Eastern Melampus

Shell size to 13 mm; shell ovate-conical, thin, bullet-shaped, widest at posterior (upper) third. Spire low. Aperture about ¾ of shell length. Columella with two folds. Outer lip with 1-4 denticles. Color brown or grayish-brown, with 3-5 darker brown bands. Animal reddish-brown. Lives on marshy areas/mud flats. Shell collected by Sanibel School student Claire Minoui. The secondary picture shows a less common local variation with smaller number of narrower brown stripes.