Oh how I love a good mystery….but even better I love a mystery that is solved! Back in November on our iLoveShelling shelling cruise to Cayo Costa, I met Ken and Candace from Missouri who showed me a piece of “BEACH BLING“.
They found it on the beach at the Island Inn on Sanibel where they were staying. After looking at the shape, the texture and by feeling the light weight of it, I told her I thought it was some sort of BRYOZOAN COLONY but those darker spots on it were throwing me off a little. Hmmmmm…. could it be a CORAL? Naaaaa….. but those spots. I’ve seen this type of piece before but I couldn’t place it.
Here’s the weird thing… Later that afternoon Trisha James posted this photo on iLoveShelling Facebook page saying she found this piece on Navarre Beach, Florida. OMG There it is again! But now I recognize that longer shape a little more because I saw a display of this very same thing in February at the Sarasota Shell Show. I also remembered there was a cool story that went along with piece of bling as well.
So I tore through all of my photos (I am soooo not an organized person so trust me, this is quite a task- ha!) to find this one picture of Doug Thompson’s TEXAS LONGHORN exhibit. Aha! That’s right! It’s a TEXAS LONGHORN!
And here is the story Doug Thompson added to his very cool exhibit…
“ This structure is built by a colony of tiny marine animals of the phylum Bryozoa, genus Hippoporidra, species (on our Atlantic coast) not known. Much as the coral polyps build large reefs, so these little bryozoa build the Longhorn, starting with a small deposit of calcareous material on a shell or shell fragment, and building in the coil outward until it is large enough to sustain the weight of the horns. After the horns are started, the whole building continues to grow, sometimes reaching an over-all span of six inches.
All this design and growth is not with purpose: the Texas Longhorn houses a small hermit crab whose full name isPylopagurus corallinus (Benedict). He differs from most other hermits in that his body lacks the twist to the left which makes it possible for other species to inhabit dead snails, most of which open to the right. Pylopagurus corallinus has a small, straight body because the spiral cavity he occupies is all on one plane. Like other hermits he has a shelly anterior and a soft, defenseless abdomen.”
You can read the rest of this fascinating information – CLICK HERE.
So the mystery was solved! But… then the holidays came along (and blah blah blah) and I never posted about them… so fast forward to this week when I saw all of the off the hook shells that Tam Tam from Michigan found. She also found a TEXAS LONGHORN! I knew exactly what it was but realized I never posted about it.
So I’m thrilled I saw Tam Tam’s cool bling and thank you Candace for showing me your TEXAS LONGHORN on our cruise together then sending photos. And thank you Trisha for posting your photos to jog my memory of the Sarasota Shell Show exhibit.
Now we know… TEXAS LONGHORNS. And have several more symbiotic relationships.
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I knew I wasn’t far from home…hook ’em horns! Thanks for the post!
The shells in the white milk glass bowl at the bottom? Are they from elsewhere in the Gulf, or are they from Sanibel?
In front of the two tiny true tulips is a small white moonsnail shell like the one I found on West Gulf Drive this December. That species is not on Jose’s list for SW Florida. I can’t see it very well but it could be Polinices uberinus or Polinices lacteus.
If anyone finds a small white moonsnail like that on Sanibel, take it in to the museum shell clinic, so Jose can check it out. Thanks.
P.S. I remember how totally amazed I was when I first saw a Texas Longhorn bryozoan. It was when I was sorting through an old collection donated to the AMNH years ago. They are really kind of hard to believe! Surely it must be hard work for the little hermit crab dragging that huge thing around? No chance of hiding under a rock when you are lugging one of those things with you!
Pam, Thank you for solving the mystery! We have family in Texas, so it is doubly cool to find beach bling called “Texas Longhorn”! Enjoyed meeting you on the trip to Cayo Costa, and counting the days until we make another trip to our favorite place on the planet!
That was super interesting Pam!
I agree. Nothing better than finding something new, and then solving the mystery as to what is! I’ll be on the lookout for them.
They look very similar to our Petoskey Stones that we find along Lake Michigan, mostly in the area north by Traverse City and north toward Petoskey and the Mackinaw Bridge. In Michigan they are the state stone and are a fossilized coral, Hexagonaria percarinata from the Devonian Period. Way cool, thanks for sharing.
I thought the exact same thing! (OK, not the Latin name or period lol)
Saw Varsity’s horns off – Gig ’em!
Barbara, I was thinking that exact same thing about the Petoskey stones! (I live in the UP.)
Barbara and Julie, I see how their pattern is so similar to petoskey stones now. I just looked them up!
Pam, you would appreciate hunting for Petoskey stones, I think. My sister and I were in Petoskey last spring and learned what to look for. We had a ball finding the rocks and commented at the time that it was like looking for seashells (we grew up in Florida). :)
I have several of these that my son found while scuba diving off the coast of South Carolina several years ago. One actually has the crab still inside. We found the official name on the internet. I will try to find that info again and pass it on to you.
That is very Interesting!
Pam I finally made it to Sanibel last night. Went to Turner Beach and worked in the water and it paid off because I found a Junonia! Who hoo let out a sequel and showed some folks. It’s about 2.5 inches and it’s not perfect but pretty close! Am Here for a week for sure so maybe I’ll run into you or some other shelling sisters.
Congratulations!!!! Let us know how you make out the rest of the week.
Congrats on your junonia, Carolyn!
Pam, that is so interesting. I’m not sure I would have given it a second thought if I saw that piece on the beach. It just goes to show you that nothing is unimportant when searching the beaches.
Wild! Very interesting post.
Wishing strong winds and happy shelling for all!
I found mine on Navarre Beach also…now I know what it is called! Thanks :)
Greetings!
3 years ago on our first trip to Sanibel/Captiva we discovered a Texas Longhorn and have wondered what it is and now we have an answer! Pam, your blog is a breath of fresh air here in PA during our in-between-times. Looking forward to our return on February 3rd and shelling!
Peace,
Steven
thank you! i found one on navarre beach last week, i sent it in to a shell identification site but havent heard back! yeahhh!
Hi! I was wondering if someone had some longhorns for sale. I’m trying to complete a sea shell exhibit. I am looking for about 5.
Thank you.
I just found one snorkeling the shore of Pensacola Beach! No one had a clue until a group I’m in shared that he went to grad school with someone who did her thesis on these. I hope to find more. Would love to see you a video of mine! It’s large and in great condition.