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Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells

The following individuals and organizations helped

make it possible to publish this book in full color:

Will Harte
Houston Museum of Natural Science
(Lillie and Roy Cullen Endowment Fund)
Harvey Weil Trust (Rotary Club of Corpus Christi)
Houston Conchology Society
Dr. Harley Moody
J. Oscar Robinson
San Antonio Shell Club
Suncoast Conchologists
Stephen and Nancy Browning
Richard Hardin
Lillian Murray
Jan Roberts
Coastal Bend Shell Club
Brazosport Museum of Natural Science
Sea Shell Searchers of Brazoria County
North Texas Conchological Society

Harte Research Institute

for Gulf of Mexico Studies Series

Sponsored by
the Harte Research Institute
for Gulf of Mexico Studies,
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

John W. Tunnell Jr.,

General Editor
 Encyclopedia
of Texas Seashells
Identification, Ecology, Distribution, and History

By John W. Tunnell Jr., Jean Andrews, Noe C. Barrera,

& Fabio Moretzsohn

in collaboration with Roe Davenport

with contributions by David W. Hicks and Kim Withers

Tex as A& M Uni ve rsit y Pre ss • C o lle ge Statio n

Copyright © 2010 by John W. Tunnell, Jr.
Manufactured in China by, Everbest Printing Co.,
through FCI Print Group
All rights reserved
First edition

This paper meets the requirements of

ANSI / NISO Z39.48–1992 (Permanence of Paper).
Binding materials have been chosen for durability.

Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data

Encyclopedia of Texas seashells : identification, ecology, distribution,

and history / by John W. Tunnell, Jr. . . . [et al.]; with contributions by
David W. Hicks and Kim Withers.
– 1st ed.
p. cm. — (Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60344-141-4 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-60344-141-7 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. Shells–Texas–Gulf
Region–Encyclopedias. 2. Mollusks–Ecology–Texas–Gulf Region–En-
cyclopedias. I. Tunnell, John Wesley. II. Hicks, David W. III. Withers,
Kim. IV. Series: Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
series.
QL415.T4E53 2010
594.147'709764–dc22 2009031135

Chapter 6 designed by Noe C. Barrera

 This book is dedicated to our good friend
Roe Davenport
(March 8, 1939–October 10, 2005).

It was Roe’s passionate and meticulous work on

Texas seashells that inspired us to begin this project.
His untimely death strengthened our resolve to finish it.
Roe’s monthly trips along the Texas coast produced
not only a fantastic seashell collection
but also a fantastic collection of friends.
He was a joy and inspiration to all of us.

Roe Davenport, Lower Laguna Madre near U.S. Coast Guard Station on South Padre Island,
November 1995. Photograph by Rusti Stover.
 Contents

Preface ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1

CHAPTER
1. Shells in Texas Coastal History 5
Kim Withers
2. Chronology of Marine Malacology in Texas 21
3. Molluscan Ecology and Habitats 28
David W. Hicks
4. Collecting Seashells 76
5. General Features of Mollusks 81
6. Texas Seashells 97
Class Aplacophora 99
Class Polyplacophora (Chitons) 101
Class Gastropoda (Snails) 104
Class Cephalopoda (Squid, Octopus) 295
Class Bivalvia (Bivalves) 300
Class Scaphopoda (Tusk Shells) 388
Appendix: Outline of Classification and Checklist of Texas Seashells 393
Glossary 433
References 453
Index 479
 Preface

It was in late 1968 when I first met Jean Andrews, already fa- in the lab primarily involved the use of Jean’s shell books. They
mous on the Texas coast for her knowledge of Texas seashells, were the best available, with great photographs showing shell
even before her first book came out. It was in her home, strewn details better and larger than those in most other identification
with all kinds and sizes of seashells, that she gave me assistance guides or books.
with identifying shells collected on Seven and One-half Fathom A research project on the fauna associated with submerged
Reef off Padre Island. The project was my MS thesis (Tunnell banks on the outer Texas continental shelf and upper slope com-
1969) completed at Texas A&I University in Kingsville (now pleted for the U.S. Geological Survey in the late 1970s (Tunnell
Texas A&M University–Kingsville) under the direction of Allan et al. 1978) revealed many shells that were not in Jean’s books.
Chaney, my primary mentor for my professional career. Collect- Studies on the Flower Garden Banks (coral reefs) off Galveston
ing seashells together on the beach in Mexico, south of the Rio in the late 1990s also revealed many tropical species that were
Grande, first sparked my interest in seashells and, ultimately, not included. The need for a new expanded book, including
marine biology. offshore and tropical species, as well as updated taxonomy and
All of those shells in Jean’s studio, and in the rest of her house name changes, was evident. However, I did not have the time
and garage, became the subject of her MS thesis at Texas A&I or microphotographic ability to do the job. However, one of
University and of her first book, Sea Shells of the Texas Coast my former graduate students, Noe Barrera, while completing
(1971). She then headed to North Texas University to work on additional graduate courses, not only learned microphotogra-
her PhD and an updated version of the shell book, Shells and phy for the micromollusks (shells less than 10 mm, or ⅜ in)
Shores of Texas (1977). Small field guides were subsequently but also learned Adobe InDesign, a book-publishing program
made from the larger shell books (Texas Shells—A Field Guide, used by professionals.
1981; A Field Guide to Shells of the Texas Coast, 1991); scientists, I contacted Jean and asked if she would join us in updating
students, and agency personnel alike have used both, which are a new book on Texas seashells and if we could use her book
widely acclaimed to be excellent works. While working on her format and some information as a template. She agreed but
PhD in art, Andrews switched from seashells to peppers and said, “Let’s hurry before I croak!” Thus, the compilation began
published a number of definitive works, ultimately becoming in 1999.
known as “The Pepper Lady.” Because the genus of pepper Working with Roe Davenport, the most knowledgeable
plants, Capsicum, the most used spice in the world, had never Texas conchologist (seashell collector) I have ever met, we began
been illustrated, she decided to illustrate it in her books. compiling a new list of Texas mollusks ranging from the Texas
My career path took a different route. I was drafted into the coast, across the continental shelf, and down the continental
U.S. Army (1969–71) before working on my PhD at the Uni- slope to the deep (abyss) Gulf of Mexico. This effort almost
versity of South Florida (1971–72) and Texas A&M University tripled the number of species from 325 to 900. Originally, Roe
(1972–74). At Texas A&M, I studied the mollusks of two coral was going to write chapter 4 and provide his expertise and ex-
reefs off the State of Veracruz, Mexico, which introduced me to perience of many years collecting seashells along the entire Texas
many tropical seashells (Tunnell 1974). coast. He had envisioned describing his favorite shelling spots
I then began my career at Texas A&M University–Corpus and where to find certain species that only he knew. Unfortu-
Christi (TAMU–CC; formerly known as University of Cor- nately, Roe’s premature passing in 2005 left us without that
pus Christi, Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi, and knowledge. Therefore, chapter 4 will present some information
Corpus Christi State University), which involved teaching and on shell collecting in general and will refer the reader to Jean
research in coastal ecology, coral reef ecology, and the study of Andrews’s account of “A Shell Collecting Trip” along the Texas
mollusks. Following Allan Chaney’s example and tutelage, all coast in her book Shells and Shores of Texas (1977), which is still
my classes were lab and field oriented. For example, Biology of relevant and interesting.
the Mollusca was a graduate class involving field trips to various Using my university shell collection and Roe’s personal col-
marine habitats in the Texas Coastal Bend and one week-long lection, Noe began photographing all micromollusks, and John
field trip to tropical marine environments along the central and Woelke, another TAMU–CC student, began photographing
southern Veracruz coast of Mexico. Identification of Texas shells all the macro species. For species missing in our collections, we

ix
PREFACE

relied on friends and colleagues and borrowed specimens from After we had photographed shells and compiled informa-
other collections: Connie Boone and Tina Petway, Houston tion for several years, word got out about the new Texas shell
Museum of Natural Sciences; Dr. Mary Wicksten, Texas Coop- book being developed. Shellers began telling us that we “had”
erative Wildlife Collection, Texas A&M University; and Janey to do the book in color. Fortunately, Noe and John had taken
Nill, Brazosport Museum. We extend our sincere appreciation the pictures in color (in digital format), so it was only a matter
to all who helped. Sadly, Connie Boone passed away during of cost. Not wanting the book to be outrageously expensive,
preparation of this book. we asked Shannon Davies, our natural science editor at Texas
Fabio Moretzsohn, my postdoctoral research associate work- A&M University Press, to quote the cost of doing the book in
ing on our Harte Research Institute Biodiversity of the Gulf full color. We then obtained the necessary additional funds with
of Mexico Project, joined us in the overall book effort. Fabio major contributions from the Houston Museum of Natural Sci-
received his PhD in malacology, the scientific study of mol- ence (Cullen Endowment) and Will Harte. Interestingly, Will’s
lusks, from the University of Hawaii. He studied under E. Al- father, Ed Harte, contributed funding to the color photos in
lison Kay and brought fresh new ideas and concepts to the Jean’s second book, Shells and Shores of Texas.
project. In the preface of Shells and Shores of Texas, Jean mentioned
Two of my former PhD students, now professional scien- that her friend Albert Heine stated, “We shall look forward to
tists, agreed to contribute one chapter each. Kim Withers, an the ‘Son of Seashells’” at the reception honoring publication of
associate research scientist at the Center for Coastal Studies her first book, Sea Shells of the Texas Coast. Jean then mentioned,
at TAMU–CC, wrote about the use of shells in Texas history “It is the nature of this changing world that a ‘Grandson of
and culture. David Hicks, associate professor of biology at the Seashells’ will one day supersede the son.” Three decades later
University of Texas at Brownsville, covered Texas coastal and the grandson has arrived as Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells.
marine ecology and habitats.
John W. Tunnell Jr.

x
 Acknowledgments

It takes many people and organizations to compile the neces- Roger Bennett (Texas Commission on Environmental Qual-
sary information, locate and photograph specimens, and find ity) provided some specimens and excellent habitat / field pho-
all the pertinent literature for a volume such as this. Museum tos, and Russell Hooten (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department)
collections and the people who work with them are acknowl- drew several specimens by hand. Personnel from the Center for
edged, particularly for providing assistance with specimens and Coastal Studies and Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico
information: Houston Museum of Natural Sciences—Lisa Re- Studies at Texas A&M University provided various kinds of as-
bori, John Wise, Tina Petway, John McAlpin, Bianca Guer- sistance, but we individually thank Gail Sutton, Blenda Bligh,
rero, and Eydie Rojas; Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection— Dixie Smith, Brien Nicolau, and the late Carl Beaver.
Mary Wicksten; Brazosport Museum of Natural Science, and Emma Hickerson and G. P. Schmahl (Flower Garden Banks
Bailey- Matthews Shell Museum—José H. Leal. National Marine Sanctuary), Quenton Dokken (Gulf of Mex-
Several shell collectors provided specimens from their per- ico Foundation), and Steve Gittings (National Oceanic and
sonal collections for study, including Roe Davenport, Emilio F. Atmospheric Administration) assisted with diving and access
García, Janie Nill, and Roger Bennett. Many others provided to the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. John
taxonomic assistance with certain species or groups: Gary Woelke and Jeff Janko provided photographic expertise for most
Rosenberg (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia); macromollusks (those larger than 10 mm), and Tom C. Shir-
Amélie H. Scheltema (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institu- ley (Harte Research Institute) made available his laboratory
tion); Daniel Geiger (Santa Barbara Museum of Natural His- and digital camera that was used for some microphotography.
tory); James McLean (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Femorale.com (José and Marcus Coltro) provided photographs
County); Alan Kohn (University of Washington); Emilio F. of Aliger gallus, Emma Hickerson contributed a photo of a live
García (University of Louisiana at Lafayette), Robert Robertson Nodipecten fragosus, and Doug Weaver (Harte Research Insti-
(Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia); Paula Mik- tute) supplied images of multibeam and side-scan sonar, as well
kelsen (Paleontological Research Institution); José Leal (Bailey- as 3-D models from offshore banks in Texas.
Matthews Shell Museum); Bill Lyons; and Donna Turgeon. We are especially thankful that a group of individuals and
We particularly thank Paula Mikkelsen and Emilio F. García organizations provided funding so that the book could be pub-
for their excellent reviews and helpful suggestions. Rebekah lished in full color: Will Harte; Houston Museum of Natural
Thomas (Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi) did a final Science (Lillie and Roy Cullen Endowment Fund); Rotary Club
and thorough review of the entire book, which considerably of Corpus Christi (Harvey Weil Trust); Houston Conchology
improved the manuscript. Jochen Gerber (Field Museum of Society; Harley Moody; J. Oscar Robinson; San Antonio Shell
Natural History) and Stephanie A. Clark (Chicago Academy Club; Suncoast Conchologists; Stephen and Nancy Browning;
of Sciences) also made useful suggestions. Richard Hardin; Lillian Murray; Jan Roberts; Coastal Bend
Several friends from Texas shell clubs shared information, Shell Club; Brazosport Museum of Natural Science; Sea Shell
invited us to give presentations about the book, and provided Searchers of Brazoria County; and North Texas Conchological
good suggestions, including Leslie Crnkovic, Tina and Frank Society.
Petway, Darwin Alder, and Lucy Clampit (Houston Conchol- Fabio Moretzsohn also would like to remember the late Os-
ogy Society); Jean Dickman and Bob Nixon (San Antonio Shell mar Domaneschi (Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil) and E.
Club); Theresa Stelzig, Alice Pullin, and Teri White (Coastal Alison Kay (University of Hawaii at Manoa), his undergraduate
Bend Shell Club); and Janie Nill, Wanda and Steven Coker, and PhD advisers, respectively, both of whom recently passed
and Wayne and Patty Humbird (Sea Shell Searchers of Brazo- away, for being such influential mentors and for introducing
ria County). We thank Harry G. Lee of Jacksonville, Florida; Fabio to malacology.
Marlo Krisberg of Merritt Island, Florida; and many others at Last, but certainly not least, we wish to thank our families
Conch- L for information on Gulf of Mexico mollusks. We for their continuing support during this long production pro-
also thank Tom Eichhorst, editor of American Conchologist, for cess, especially Kathy Tunnell, Alma B. Barrera, and Heather
helping publicize the book. Moretzsohn.

xi
Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells
 Introduction

Primitive humans used mollusks for food and their shells as research has been done on this mollusk. The Texas Game and
tools, containers, objects of adornment, fetishes, and currency. Fish Commission, now the Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart-
Kitchen middens, trash mounds, and grave sites throughout the ment, published a bulletin in 1959 (Hofstetter) on oyster re-
world bear witness to the dependency of humans on mollusks search that is worthy of study. In Texas, Sammy Ray at Texas
for survival and as an integral part of their culture. Indeed, A&M University at Galveston has studied oyster biology and
much has been written about the way humans have employed diseases for over 60 years. The use of oysters as food can pose
shells. Roderick Cameron (1961) in his book Shells, Peter Dance problems in some areas of the world. For example, some mol-
(1966) in Shell Collecting: An Illustrated History, and R. Tucker lusks, mostly freshwater, carry diseases that are harmful to hu-
Abbott (1976) in Kingdom of the Seashell devote much space to mans. Contamination is another danger, but national, state,
this interesting relationship. They cite primitive humans’ use and / or local health regulations regarding handling and pack-
of mollusks as axes, spears, utensils, ornaments, knives, and aging of seafood make poisoning by contaminated mollusks
trumpets, as well as a dietary staple. a negligible problem. However, private citizens who collect
It is also possible to trace uses of shells in Texas. For example, filter-feeding bivalves (oysters, mussels, clams) should be care-
the native Karankawas used shells in many ways, and numerous ful because contaminants can concentrate in certain tissues of
mounds of mollusk shells abound around Copano Bay. Around these animals.
the kitchen middens and trash mounds of the Karankawas are The shells of mollusks have many long-standing, popular
awls and drills made from the columella of the Busycon, beads uses, and museums and curio shops are replete with items deco-
made from Oliva sayana, and scrapers made from the Busycon rated with shells. Beads, bracelets, rattles, drums, and trumpets
and Macrocallista nimbosa. Due to the shortage of rock in the carved from shells all found popularity with early humans. In
area, natives sometimes fashioned arrowheads from shell. In the priceless pre-Columbian trumpet displayed in a Mexico
addition, Cabeza de Vaca, in trading with the coastal peoples, City museum, one is thrilled to recognize the large spired horse
found that shells were a valuable item of exchange. For more conch from the Gulf of Mexico. Many people cannot resist a
information on this topic, Kim Withers has nicely expanded on beautiful cameo carved from the colorful shell of the Cassis snail.
this historical use of shells in Texas in chapter 1. In fact, cameo carving is still an important industry in Italy, and
Mollusks have always been considered a dietary delicacy, precious jewelry made from shells, mounted shells, and shells
and their cultivation for food dates back to Roman times, transformed into silver-rimmed boxes are becoming increasingly
when runners would carry fresh Mediterranean oysters to the popular. Today such items can be found in expensive specialty
Caesars; in North America, runners transported fresh Pacific shops throughout the United States.
oysters to the Moctezumas. In coastal Texas, kitchen middens Pearls produced by the family Pteriidae, the pearl oyster, have
and trash mounds affirm the dietary importance of the oyster been prized since the time of the earliest humans. Except for
to the Karankawas. In modern times, the most important use use as food, perhaps the most important industry employing
of the mollusk is as food; even though many mollusks found in mollusks is the pearl industry. The iridescent, nacreous layer, or
the Gulf of Mexico are edible, the only mollusk produced com- “mother-of-pearl,” from certain mollusks is used in the manu-
mercially is the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin).1 facture of buttons, knife handles, inlays, studs, and brooches.
Humans are not the only animals to rely on these oysters as Natural pearls result from a foreign body entering the shell
food; several important game fishes depend on oyster beds for and causing an irritation in the soft tissues of the animal. In its
their subsistence, and therefore, so do the sportsmen and sport- attempt to protect itself by coating the irritant with a smooth
ing goods dealers. covering of nacre, the mollusk produces a pearl. Perfect pearls
Because of the oyster’s importance as a source of food, much formed this way are highly treasured. The production of culti-
vated pearls (cultured pearls) is a large industry in Japan, where
1. The Donax, or coquina shell, found in barrier-island surf, can become a delicate foreign particles are intentionally inserted into the living mol-
chowder; the adductor muscle of the Atrina, or pen shell, rivals that of the eastern lusk, which it subsequently covers with nacre, producing a pearl.
scallop; Mercenaria, once used as wampum (shells used as currency), produces a
succulent chowder if enough can be harvested; however, clams are not abundant in
Other mollusks produce pearls and mother-of-pearl, but those
waters within easy access along the Texas coastline. of the Pteriidae are of the greatest commercial value.

1
INTRODUCTION

Operating from a slightly different angle, however, is the culture can be found in certain areas of rural Texas colonized
minor industry of shell-based curio manufacture. On the Texas by Anglo-Americans from the southern part of the United
coast, many lovely, natural forms of shells, most of which are States. In these areas, in the smoothly scraped, older cemeter-
shipped in from the Pacific and Florida, are converted into often ies, one will find primitive grave mounds ornamented with
grotesque or gaudy animals, lamps, or ashtrays as reminders to shells. The German and Mexican settlers who arrived later con-
tourists of their visit to the shores of Texas. Typically, a shell that tinued this practice, using it as a symbol of participation in a
never saw the waters of Texas when alive tenders a slogan such mother-goddess cult. As this practice was adopted from Anglo-
as, “Greetings from Padre Island.” Americans, it was not typical of the German or Mexican culture
Although shells have primarily been used as ornaments and anywhere except in Texas. And unless the cemeteries were in
tools, the importance of shells as currency cannot be overlooked. close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the shells used to deco-
In fact, this practice has not become completely obsolete, for rate these grave mounds came from nearby streams and rivers.
even in recent times England imported tons of cowrie shell to The mollusk has influenced art in many ways. For example,
be exchanged for West African products. In North America, the existence of the ancient Phoenician empire as a world power
Native Americans laboriously manufactured shell money, which was dependent on Tyrian purple, a dye produced by a mollusk
was called wampum. Wampum consisted of strings of cylindri- of the Murex family. During the Renaissance, artists not only
cal shell beads, each about a quarter of an inch in length and depicted shells in their paintings but also found a practical use
half that in breadth. The beads produced were of two colors, for them as containers for paint after mixing pigments. In 1817,
white and purple, the latter being more valuable. Mercenaria Georges Cuvier used sepia from dissected cephalopods to il-
mercenaria, a common clam, furnished the largest portion of the lustrate his anatomy of the Mollusca. Artists and writers have
wampum. Due to the extensive use of wampum, trade routes of used ink from various cephalopods for at least 2000 years to
North America can be determined because of the presence of record their work, although sepia ink from the Mediterranean
marine shells, transported by trade, in locations far from their cuttlefish is the most highly prized. Because sepia ink is not
natural habitats. permanent, modern substitutes have largely replaced the use
The mollusk also appears frequently in art and literature, of true sepia ink.
and throughout history shells have often been used as cultural Humans have also greatly valued discarded shells, particu-
symbols. When the Crusaders invaded the Middle East, they larly as building material. Crushed shell, primarily oyster, was
adopted the European Jacob’s scallop as their emblem. After used in the building of railway and highway roadbeds, although
the Crusades, they made pilgrimages to Santiago de Com- in recent decades controversy over the issue has diminished this
postela in Spain, purportedly the location of the tomb of the practice. The high calcium content of oyster shell (98%–99%
Apostle James, where they collected scallop shells on the nearby as compared to 96% in limestone) makes it a good source of
beaches. These shells were highly valued, and pilgrims carried lime in the manufacture of Portland cement. Chemical compa-
them home as symbols of a successful journey. Soon, however, nies along the coast use shell in the production of caustic soda
people began selling scallop shells at places other than Santiago and other chemicals. Before the Civil War, a material called
de Compostela, and their religious symbolism was diminished. “shellcrete” was used in building many of the early homes in
In order to stop the inappropriate selling of these religious icons, Corpus Christi. The Centennial House, 411 North Broadway,
the pope decreed that anyone who sold scallop shells outside built in 1848–49, is the oldest standing example—its founda-
Santiago de Compostela would be excommunicated. tion and walls are made of shellcrete—and the first two-story
The same scallop shell, Pecten jacobeus, serves as the familiar home erected in Corpus Christi. To produce shellcrete, workers
trademark of a Dutch petroleum company. This company once gathered oyster shell along the bay front and then burned it
imported the shells to sell to collectors and to trade for use as in shallow pits to be converted into lime, which, while still in
money with indigenous people located in outlying colonies. a solid form, was placed in barrels to be air-slaked. This lime
As a sideline, the company began selling petroleum products. was used with an aggregate of crushed shell, sand, and water
The original purpose of the company is but a memory, yet and subsequently poured into wooden molds to make building
today its oil tankers are each named for, and decorated with, a blocks. Old buildings constructed in this manner have walls
seashell. Other shells have been used as symbols or in art and 304 to 457 mm (12 to 18 in) thick that can be demolished only
culture. For example, the pearly chambered nautilus, found in with dynamite. Additionally, in the Rockport area, many roofs
the southwest Pacific, has a faultless symmetry that has inspired used to be covered with shell, as were driveways and sidewalks.
design the world over. However, the veneration of the chank So valuable was the use of shell in construction that veritable
shell, Turbinella pyrum, by the Hindus of India is arguably one mountains of oyster shell could be seen being transported by
of the most unique uses of a shell. These shells are considered barges on the Intracoastal Canal between 1930 and 1970.
to be sacred symbols of the many-armed Hindu god Vishnu; all In spite of the long-standing positive relationship between
images of Vishnu bear a chank shell in one hand. humans and mollusks, mollusks can be harmful to humans.
Additional evidence of the importance of shells in human Some, like the Teredo, or shipworm, destroy wooden structures

2
 Introduction

in the sea by burrowing into the center of exposed wood. In marine environments from the shoreline to the deep Gulf of
fact, in 1917 the shipworms were so devastating that in San Mexico (Fig. 1.1). The book is intended for use by scientists,
Francisco, ferry slips collapsed; warehouses and freight cars students, and shell collectors, as well as industry and agency
crashed into the bay, with destruction reaching catastrophic personnel dealing with Texas mollusks in their natural environ-
proportions. Losses in this one disaster were estimated to be ment. In particular, this edition expands the former Andrews
$25 million. Damage by this family of mollusks probably ex- books (1971, 1977) by adding offshore and tropical species
ceeds the total income from the sale of mollusks for food and and updates of taxonomy and name changes. The book also
all other purposes. Applying creosote and other chemicals can includes general historical and cultural information, including
retard the onslaught of boring mollusks, but there is no sure the various uses of mollusks / seashells; a chronology of marine
defense against this kind of attack. As yet, the Teredo is not a conchology and malacology in Texas; mollusk habitats, biology,
major problem on the Texas coast, but its control is a continu- and ecology along the Texas coast; and basic aspects of shell
ous struggle. collecting as a hobby and in science.
In Texas, the severe extremes of physical factors make an This volume differs from those of Andrews in the systematic
inhospitable environment for shell-making species; yet much coverage of species in several ways: (1) for students interested in
molluscan life can be found. Admittedly, the Texas coast does molluscan biology, we present an overview of each family im-
not rival the western coast of Florida, but Texas has enough mediately before the species descriptions; (2) we include more
specimens to keep the enthusiast busy for many a day. More photos and species; and (3) we include assemblage photos of
than 100,000 molluscan species are known in the world; ap- dominant species within primary Texas coastal and marine
proximately 2455 of those species can be found in the Gulf of habitats.
Mexico (Moretzsohn et al. 2009). There are probably over 1000 Although this book specifically focuses on the molluscan/sea-
species of marine mollusks in Texas, ranging from the shore- shell fauna of Texas from the shore to the deep Gulf of Mexico,
line within bays and lagoons, across the continental shelf and it will be particularly useful in other adjacent geographic re-
down the continental slope, to the deepest parts of the Gulf of gions of the western Atlantic because it covers warm temper-
Mexico. We list 900 Texas species in this book. ate (Carolinian) and tropical (Caribbean) species that range
The purpose of this book is primarily to provide an up- from the southeastern United States to northeastern South
to-date identification guide of Texas seashells spanning all America.

3
 chapter 

Shells in Texas Coastal History

kim withers

For millennia, Texas mollusks have been important as food, and vast Texas coastal plain gives way to offshore Gulf waters that
their shells have been fashioned into tools and ornaments and deepen gradually over the broad, shallow continental shelf (Fig.
used as building materials. They even lit streetlamps in Houston 1.1). Along the coast, windswept beaches face the Gulf on sandy
during the 1860s, when a gas was produced by burning oyster peninsulas and long barrier islands where beachcombers can
shells together with coal. Today, some species continue to pro- search for shells thrown onshore by wind and surf (Fig. 1.2).
vide tasty meals, but their shells are mostly collected by amateur Wetland and shallow submerged habitats such as seagrass beds
hobbyists (conchologists) and professional malacologists, the and oyster reefs within the enclosed lagoons and bays support
scientists who study shells. Only slightly above sea level, the a wide variety of interesting and edible mollusks, as well as

Figure 1.1. View of the Texas coastal plain in relation to the Edwards Plateau to the north and the rest of the Gulf of Mexico coast
and continental shelf.

5
CHAPTER 1

become the contiguous United States, glaciers covered most of

the upper Midwest, New England, and parts of Montana and
Washington. Sea level was 91–137 m (299–449 ft) lower than
today (Curray 1960), and the Texas shoreline was about 80 km
(50 mi) east of its present position (Tunnell 2002a; Fig. 1.3).
At that time, there were no bays; rivers in deeply cut valleys
flowed directly into the sea. Estuarine development was prob-
ably very limited because estuaries are both smaller and rarer
during glacial periods than during nonglacial periods (Day et al.
1989). During the last 1 million years, sea levels similar to the
relatively high levels of today and extensive estuaries existed
only 10%–20% of the time. On geologic time scales, estuaries
are ephemeral and expand or disappear quickly in response to
changing sea levels.
Between 10,000–12,000 and 18,000 years ago, the last ice
Figure 1.2. Beachcomber on Padre Island, the longest barrier island in age waned and sea level began to rise. Although fluctuating
the world. Photograph by Kim Withers. up and down slightly over the next several millennia, sea level
continued to rise until it reached essentially modern levels be-
fish, crustaceans, and birds. These marine and estuarine en- tween 3000 and 4500 years ago. As sea level rose, it drowned the
vironments have provided and continue to provide the rich, deeply cut river valleys on the Texas coast and formed the bays
diverse habitats needed as the long history of shell exploitation and estuaries that exist today. Once sea levels stabilized, sand-
continues in Texas today. bars and shoals that had formed offshore began to merge (Weise
and White 1980). Pleistocene river-delta and barrier-island de-
posits, laid down when sea levels were low, eroded; and waves,
Geologic History of the Texas Coast currents, and rivers carried sand to the sandbars. The sandbars
emerged as a chain of short barrier islands located between the
The role of shells in Texas coastal history begins with the coast Late Pleistocene river valleys that served as tidal passes lead-
and the processes by which it was formed. The coastline we see ing to the bays and lagoons behind the newly formed islands.
today is largely the product of geologic and geomorphologic The barrier islands continued to grow through “spit accretion”
processes begun at the height of the last Pleistocene glacial pe- as sand carried by longshore currents was deposited on their
riod about 18,000 years ago. Then, the majority of Earth’s water downcurrent ends; eventually the many short islands merged
was locked up in the ice sheets that covered all of Greenland and into the few long islands that are present today. Although ero-
most of Canada, Alaska, and northern Eurasia. In what would sional / depositional processes on parts of the barrier islands of

Figure 1.3. Evolution of the Texas coastline starting at the glacial maximum 18,000 years ago to about 3000 years ago when sea level was essentially the
same as today. Modified and redrawn from Weise and White (1980).

6
 Shells in Texas Coastal History

the central coast (e.g., northern Padre Island, Mustang Island) of small, isolated outcrops that extend south from Penascal
are currently in equilibrium, most of the rest of the coast is Point (Baffin Bay) for at least 10 km (6.2 mi) (Prouty 1994).
eroding. Outcroppings of the rock are found both in the shallow wa-
ters of the Laguna Madre as well as on the shore, where they
extend inland only about 150 m (492 ft). The rock consists of
Shell Beaches and Coquina whole shells, shell fragments, detrital material, and clay that
are held together in a sandy limestone matrix. The fossilized
As much as 80% of the sediment on beaches on central Padre shells include both beach and bay species: ponderous ark (No-
Island consists of shell and shell fragments (Watson 1971). Sim- etia ponderosa), ark shells (Anadara spp.), and southern qua-
ilarly, along the mainland shore of Laguna Madre, outcroppings hog (Mercenaria campechiensis) from the beach; eastern oyster
of lithified shell beach sediments, or coquina, can be found (Fig. (Crassostrea virginica), cross-barred venus (Chione elevata), thick
1.4). These outcroppings are part of the Ingleside complex, lucine (Lucina pectinata), and bay scallop (Argopecten irradians
a sandy outcropping thought to represent an offshore bar or amplicostatus) from the bays.
barrier island that formed during the Farmdalian interstadial Two assemblages of shells make up the shell beach on today’s
period (a temporary sea-level highstand during a glacial period) Padre Island (Watson 1971). In the northernmost area, known
23,000–33,000 years ago (Prouty 1994). Both of these shell as “Little Shell” (Fig. 1.5), coquina shell (Donax variabilis) dom-
beaches probably formed through the same mechanisms but inates. The southern area immediately south of Little Shell and
during widely separated time periods (Watson 1971). extending to a few miles north of Mansfield Pass is “Big Shell”
The coquina along the Laguna Madre shoreline consists (Fig. 1.6), where the assemblage consists of ponderous ark,

Figure 1.4. Coquina,

or lithified beach
sediments, at Baffin
Bay. Top photograph
Figure 1.5. The part
shows the outcrop;
of Padre Island known
lower photograph
as “Little Shell.” Top
shows a close-up
photograph shows an
of the rock. Photo-
overall view; lower
graphs by Jennifer
photograph shows a
Smith-Engle.
close-up of the beach
shell. Photographs by
Jennifer Smith-Engle.

7
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