Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Mangeliidae

Kurtziella limonitella

(Dall, 1884)

Punctate Mangelia

Shell size to 9.5 The shell sculpture in this species comprises about 8-9 ribs on early whorls that increase in number to 14-15 on the last whorl of adult individuals. The microsculpture consists of fine spiral cords crossed by axial grooves; the intersections form little beads that impart a frosty appearance to the shell surface. The shell may be cream-colored, often with a combination of spiral light-orange spiral bands. The shell in the image was collected by Lois Dunnam on Gulfside City Park Beach, on Sanibel, in 1996.