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  • José H. Leal

Shell of the Week: The Cupola Vitrinella


The Cupola Vitrinella, Anticlimax pilsbryi (McGinty, 1945) is one of the most distinctive members of the microgastropod family Tornidae found along the coast of Southwest Florida. Larger shells of the species reach only about 3 mm (about 0.12 inch). As the common name implies, its shell is shaped like a cupola, with a strongly convex spire and relatively flat base. The shell sculpture consists of well-defined spiral lines consisting each of a microscopic zig-zag pattern. The base has a similar sculpture pattern, and the umbilicus is closed. The shell color is translucent white. The shell illustrated was collected in 2015 on the Lighthouse area of Sanibel by Phyllis Sharp.


The Cupola Vitrinella, Anticlimax pilsbryi. Photos by José H. Leal.

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