever going to take up Kentucky River?!

Our knowledge of this is practically blank." The influence of

Ortmann and Walker on Goodrich is clearly evident and one

can readily trace the pattern of his work through this very

fortunate association.

In letters from Ortmann to Goodrich one finds many construc-

tive suggestions which Goodrich followed. For example, Good-

April, 1955] the nautilus 137

rich was encouraged to collect in Lake Erie, as well as in the

Wabash-Maumee region. Ortmann wrote (Nov. 4, 1913) :

"I want to urge you again to continue your collections in

this region and to work out the distribution of various species

in detail, chiefly with reference to the crossing over the divide.

There is no question that there was here the main gate by which

Lake Erie received its fauna (see Walker's paper) but just for

this reason we shall study the particulars. Is there any actual

connection of waters at present?"

These suggestions were followed and in a paper published in

The Nautilus a year later (1914) Goodrich discussed "Union

of the Wabash and Maumee Drainage Systems."

In the meantime Goodrich became interested in the fresh-

water operculates belonging to the pleurocerid group. Both

Walker and Ortmann were helpful and enthusiastic supporters.

These snails occur in tremendous numbers in most of the rivers

of eastern United States. As in the case of the fresh-water

mussels, many species were named at a time when there was

little or no appreciation of the elinal tendencies so evident in

those groups. The many specimens collected by Ortmann, H. H.

Smith, Hinkley, and others, soon found their way to Goodrich.

He himself made numerous expeditions mainly to study these

animals in their environment. In addition to learning at first

hand the ecological and distributional relationships of groups

and species, Goodrich also attempted to interpret their distri-

bution in terms of drainage history. In a letter, dated Dec.

3, 1920, Ortmann wrote :

"Your sketch of the Geological History of the relations be-

tween the Tennessee and the Alabama drainages was extremely

interesting to me and I saw at once that you properly under-

stood the questions involved, although your views possibly re-

quire modification in some points."

For at least thirty years Goodrich concentrated in his moUusk

studies on the family Pleuroceridae. The number of papers he

published on those groups would number at least two score;

several of them approach monographic proportions. In 1937,

at the Ann Arbor meeting of the American Malacological Union,

138 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

he was made a member of the standing committee responsible

for publishing check lists on mollusks north of Mexico. He

accepted this assignment with resolve and determination so that

before his retirement a half dozen years later, several such lists

appeared as follows; Pleuroceridae of: St. Lawrence Basin (Occ.

Pap. 404) ; Mississippi Basin (406) ; Ohio River (417) ; Small

streams of Alabama River System (427) ; Atlantic Coastal Plain

(456) ; Pacific Coastal Drainage (469) ; and the Great Basin

(485).

The clinial variation of the Pleuroceridae has already been

suggested. There is no question but that forms of the upper

parts of river grade into those of the lower. These clines in-

volve several characters such as size, degree of sculpture and

banding. Although Goodrich indicated some of the broader

trends, just as Adams did with lo, many of the malacological

relations are still in need of study.

Although a number of Goodrich's writings concern the

Pleuroceridae, he has written a variety of mollusk papers which

are of broad and basic interest. Among them are a handbook,

*'The Mollusca of Michigan" (1932); "A Revision of the

Mollusca of Indiana" (1944) ; and numerous papers dealing

with faunal observations in the many places he visited. In all,

his scientific writings include some eighty-six titles. His in-

terests were broad and he spent considerable time studying his-

tory. In that field he has one book to his credit: "The First

Michigan Frontier" (1940). He had a genuine gift for writing

and he also published a dozen or more articles in history jour-

nals and in the Michigan Alumnus. In the latter, his contribu-

tions bear such titles as : "Piping Time of War" (1937) ; "Sand-

burr Farm" (1938); "Rural Fences in Michigan" (1943);

"The Lie of the Land" (1945); and "By Waterways West"

(1947).

During the years of residence in Ann Arbor, he took an active

interest in the affairs of the Michigan Academy, and was chair-

man of the Zoology Section in 1938. In 1931 he served as a

founder of the American Malacological Union, attending most

of the meetings since that time till his retirement; in 1934 he

was vice-president, presided at the meetings in Buffalo for Wm.

J. Clench (who was unable to be present), and in 1936 completed

April, 1955] the nautilus 139

his year of service as president by presiding at the meetings

in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was a staunch and faithful

member of the Bryant Walker Natural History Club and later

took an active part when stalwarts from that group organized

the Detroit Academy of Natural Science. He was also a member

of the Limnological Society, the American Society of Ichthyolo-

gists and Herpetologists, and the Deutschen Malacologischen

Gesellschaft. He regularly gave financial aid to struggling sci-

entific journals and preferred to have his gifts remain anony-

mous.

When he retired in 1944, he moved to western North Carolina.

Unfortunately, that region is difficult for one interested in

mollusks. In a letter from Hendersonville (dated Nov. 12,

1944) he wrote:

"The paucity of shells continues. I have seen alive only a

slug which lives at the edge of concrete sidewalks, and, I feel

certain, is an importation. The rocks are highly metamorphosed

primitives, and while the books speak vaguely of beds of lime-

stone here and there, I haven't seen one. When gasoline be-

comes more available, if ever, I hope to drive over to the Smokies

to our west — the western faces of which are lime."

Later he did manage to collect some specimens. As recently

as 1950 he published observations (Nautilus, 1950) on one

of the local freshwater snails, Goniohasis proxima (Say). On

May 17, 1945, he sent a small package with a few species to

the Museum and indicated the shipment would "give a notion

as to how sparse the molluscan population is here." He then

gave a more definite explanation of the circumstances, as fol-

lows:

< < I

The mountains have been lumbered over. Then, here and

there, clearings have been made, farmed until the soil was ex-

hausted and then let to grow up to briars and weeds. On top

of this destruction have been ravaging fires. It would seem

that the survivors, such as they were, managed to hold only to

a zone upon which clouds condensed. It may be that some day

I will find a respectable population of shells, but that will be

mere happenchance."

All his life Goodrich was a careful and systematic collector.

He has contributed considerably to our knowledge of regions

140 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

which are now ruined by the many forces responsible for the

destruction of our natural resources. A letter to Goodrich

from Ortmann, dated Jan. 21, 1918, contains the following state-

ment: "Goniohasis is disappearing fast in consequence of pollu-

tion of streams. Last summer I collected some good material

in the upper Beaver drainage, but for the rest you hardly can

find Goniohasis any more. Thus old material, collected 10 to 12

years ago, becomes very important."

Many areas in the South, as well as in Ohio, Indiana, and

Michigan, where Goodrich formerly collected, experienced simi-

lar ravaging influences and his well labelled materials will prove

of inestimable value in the future.

During his retirement, and when shells became scarce, Good-

rich turned to other interests, mainly raising local ferns and

studying the essentials of landscape painting. His garden at

one time had over ninety ferns, including most of those listed

for the county, as well as two not previously reported there.

Those of his friends who received samples of his paintings

realized that he had considerable latent talent as an artist.

His shrewd judgment struck me when I recently perused

some of the letters he wrote during his retirement. In a letter

dated Oct. 23, 1950, he predicted the time of his death, as well

as to indicate that he had a sense of humor, when he wrote:

"I thank you for the answers to my questions. It is odd

that I should have forgotten the name. ... A freakish memory

is another one of the degenerate characteristics of old age. I

see by the insurance statistics that I am allowed four more

years, and I may live them unless one of these wild hillbillies,

loaded with valley tan, bangs me up on the road. ' '

He died in the hospital at Asheville just four years later, Nov.

7, 1954. — Henry van der Schalie.

PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CALVIN GOODRICH

In all, there are 86 mollusk titles contributed by Calvin Good-

rich. The following list contains only articles which appeared

in journals other than The Nautilus. As an economy, the

April, 1955] the nautilus 141

reader is referred to 6 citations in the first index, an additional

43 in the second, and one in volume 63. Aside from two articles,

the following 36 papers were published.

1916 A trip to the islands of Lake Erie. Ann. Carnegie Mus.,

10: 527-531.

1921 Three new species of Pleuroceridae. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool.

Univ. Mich., No. 91, 5 p^., 1 pi.

1922 The Anculosae of the Alabama River drainage. Misc.,

Pub. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 7, 57 pP., 3 pis.

1924 The Genus Gyrotoma. lUd., No. 12, 29 pp., 2 pis.

1928 Strephohasis: A section of Pleurocera. Occ. Pap. Mus.

Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 19, 15 pP., 2 pis.

1930 Goniobases of the vicinity of Muscle Shoals. Ihid., No.

209, 25 pP.

1931 The pleurocerid genus Eurycaelon. Ibid., No. 223, 9 pP.,

Ipl.

1931 Pleurohema aldrichianum, a new naiad. Ibid., No. 229,

4 pp., 1 pi.

1931 Mollusks of Keweenaw County, Michigan. Ihid., No. 233,

9 pp., 1 pi.

1932 I. On an increase in the naiad fauna of Saginaw Bay,

Michigan. II. The naiad species of the Great Lakes (with

Henry van der Schalie). lUd., No. 238, 14 pP.

1932 The Mollusca of Michigan. Mich. Handbook Ser., Mus.

Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 5, 120 pp., 7 pis.

1934 Studies of the gastropod familv Pleuroceridae. I. Occ.

Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., No.' 286, 17pP., 1 pi.

1934 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. II. Ihid.,

No. 295, 6 pp., 1 fig.

1934 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. III. Ihid.,

No. 300, 11 pp.

1935 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. IV. Ihid.,

No. 311, 11 pp.

1935 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. V, Ihid.,

No. 318, 12 pp.

1936 Goniohasis of the Coosa River, Alabama. Misc. Pub. Mus.

Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 31, 60 pp., 1 pi., 1 fig.

1937 Mollusca of Peten and North Alta Vera P'az, Guatemala.

Ihid., No. 34, 50 pp., 1 pi., 1 fig., 1 folded map (with

Henry van der Schalie).

1937 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. VI. Occ.

Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 347, 12 pP.

1938 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. VII. Ihid.,

No. 376, 12 pp.

1939 Aquatic mollusks of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

142 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 43, 45 pp., 2 maps

(with Henry van der Sehalie).

1939 The scientific writings of Bryant Walker; an annotated

bibliography. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich., No. 402,

28 pP.

1939 Pleuroceridae of the St. Lawrence River basin. Ihid., No.

404, 4 pp.

1939 Pleuroceridae of the Mississippi River basin exclusive of

the Ohio River system. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool. Univ. Mich.,

No. 406, 4 pp.

1940 The Pleuroceridae of the Ohio River drainage system.

Ihid., No. 417, 22pp.

1941 Two new species of Goniohasis. Ihid., No. 426, 4 pp., 2

figs.

1941 Pleuroceridae of the small streams of the Alabama River

System. Ihid., No. 427, 10 pp.

1941 Distribution of the Gastropods of the Chaba River, Ala-

bama. Ihid., No. 428, 30 pP

1941 Studies of the gastropod family Pleuroceridae. VIII.

Ihid., No. 447, 13 pP.

1942 The Pleuroceridae of the Atlantic coastal plain. .Ihid.,

No. 456, 6 pP.

1942 The Pleuroceridae of the Pacific coastal drainage, includ-

ing the western interior basin. Ihid., No. 469, 4 pP.

1943 The Walker-Beecher paper of 1876 on the Mollusca of the

Ann Arbor area. Ihid., No. 475, 26 pp., 1 map.

1944 Pleuroceridae of the Great Basin. Ihid., No. 485, 11 pP.

1944 Variations in Stromhus pugilis alatiis. Ihid., No. 490,

10 pp., 2 tables.

1944 A revision of the Mollusca of Indiana. Amer. Midi. Nat.,

32: 257-326 (with Henry van der Sehalie).

1945 Goniohasis livesceiis of Michigan. Misc. Pub. Mus. Zool.

Univ. Mich., No. 64, 36 pp., 1 pi., 1 fig., 1 map.

TODD LOPEZ MOISE

Conehologists and his many Florida friends will grieve the

passing of Todd L. Moise, who died in Elyria, Ohio, on August

25, 1954, at the age of seventy-seven years.

Mr. Moise was born October 24, 1876, at Versailles, Kentucky.

In 1906 he married Mary Louise Ely, whose family has been the

founders of Elyria, Ohio, where he settled and remained through-

out most of his business career, establishing a well known and

April, 1955] the nautilus 143

successful accounting firm there. His civic interests were many,

he having been a leader in the Community Chest movement

since its inception and one of the Elyria Memorial Hospital's

most active supporters. He was a member of the Elyria

Country Club, the Union Club of Cleveland, the Miami Yacht

Club and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.

Mrs. Moise died at Naples, Florida, early in 1953. Four

children survive : Mrs. Elizabeth M. Ryder of Malibu, Cali-

fornia; George E. Moise of Palatine, Illinois; Todd M. Moise

of Chicago, Illinois; and John C. Moise of Glastonbury, Con-

necticut.

During his later years, Mr. Moise enjoyed vacations nearly

every winter at the Naples Beach Hotel in Florida, and with

the Gulf of Mexico near at hand it was not long before he

became a shelling enthusiast. During the year 1949 further

heights were reached when he purchased a small Steelcraft,

the "Astraea, "' from which localities further afield could be

visited and dredging in a small way made possible. About this

time the capable services of Capt. Robert Bowers were engaged

and a lasting friendship was begun which remained throughout

the later collecting years. During this period, a number of

trips were made on the "Astraea" ranging from the Islands

around Naples to Key Largo. Two important dredging trips

were made off northwest Florida, at Destin, in the Gulf of

Mexico. The first was in a chartered boat, but the second was

in his newly acquired "Astraea II" which was a large power

cruiser equipped with winch for dredging. Many fine shells

were dredged from this interesting part of the Gulf. Further

dredging was done off Naples, Palm Beach, Key Largo and

Marathon.

In the fall of 1953, a larger sea-going motor-sailer, the

"Escape," was purchased by Mr. Moise for operation further

afield. During 1954 collecting trips were made aboard her to

the Bahama Islands and the Florida Keys, including the remote

Dry Tortugas. An extensive dredging cruise followed in the

Gulf of Mexico with bottom samples taken from as far west as

the Mississippi Delta area.

The conchological collection of Mr. Moise has been presented

to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. It is a

144 THE NAUTILUS [Vol. 68 (4)

very valuable collection from a museum stand-point as it is

largely made of dredged material with accurately recorded

data. Thomas L. McGinty, BojTiton Beach, Florida.

NOTES AND NEWS

Back from Ceylon. — "We returned to the University of Ari-

zona from Ceylon just one day before the spring semester

classes started. Briefly, my stay in Ceylon was packed, ex-

citing, and altogether too short. I did find a disease in the

giant snails and continuing work on that aspect of my research

will keep me busy for some time. I am now making a report

on the findings for the meetings of the Pacific Science Board

in Hawaii next week. — Albert R. Mead (extract from letter).

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

The silent world. By Capt. J. Y. Cousteau with Frederic

Dumas. 225 pp., including 32 of photographs and 16 colored.

Cardinal Edition. Pocket Books, Inc., New York, N. Y. 35^.

1955. — This little book, originally published by Harper and

Bros. (1953), describes diving adventures with an aqualung.

About the only moUusk figured is an octopus, which the authors

found as harmless as usual. Of course, Hugo's nature faking

(1866) was exposed soon after it appeared (By Fischer in the

Jour, de Conch., if remembered correctly). — H. B. B.