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

Jul 18, 2014

The Boring Turret Snail

The Boring Turret Snail, Turritella acropora Dall, 1889, is a relatively common marine snail in the Gulf of Mexico, and often found on the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva. This species is characterized by its sculpture, which includes a series of spiral lines, or cords, which are larger at the periphery of the whorl. Boring Snail Shells can easily be confused with Auger Shells, from which they differ by their rounder aperture (opening) and wider whorls. Boring Snails are clo

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