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