Eastern Melampus snail shell ......... (only 1/2 inch big)
As you know, I love the mini shells. The problem is I just think they are so stinkin cute I get carried away with how adorable they are and sometimes clump them all together as a group. Everybody loves baby things, right? I don’t clump the WENTLETRAPS and my candies (JUVENILE HORSE CONCHS) with them because …well… they are my faves. But I think I better start paying more attention to each different mini shell to give them their due respect. They deserve it! They are just as beautiful.
I misnamed this shell pictured above on my September 14 post Many Mini Sea Shells as being a Marginella. I’m not sure why I’ve always called it that but it’s not. It’s a MELAMPUS. Thank goodness we have MurexKen !!!! He commented on that post to very kindly let us know that it looked like a Melampus bidentatus. He says there four species of Melampus on Sanibel so, of course, all I searched for at the lighthouse beach was Melampus shells to find a few more.
Melampus sea shells
They all look so different! I don’t think I found all 4 species but maybe the bottom left is a COFFEE MELAMPUS. I will definitely pay more attention to these little cuties and hopefully I won’t mislead yall to call them by the wrong name….. but then, this is how we learn, right?
Dragonfly on the beach
Meet  more shellers on the beach ….
Samantha, Jean and Stephanie (Orlando, Ft Myers)
Ashley, Amber, Holly, Nick and Margaret (Salt Lake, UT and Ft Myers)
See…we can learn something new each day! And when it’s about shells more’s the better, yes?
I LOVE the dragonfly picture, Pam. It is SO detailed. They are my favorite insect…we had a bumper crop of all the varieties here in Wisconsin this summer. They are quite magical, I think. Thanks again for sharing!
there must be some shellin’ faries down there in sanibel….dragonflies are their mode of transportation! beautiful picture pam!
how fun to see your melampus….i have also sorted and lumped many similar shells together and just last night realized that i have many minis that i don’t know the names of…..sooooooo am putting them in their own slot in a sorting box and will take them to the shell museum in the spring to find out their names…..i love knowin what they are!!!! does murex ken identify shells if we ask? thankyou so much for the joy that your blog brings to me each week….it keeps me connected to my happy place…sanibel
Pam, as always, your response is gracious and informative. Thanks.
Judith, there are many experienced shell collectors that are better than I am at IDing shells. I am certainly willing to look at pictures of a shell and offer my opinion on its ID. It helps to have images of at least two sides (front/back) of a shell and a coin or ruler to help show the shell size. Many juvenile shells or worn shells can be difficult to ID, but most shells found on Sanibel Island are fairly easy to ID. Feel free to send me images of one or two of your “unknown” shells or post them on your webpage and tell me where to look.
I was very excited to find my first coffee melampus last year. (also at Lighthouse Beach) Any time I find a new type of shell, no matter how small, it’s a good day!
Hi Pam, We left Sanibel this morning, regretfully. I did find a lot of minis and for hooked as well. When I get home I will be checking them once again. We are taking back home some good memories. Thanks again for all the info that has gotten me so interested. We really had some great finds the first part of the week. Thanks to Joel and Kim for such wonderful hospitality at Mitchell’s Sandastle Cottages. Keep your blogs coming, it will
keep me thinking about Sanibel throughout the year. Thank you again. I am texting from car and this messsage may contain some errors.
Pam, I think I have made the same mistake you did….I need to go back and look at the shells we brought back in July and look a little more closely….I had never heard of….or seen a melampus….so I thought!! But I need to double check…it will be fun, kinda like I’m there!!!
As usual, you are such a great resource!! Keep it coming….we are back here in our cubicles living in paradise with (through) you!!
Thanks so much!!
How big are they….1/4″ or smaller??
In the top picture, that melampus is 1/2 inch (pssst- it’s in the caption of the photo. heehee )
….oops =\ (I actually double checked all the text before I added that!!….Jeez…)
Hi Pam, I hope you don’t mind but I used some of your photos on my blog… I mentioned you (as my inspiration) of course… http://flotsamfriends.blogspot.com/2010/09/8-questions-from-love-of-sea.html
Pruxxx P.S. Incredible shots – can’t believe that dragonfly. Another favourite thing of mine. Pxxx
Salt Lake and Ft Myer’s photo brought us all to the site, the site itself keeps us coming back.