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.

Shell of the Week: High-spired Vitrinella

José H. Leal

Aug 16, 2019

Shell of the Week: High-spired Vitrinella

Teinostoma altum Pilsbry, 1953, is another member of the microgastropod family Tornidae with ample distribution in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Shell size up to 2.2 mm (about 0.09 inch) in diameter. As the scientific and common names of the species indicate, the shell has a tall spire, resembling a miniature moon snail (family Naticidae). The shell lacks any sculpture except for microscopic growth lines. The protoconch sunken within the remainder of the shell. The umbilicu

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