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.

Shell of the Week: The Little Knobby Scallop

José H. Leal

Aug 27, 2021

Shell of the Week: The Little Knobby Scallop

Caribachlamys pellucens (Linnaeus, 1758) measures up to 37.4 mm (about 1.5 inches) in height. The shell has about 8–10 radial ridges festooned with small knobs or thick scales. The valves in this species may show strong yellow hues internally. We assume that the coloration is not advantageous for visual communication of any kind, because other animals cannot see the inside of a shell. Bright colors and strong patterns usually serve to warn predators of poisonous substances pr

José H. Leal

Jun 12, 2020

The Enigma of Hidden Colors

Colors in animals are almost always linked to visual behaviors and species interactions. Bright colors and patterns on mollusks may help, for instance, attract a mate, warn a predatory fish of a foul-tasting or poisonous sea slug, or camouflage a snail against its habitat. We expect that most colors “serve a purpose” based on another animal, “friend or foe,” being able to see those colors. But what if pigments are present inside a clam shell, in an area that is never seen by

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Curator's Blog

Shell of the Week: The Little Knobby Scallop

The Enigma of Hidden Colors