Firstly, thank you so much for this great resource!  I would like some help, please, in identifying some shells that I found in a box from my mother’s estate marked, appropriately, “shells.”  I have browsed Hardy’s site, and think I have a few, but have no clue on others.  Thanks in advance for your help!

Hope these work!

http://www.badongo.com/pic/3429316

http://www.badongo.com/pic/3429329

http://www.badongo.com/pic/3429341

http://www.badongo.com/pic/3429349


P.S. I really do recognize a lightning whelk, but my son found it, and wanted me to add it.

Hello! Welcome to the site!

Picture 1:

1 and 2 - Cypraea tigris (Tiger Cowrie) Indo-Pacific
3 - Cypraea talpa (Mole Cowrie) Indo-Pacific
4 - A Top Shell, Trochus or Tectus, but the exact species is difficult to determine from this angle. A side view would be better. Perhaps Tectus conus.
5 - Architectonica trochlearis (Trochlear Sundial) Western Pacific
6 - Tridacna squamosa (Fluted Giant Clam) Indo-Pacific

Picture 2:

1 - Polished Turbo shell, species uncertain since most of the distinuishing characteristics have been ground/polished away, perhaps Turbo argyrostomus
2 - Turbo sp. picture too small, not enough detail for positive ID of species, perhaps Turbo stenogyrus
3 - Turbo marmoratus (Great Green Turban) Indo-Pacific
4 - Conus bandanus, Western Pacific, probably Philippines
5 - Murex (Chicoreus) cichoreum (Endive Murex) Western Pacific
6 - Mitra papalis (Papal Miter) Western Pacific

Picture 3:

1 - probably Murex (Hexaplex) brassica (Cabbage Murex) West Central America - would need a view of the underside to confirm this ID
2 - juvenile Cassis tuberosa (King Helmet) Florida/Caribbean
3 - Cassis cornuta (Horned Helmet) Western Pacific
4 - Lambis chiragra (Chiragra Spider Conch) Indo-Pacific
5 - Lambis crocata (Orange Spider Conch) Indo-Pacific
6 - Aulica imperialis (Imperial Volute) Philippines

Picture 4:

1 - Cymbiola magnifica (Magnificent Volute) Australia
2 - Spondylus sp. (Thorny Oyster) These are difficult to identify to species because they are so variable, but I think this one looks like Spondylus americanus (American Thorny Oyster) from Florida/Caribbean
3 - polished Turbo marmoratus
4 - juvenile Strombus gigas (Queen Conch or Pink Conch) Florida/Caribbean
5 - juvenile Busycon sinistrum (Busycon contrarium in older books) (Lightning Whelk) Southeastern United States  

--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2008-04-22 15:33:43 --

Wow - that was quick!  Thanks so much.