Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Dentaliidae

Dentalium laqueatum

(Verrill, 1885)

Reticulate Tusk Shell

Shell size to 24 mm; shell tubular, dull. Nine ribs evenly spaced. Intercostal spaces smooth. Shell slightly curved. Concentric undulating growth lines showing at irregular intervals. Aperture and apex circular. A deeper-water species, it is one of the less common tusk shells found on Sanibel/Captiva. (Entry prepared in cooperation with Rebecca Mensch.)