The Atlantic Fig Snail

The Atlantic Fig Snail, Ficus papyratia (Say, 1822), belongs in the category of the desirable local shells. Its shell is thin, and shaped like a fig (or a pear). The shell opening, or aperture, tapers gently toward the extremity of the anterior canal. The shell color is pinkish-gray to light-tan. The animal is cream-colored with dark and whitish spots. The Fig Snail’s egg cases are stacked on top of one another and attached at one small area of the fluted edge.

The Atlantic Fig Snail. The egg cases in the picture were laid at the Shell Museum live tank. The live animal was photographed by Amy Tripp on Kice Island, Collier Co., Florida.

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