The White Melampus, Ellobium dominicense (Férussac, 1821), is another close relatively of the local Coffee and Bubble Melampus (covered in the most recent “Shell of the Week” column). All Melampus belong to the family Ellobiidae, but the 3/4 –inch White Melampus is the only local species that has a light-colored shell. The White Melampus shell is light, thinner-walled, with faint growth lines. The species inhabits nearby estuarine areas, but its shells may sometimes be found on the Gulf beaches.
The White Melampus, Ellobium dominicense, from Sanibel Island. Photos by José H. Leal.