Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Tellinidae

Tellinella mexicana

(Petit de la Saussaye, 1841)

Mexican Tellin

Shell size to 60 mm; shell elongate, compressed, strong. Shell twists to right on posterior end. Sculpture of regularly spaced concentric cordlets. Two strong ridges present parallel and close to postero-dorsal margin. Ligament elongate, sunken, dark-brown. Color white with brown tent-like or zigzag markings arranged in rays. In sand. This species was traditionally considered to be a synonym of Tellinella listeri (Röding, 1798). This latter though, has a taller shell, less coarse sculpture, and more subdued (less contrast) color pattern.