Southwest Florida Shells
by José H. Leal
Family Muricidae
Eupleura tampaensis
(Conrad, 1846)
Tampa Drill
Shell size up to 25 mm; shell thick, whorls with strongly angled periphery. Sculpture of about 12 strong axial ribs crossed by equally strong spiral cords, 5-7 on last whorl, 2 -3 on preceding whorls. Outer lip moderately thick, with 4-6 denticles on inner surface. Color dull brownish-gray. Aperture reddish-brown inside. This species is more common on the mainland areas of San Carlos and Estero bays in Lee County. The juvenile shell on the first supplementary image was collected by dredge off New Port Richey, Florida, by Laura Bedinger, and photographed by Joette Jernigan of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County in Tampa. The first and third images were of shells found by Ken Piech at Bunche Beach, Fort Myers, respectively in December and January 2021.