Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Columbellidae

Astyris lunata

(Say, 1826)

Lunar Dove Snail

Shell size to 5 mm; shell biconical. Surface smooth, glossy. Shell base with fine, incised spiral lines. Aperture narrow. Outer lip internally with four tooth-like projections. Color tan with crescent-shaped brown markings. This is a highly variable species throughout its distribution range. The additional picture (SEM) shows the protoconch and also how little shell sculpture detail there is in this species. The live animal was collected on seaweed after a storm, on Sanibel, January 2015.