Shell of the Week: The Atlantic Jackknife Clam
Ensis leei is a long, narrow, slightly curved bivalve that resembles old-school straight-edge razors. Their shells can reach 25 cm (approximately 10 ....
Curator’s Corner
Museum, research, and collection updates from Dr. José H. Leal, plus Shell of the Week, which highlights a different species every other Friday. Most Shells of the Week are found in Southwest Florida.
Dr. José H. Leal serves as the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium’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.
Bivalves and Their Different Pathways to the Deep Sea
Most bivalve mollusks are filter feeders, straining microscopic plants known as phytoplankton from the water. Phytoplankton needs sunlight to ....
Shell of the Week: The Delicate Giant Turris
Polystira tellea (Dall, 1889) is one of a large number of species in the genus Polystira (family Turridae). Todd and Rawlings (2014)* in their detailed ...
Sun Ray? You Can Say That Twice!
Last year, Hannah Richardson found this unusual shell valve of a Sunray Venus (Macrocallista nimbosa) on Kice Island, Florida (top left). The valve ...
A Wondrous Phenomenon: The Giant Squid Exhibit
Architeuthis dux is linked to a sense of intrigue and wonder: For centuries all that we knew about the species was based on the observation of ...
Shell of the Week: The Scotch Bonnet, Redux
When checking past segments of the “Shell of the Week”, I realized that it has been a long time since I briefly discussed the memorable Semicassis granulata! ...
Flapping Dingbats in Southwest Florida
Last Tuesday, I was going about my workday at the Museum when I received a phone call from Debi McBroom and husband Barry. Debi and Barry were at ...
Shell of the Week: The Atlantic Thorny Oyster
Spondylus americanus has a shell that can reach approximately 18 centimeters (about 7 inches). The shell is usually decorated with spiny projections that can reach 5 cm (2 inches) in some cases. It can be white, pink, red, yellow, or purple, ...
Paradise Found: Seashells of the Caribbean
The new temporary exhibit “Paradise Found: Seashells of the Caribbean”, displays 46 iconic or rare species of gastropods and bivalves from the greater ...
Florida United Malacologists 2026 Update
Florida United Malacologists (FUM) 2026 will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium on Sanibel, ...