Page:American Seashells (1954).djvu/525

Tellina iris Say Iris Tellin North Carolina to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and Bermuda. Yo inch in length, very similar to similis, and often as colorful, but very thin-shelled, translucent and more elongate. On the interior of the valves, the wavy oblique lines are evident, and there are 2 radial thickenings or weak, white, internal ribs at the posterior end. Common from intertidal flats to 20 fathoms. Tellina candeana Orbigny from the Lower Florida Keys and the West Indies commonly yellowish white and is more wedge-shaped (blunter at the anterior end) and, of course, has the peculiar sculpture of this subgenus. Subgenus Scrobiculina Dall 1900 Tellina magna Spengler Great Tellin Plate 40! North Carolina to southeast Florida and the West Indies. 3 to 4/4 inches in length, half as high, quite compressed and glossy- smooth. Posterior dorsal region dull, bordered by a weak, radial ridge. Left valve glossy white, rarely faintly yellowish; right valve glossy orange to pinkish and microscopically cut with concentric scratches. An uncommon and very lovely species much sought after by collectors. Found just below low tide in sand. Subgenus Eury tellina P. Fischer 1887 Tellina lineata Turton Rose Petal Tellin Plate 4oh All of Florida and the West Indies. 1 34 inches in length, moderately elongate, slightly inflated, solid and with a fairly strong twist to the right at the posterior end. Smoothish and glossy, but under a lens fine, concentric, crowded grooves may be seen. The outer surface has a slight opalescent sheen. Color pure-white or strongly flushed with watermelon-red. Pallial sinus just touches the anterior muscle scar, while in the similar but more elongate T. alternata it does not. Com- mon in shallow water. Tellina alternata Say Alternate Tellin Plate 4on North Carolina, Florida, and the Gulf States. 2 to 3 inches in length, elongate and compressed, solid, and with a moderately pointed and slightly twisted posterior end. Sculpture of numer-