Seashells of the Texas coast: Many more than you might think!
Fabio MoretzsohnHarte Research Institute
The Aquarium at Rockport HarborAugust 1st, 2012
Previous Texas Seashell BooksSeashells of the Texas
CoastJean Andrews, 1971
• 350 common species• Landmark reference for
Texas seashells• Ecology, habitat• Long out-of-print
Previous Texas Seashell BooksShells and Shores of TexasJean Andrews, 1977
• 350 common species• Landmark reference for
Texas seashells• Ecology, habitat• Long out-of-print
Andrews FormatShells and Shores of Texas• Great black and white
photography• Shell description, size• Distribution• Habitat• Geologic range• Remarks
Authors:John W. Tunnell, Jr.
Jean AndrewsNoe Barrera
Fabio Moretzsohn
Collaborators:Kim Withers
David W. Hicks
2010
Authors
Wes Tunnell, Jean Andrews and Noe Barrera
Jean Andrews and Fabio Moretzsohn
Kim WithersDavid Hicks
Collaborators
Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells• Book Series: Harte Research Institute for Gulf
of Mexico Studies Series• General Editor: John W. Tunnell, Jr.• Sponsored by: Harte Research Institute (HRI)
for Gulf of Mexico Studies Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
• Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
The following individuals and organizations helped make it possible to publish this book in full color:
• Will Harte• Houston Museum of Natural Science (Lillie and Roy Cullen Endowment Fund)• Harvey Weil Trust (Rotary Club of Corpus Christi)• Houston Conchology Society• Dr. Harley Moody• J. Oscar Robinson• San Antonio Shell Club• Suncoast Conchologists• Stephen and Nancy Browning• Richard Hardin• Lillian Murray• Jan Roberts• Coastal Bend Shell Club• Brazosport Museum of Natural Science• Sea Shell Searchers of Brazoria County• North Texas Conchological Society
DedicationRoe Davenport
Photo by Rusti Stover
Contents/Chapters1. History2. Texas Malacology3. Ecology and Habitats4. Collecting5. Features6. Texas Seashells• Checklist• Glossary (900+)• References (750)• Index Total pages: 512
New Format• Each described and
illustrated in color• Only records from
museums, literature and self-collected
• Updated taxonomy• Intended for scientists,
students, resource managers, shell collectors
• 900 speciesBook design by N. Barrera
Reasons for increase in species• Andrews included only self-collected species• More comprehensive coverage (to deep Gulf; tropical
species)• Micromollusks (about 1/3 of species)• New records and range extensions• Dee water and rare species• Shell-less mollusks• Non-indigenous species spreading into the Gulf of
Mexico• New species descriptions
Source of specimens• Houston Museum of Natural Science• Roe Davenport collection (now at TAMU-CC)• Texas A&M University, College Station
(Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection)• Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi• Emilio F. García collection• Janey Nill collection• Brazosport Museum of Natural Science• Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum• Roger Bennett
Flower Garden Banks
Tropical Microgastropods
Barrera (2001) added 100 new records for Texas and many for Gulf of Mexico
Photos by N. Barrera
Photos by N. Barrera
Ammonicera minortalisOmalogyridae
Flower Garden Banks
Smallest Texas Seashell
TexasMicromollusk
Triplofusus giganteus
Horse Conch
Fasciolariidae
Photo by F. Moretzsohn at the Texas State Aquarium
Entemnotrochus adansonianusPleurotomariidae
Flower Garden Banks, below 100 m
Photos by J. Janko (Tunnell, 1973)
Perna pernaMytilidae
(Hicks and Tunnell, 1993, 1995)
Photo by J. Woelke
Invasive Species
Holotype HMNS, Port Aransas, Texas Photo by F. Moretzsohn
New SpeciesConus sauros García, 2006 Conidae
Ch. 1. History of Shell Use in Texas (Withers)
Remnants of shellcrete building at Copano Bay
Photo by J. Tarkington
Gathering oysters in early 1900’s
Photo courtesy of Aransas Pass Historical Society
Ch. 1 – History (cont.)
Oyster shell roof
Photo by J. Tarkington
Oyster shell driveway
Photo by J. Tarkington
Shell beads and “tinklers” fashioned from olive shells
Photo by Texas Archaeology Research Laboratory, UT Austin
First, Minor Expeditions to
Region
Major Expeditions to Region
WWI
Depression
WWII
Species accumulation curve
Ch. 2. Chronology of Texas Malacology
Ch. 3 - Major molluscan habitats (Hicks)Bay-estuary-lagoon (protected)• Coastal marshes • Open bay bottoms• Oyster reefs• Seagrass meadows• Wind-tidal, sand and mud flats• Mangrove
Open shelf (unprotected)• Jetties (artificial)• Sandy beach• Continental shelf• Reefs and Banks (e.g. Flower Garden Banks)• Artificial habitats (offshore oil platforms, sunken ships)
Assemblage plates• Some of the
common species
Photos by N. Barrera, J. Woelke and J. Janko
Sandy beach assemblages Seven and One-half Fathom Reef assemblage
Ch. 4 – Collecting Seashells• Regulations and “Sheller’s Creed”• Collecting• Buying• Trading• Grading• Maintaining• Shell Clubs• National Organizations (AMS vs. COA)• Conchology vs. Malacology
Ch. 5 - General features of mollusks
Photos by F. Moretzsohn
Ch. 6 – Texas Seashells (species accounts, ¾ of book)
Molluscan classes (# species in book)• Aplacophora – shell-less, vermiform (4 spp.)• Polyplacophora – chitons, 8 plates (7 spp.)• Gastropoda – conchs, whelks, snails (594 spp.)• Cephalopoda – octopods, squids (10 spp.)• Bivalvia – clams, mussels, scallops (275 spp.)• Scaphopoda – tusk shells (10 spp.)• Monoplacophora – “living fossils,” rare (0 sp.)
Aplacophora (4 spp.)
Polyplacophora (7 spp.)
Fissurellidae (19 spp.)
Caecidae (16 spp.)
Epitoniidae (23 spp.)
Muricidae (26 spp.)
Lightning Whelk – Texas State Shell
Conidae (13 spp.)
Cephalopoda (10 spp.)
Mytilidae (includes the deepest)
Tellinidae (25 spp.)
Scaphopoda (10 spp.)
Appendix• Numbered
checklist of all 900 species
• Scientific names & synonyms
• Popular names• Shell size range• Habitat & Biology• Depth range
Glossary(in Appendix)
Comprehensive listing of technical terms (over 900), including from following fields:
–Malacology– Taxonomy–Biology–Geology
Acknowledgements• The late Roe Davenport• The late Jean Andrews• Museums and private collectors• Donors to color printing• Harte Research Institute, TAMU-CC• Center for Coastal Studies, TAMU-CC• Texas &M University Press• Dr. Richard Davis and Rockport Aquarium
Pedipes mirabilis - Siphonariidae
Thank you!
Any Questions?
Photo by N. Barrera
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