Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Cardiidae

Laevicardium angmagsalikense

Voskuil & Onverwagt, 1993

Northern Egg Cockle

Shell size to 63 mm; shell thin, light, inflated, ovate. Surface smooth, sometimes polished. Umbones rounded. Palial line simple. Ventral margin finely crenulated. Color cream or light-yellow, with yellow, orange, or brownish marks. Interior cream. Previously in this guide as Laevicardium oviputamen (Reeve, 1844), which is a junior synonym of L. serratum. Do not confuse with Laevicardium laevigatum, which is an Indo-West Pacific species. Previously in this guide as Laevicardium serratum, which may also be present in Southwest Florida, but which is a tropical species from the Caribbean, East Florida, and Florida Keys. This nominal species was named in 1993 and only recently was "discovered" as a member of the local community of shallow water mollusks. With many thanks to Jan Johan Ter Poorten for the identification of this taxon.