Page:American Seashells (1954).djvu/332

Family VOLUTIDAE Subfamily VOLUTINAE Genus Voluta Linne 1758 Valuta musica Linne Common Music Volute Plate i3g Caribbean area. 2 to 2% inches in length, heavy and with a polished finish. 3 nuclear whorls bulbous and yellowish. 3 postnuclear whorls plicate at the shoulder. Columella with about 9 evenly spaced folds. Characterized by the pinkish cream background and 2 to 3 spiral bands of fine lines which are dotted with darker brown (the musical notes). A moderately common West Indian species not found in the United States, but a favorite with collectors. A num- ber of useless names have been applied to the numerous variations of this species. This is one of the few volutes to have an operculum. Voluta virescens Solander Green Music Volute Lower Florida Keys (rare) and the Caribbean. 2 inches in length, moderately heavy with the aperture % the total length of the shell. Whorls flat-sided and with weak, axial nodules high on the shoulder. Numerous spiral, incised lines and fine threads present. Colu- mella with about a dozen folds of variable sizes. Exterior dull greenish brown with weak, narrow, spiral bands of lighter color dotted with black-brown. Aperture pale cream to gray within. A rare species in southeast Florida, but not uncommon along the northern coast of South America. Subjamily SCAPHELLINAE Genus Scaphella Swainson 1832 Scaphella junonia Shaw The Junonia Plate i3f North Carolina to both sides of Florida to Texas. 5 to 6 inches in length, rather solid and smooth. 4 folds on the colu- mella. Characterized by the cream background and the spiral rows of small reddish brown dots. Moderately common from i to 30 fathoms, but rarely washed ashore. A golden form occurs off Alabama (subspecies johnstoneae Clench 1953) and specimens from Yucatan have a white background with smaller spots (subspecies Imtleri Clench 1953). About 50 specimens a year are found on west Florida beaches, and many more are brought in by fisher- men.