This spiratum has a higher spire than normal. It was buried in sand at lowest tide line. This species tends to be nacturnal. Its' favorite food supply is oysters and clams.
Specimens from the North Florida get about 75mm to 125mm. The aperature can be from dark purple to a golden yellow-orange. It lays its string egg capsules at the lowest tide line about April to May. Periostracum is thin and velvety. Mantel is white with a sufused black motteling covering.
> To the right is a nice specimen of:
Busycon (Busycon) carica (Gmelin, 1791).
The carica's from North Florida tend to have the
the chararistics of the subspecies eliceans(Monfort, 1810). (check below) Their spines are prominent, a
swelling running around the center girth of the body
whorl, and the aperture is usually a cream yellow to lavender and a dark orange.
<>Tellina (Acorylus) alternata Say,1822
common at the minus low tide line. It color is glossy
and variable: whitish, yellowish or flushed with pink.
Interior is glossy -yellow or pinkish. The average size is about 63mm when adult. This is a common shollow -water species.
>To the right is a nice specimen of a 375mm
Triplofusus gigantea (K iener, 1840) or as it's
common name the Florida Horse Conch. This is
a common species. This one was found at minus
low-tide buried in sand eating a B. carica. This species
does cannibilize its own. The horse conchs from this area are the form reevei Philippi, 1851. The last body
whorl is smooth with no knobs. The aperature is usually
some shade of orange. But can be a creamy-brown to
a pale cream. I have found an albino one a few weeks
ago--will post pixs later. The albino color of shell is
genetic. The animal does not differ from the norm.
Mating is from March to May. The young feed on
barnacles, clams, and boring clams. Finally, the shell
takes on a more elongate spindle shape and is always covered with Bryozoan.
< Spisula (Hemimactra) solidissima (Dillwyn, 1817) Common name is Atlantic Surf Clam. Common at minus lowtide. Color is yellowish white with a thin yellowish brown periostracum. Lives just under sand.
> Thais haemastoma floridana (Conrad, 1837)
This species is very variable. You can collect 30 of them at one time and think you have at least four different species-- but not. I will later show all the forms and colors.
Aperature is whit to salmon orange in color. Always is
incrusted with something. Found on peat rocks and
oyster beds. Mates all year long. Egg caspuals cand be
found all year long attached to whaterver is in water.
The egg caspuals vary in color from white, purple and
yellow or all at one time.
That is all for now. Happy shelling!!!! Jeff
On a recent shelling trip to St. Augustine Inlet these specimens were found. 
Below is a rare find in St. Augustine Inlet.
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I found to the left, a very nice specimen of:
