Curator's Blog

Museum, research, and collection updates from Dr. José H. Leal, plus Shell of the Week, which highlights a different species every Friday. Most Shells of the Week—but not all—are found in Southwest Florida.

Dr. José H. Leal serves as the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum’s Science Director and Curator. He received his Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the University of Miami and has served at the Museum since 1996. Under his leadership, the Museum was awarded its first accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2010.

José H. Leal

Apr 1, 2016

The Thin Cyclinella

The Thin Cyclinella, Cyclinella tenuis (Récluz, 1852) is a local species from the family of Venus Clams, the Veneridae. The photo on the right of the illustration depicts a complete shell (paired valves) collected in March 2016 by shell museum volunteer Tom Annesley. That image shows the right valve (half-shell) on top and left valve on bottom. In the background, you can see the shell hinge, with its "teeth" and "sockets." The hinge, combined with the spring-like action of th

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Curator's Blog

The Thin Cyclinella