Description:
The shell has a blunt conical spire, with weak knobs. The opening extends far down, thus making the last winding appear to be larger. Over the outer shell is a soft skin-like layer with hair-like protrusions, called the periostracum. The living animal is white with dark, round spots. Color of the shell is usually brown.
Size: the shell can reach up to 10 cm.
Habitat:
The animal lives on coral reefs.
Depth: ranges from 6 m down to 25 m.
Distribution:
Occasional all over the Caribbean.
Remarks:
In most countries it is illegal to bring back these shells from holidays.”
“Yellow cockles grow to 2 inches in shell height, and are oval or subcircular in shape. The shell has 30 – 40 radial ribs, which are lightly scaled. Color is generally a creamy white, with shades of brown, yellow, or red patches. Interior of shell is white, but may be marked in bright yellow to yellow-brown shades.
Yellow cockles inhabit the shallow subtidal zone, and are common throughout the Indian River Lagoon, especially near inlet areas.
Yellow cockles are easily confused with the prickly cockle, Trachycardium egmontium. The two are distinguished by the more oval shape of yellow cockles, and by the radial ribs, which are only moderately scaled compared with those of the prickly cockle, which have raised, sharp scaling. Further, yellow cockle shells have interiors that range in color from white to yellow, while those of prickly cockles typically are bright pink or salmon in color. ”
Euvola ziczac is known by many names. Previously, its scientific name was Pecten ziczac, but most current literature lists both Euvola and Pecten for clarity. Like other scallops, zigzag scallops bear the characteristic two-valved, calcium carbonate shells that are rounded along the outer edges and flattened at the bottom near the prominent hinges. On either side of the hinge are projecting “ears” or auricles that contribute to scallops’ distinctive shapes. In Bermuda, zigzag scallops commonly grow to 120 mm, but they are generally not as large in the Caribbean.
Zigzag scallop shells show a wavy, crenulated pattern along their outer edges and have several colored rays varying from white to orange, yellow, or gray. Within this pattern are well-defined annual rings which make determining a scallop’s age relatively easy to the trained eye. The zigzag scallop’s lower valve is somewhat cup-shaped, whereas its upper valve forms a flat to concave lid. They exhibit a zigzag pattern of stripes on their shells which gives the species its name. Interestingly, it also moves in a zigzag pattern when jetting.
Zigzag scallops in particular have a series of bright blue eyes along the edge of their mantles. These eyes, ocelli, are sensitive to changes in light intensity, and signal the animals to close their shells if they sense a change in shadows or another nearby disturbance. The scallops also close their shells if exposed to the air or mildly threatened. Surrounding the ocelli are small sensory tentacles which line the conspicuous inner fold of the mantle. These serve to regulate water flow into and out of the animal.”
Beautiful King’s Crown seashells from Sanibel & Captiva.
“Melongena corona Usually found among the mangroves and oyster beds. Up to 4″ in size.
Tends to be more of a bay shell because of its habitat. This is not usually a shell to be found along the beach unless you are near a pass of other area where oyster bars and mangroves are near.
Color form and spine structure can vary greatly from one area to the next.” Source: King’s Crown.
