Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Teinostomatidae

Teinostoma incertum

(Pilsbry & McGinty, 1945)

Uncertain Vitrinella

This is a very small species, even for the small-sized family Tornidae. It reaches only about 2 mm (0.8 inch) in diameter. The shell is smooth, totaling only about 3.5 whorls, with an open umbilicus, and the callus is almost completely absent. The shell is compressed, with the apex projecting only slightly, the whorl profile rounded, and the aperture oblique. There are strong axial lines reaching adapically inside the umbilicus. The shell color in the Uncertain Vitrinella is translucent-white. The shell illustrated was collected in 2002 by Lois Dunnam at Gulfside City Park on Sanibel. Photos by James F. Kelly.