We learned about Donnie The Shellinator (it tickles me every time I write that- heehee) and his PLASTERED WENTLETRAP on my last post, but I didn’t have time to mention the other shells he and Alyssa took to show the folks at the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum…. FREAKS!
I know your eyes went right to the crooked LIGHTNING WHELK, didn’t it? I know, I love a good FREAK shell too but they didn’t find these last week, they collected these in the last year but since we got to see the real experts it was the perfect time to show the coolness. It looks like this WHELK was involved in some sort of trauma that clipped his “tail” (siphonal canal) but he was strong enough to rebuild his shell any way he could… and this time it was sideways.
On the left of the photo is a FREAK KNOBLESS FIGHTING CONCH. But “knobless” isn’t the only thing that is freaky about it. The aperture is so narrow with an unusual shape and it looks like the shoulder grew back up on the spire of the shell too.
Believe it or not, we don’t find many juvenile ALPHABET CONES on our beaches so Donnie donated his to Smokey of the Shell Museum who wants to complete a growth display. Nice, huh? Maybe it be added to a display like this?
It was such a pleasure to listen to the shell experts tell us what they look for to correctly identify different seashells and how to figure out what makes them FREAKS. I caught a small part of Smokey Payson on video explaining what could have happened to this FREAK LIGHTING WHELK to make his tail grow sideways. Sorry this clip is so fuzzy and unsteady… really, it’s not a great video but I really think you’ll like to hear Smokey’s take on these FREAKS.
Don’t forget to book your reservations to join us on an iLoveShelling ShellingAdventure!
For info, click on the next image…
I love finding freaks – they are quite interesting, don’t you think?
I love freak shells!! Thank you for sharing the pictures and the video. It is so interesting to look at these odd shells and wonder what caused them. We have saltwater tanks with live snails, and every now and then you’ll find some oddities among them.
Freak shells are neat! Thanks for showing them to us! Sure do miss Sanibel!!!!
Always on the lookout for the unusual….and Mr. Payson knows his shells!
So cool – Wabi Sabi – (Definition is “flawed beauty” – finding perfection in imperfection….)
And PAM, my niece and I are signed up to go to Cayo Costa with you March 16! Looking forward to it. Johnnie
So interesting to learn about these “freaks”. Thank you for the video as well as the photos of all the wonders of nature, Pam. And Donnie, keep up the good work spotting those unique specimens!
Neat stuff, thanks Pam. :)
I love the freaks… cool post. I found a freak giant cockle on our last trip
I had not checked out your seashell identification page in while… It’s looking great! Have you found sculptured top snails? You might want to add a sculptured top snail photo, to dinstinguish them from the tops that you have already posted. The Tampa Bay tops seem to far outnumber the sculptured tops, but I have found several sculptured tops on Sanibel. I bet people find sculptured tops and don’t even realize that it’s a different kind.
I have two sculptured tops… the ones I have a kinda small (most of the shells I collect are minis).
Somebody bent some of your shells. I’m surprised you post pictures of defective, bent up shells!
:-)
Pam – do you have a store where you can buy shells?? I’ll even trade you some from Puerto Penasco that you have not shown for a WHELK OR EVEN A FIGHTING WENTLE TRAP. CROOKED OR NOT.
GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO PLAN A TRIP. I HAVE MY CALENDAR AND T SHIRT AND BUMPER STICKER, JUST CANT GET ON THE PLANE. JANET
Janet,
I would be happy to send you some shells. If Pam gives me your address (don’t post it here) I’ll put some in the mail right away – assuming you live in the continental US :) . I don’t have many wentletraps but I have pleanty of welks, fighting conchs, murexes, olives, etc.
Hi, I arrived on Sanibel Tues. for 16 days. I was amazed that so much of the West Gulf Beach was gone. I am finding hundreds of inch long fighting conchs. What impact will that have on future fighting conch populations? I have been coming here to the Sanibel Sunset for six years and found totally different shells here this year. Strange.
I made up cards with my email address on it since so many people I meet ask me for it. I always tell them about your website. I have been using my cards to have them email me so that I can give them the link to your website. Why didn’t I think to make up cards with your website on them. Dumb!
Congrats Donnie. You and I went Alphabet Cone wading at the lighthouse last year. Your lovely daughter rescued a Sanderling that had red tide problems. If there is something unusual to find in the water or on the beach you are the man to find it.
Hi Marilyn,
Those small juvenile conchs are so cute. What else are you finding that is unusual? Are you experiencing any red tide problems?
Have a great time with the low, low tides and the full moon; and please keep us posted on your finds.
Pam, I really love the freak shells. Beauty dosen’t always have to be “perfect”. It is always amazing to see what Mother Nature creates. Thank you for all of the interesting and unusual things you post. It seems that I learn something new every time.
YAY Freak shells!!! So neat! :)
Oh … and … I have an alphie that is less than an inch long. It was one of my fave finds last year during the beach renourishment up here in Pinellas County. :)
The freak shells are so cool. Great video and pics, hope one day I find a shell that is “unique”.