Wentletraps of Southwest Florida
- José H. Leal
- Jan 10
- 1 min read
Wentletraps (family Epitoniidae) are everlasting favorites here in Southwest Florida. Today I present a selection of species found on the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva islands: (1) Bladed Wentletrap (Epitonium albidum); (2) Dall’s Wentletrap (Cirsotrema dalli); (3) Angulate Wentletrap (Epitonium angulatum); (4) Humphrey’s Wentletrap (Epitonium humphreysii); (5) New England Wentletrap (Epitonium novangliae); (6) Matthews’s Wentletrap (Epitonium matthewsae); (7) Leal’s Wentletrap (Epitonium leali); (8) Brown-band Wentletrap (Gyroscala rupicola); (9) Tollin’s Wentletrap (Epitonium tollini). The individual photos are not at the same scale; click on each scientific name to see the relevant entries in our Southwest Florida Shells guide. All photos by José H. Leal.
I used to think shell collecting was child’s play, but seeing these exquisitely curved Wentletrap shells in person made me understand why people are so passionate about it. Each shell is like a racetrack in Drift Boss — intricate, artistic, and challenging to master. Looking at José H. Leal’s meticulous photos, I felt like I was driving through a real-life natural museum.
A great resource for geometry dash spam who loves biology and wants to learn about the beauty of the natural world in Southwest Florida.