Curator's Corner

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

May 18, 2018

The Orange Hoof Snail

The Orange Hoof Snail, Hipponix subrufus (Lamarck, 1822), has a cap-shaped shell that grows up to 12 mm (about 0.5 inch). It has a reticulated sculpture of concentric ridges crossed by radial cords of about same size. The shell inside has a horseshoe-shaped muscle attachment scar. The shell color is usually light orange-brown, and fresh specimens have a thick, light-brown periostracum. Hoof snails live attached to hard surfaces, and are frequently found on the shells of other

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Curator's Corner