Introduction to the seashells of Texas. Outline of the book, Encyclopedia of Texas Seashells, written by Wes Tunnell, Jean Andrews, Noe Barrera and Fabio Moretzsohn, with contributions by Kim Withers and David Hicks. The book was published by Texas A&M University Press in 2010 (http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Texas-Seashells-Identification-Distribution-ebook/dp/B0087DHJ88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409861431&sr=8-1&keywords=texas+seashells). The book discusses and illustrates 900 marine mollusks from Texas. The book covers the use of shells in Texas history, the history of malacology in Texas, the ecology and habitats of marine seashells, shell collecting, features of seashells, and discussion of 900 species (nearly all that are known from the region). Each species is illustrated in color photographs, and there is information about its taxonomy, popular name, distribution, size, description, habitat, remarks, and synonyms. There is a checklist with abbreviated information, followed by a glossary (over 900 entries) and extensive bibliography (750 references). A smaller version with the 300 most common species will be published in Dec. 2014 (Texas Seashells, A Field Guide) by TAMU Press.

1. Seashells of the Texas coast:
Many more than you might think!
Fabio Moretzsohn
Harte Research Institute
The Aquarium at Rockport Harbor
August 1st, 2012

2. Previous Texas Seashell Books
Seashells of the Texas
Coast
Jean Andrews, 1971
• 350 common species
• Landmark reference for
Texas seashells
• Ecology, habitat
• Long out-of-print

3. Previous Texas Seashell Books
Shells and Shores of Texas
Jean Andrews, 1977
• 350 common species
• Landmark reference for
Texas seashells
• Ecology, habitat
• Long out-of-print

4. Andrews Format
Shells and Shores of Texas
• Great black and white
photography
• Shell description, size
• Distribution
• Habitat
• Geologic range
• Remarks

5. Authors:
John W. Tunnell, Jr.
Jean Andrews
Noe Barrera
Fabio Moretzsohn
Collaborators:
Kim Withers
David W. Hicks
2010

6. Authors
Wes Tunnell, Jean Andrews
and Noe Barrera
Jean Andrews
and Fabio Moretzsohn
Collaborators
David Hicks Kim Withers

7. 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

8. 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

9. Dedication
Roe Davenport
Photo by Rusti Stover

10. Contents/Chapters
1. History
2. Texas Malacology
3. Ecology and Habitats
4. Collecting
5. Features
6. Texas Seashells
• Checklist
• Glossary (900+)
• References (750)
• Index Total pages: 512

11. 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 species
Book design by N. Barrera

12. 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

13. 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

14. Flower Garden
Banks
Tropical
Microgastropods
Barrera (2001) added
100 new records for
Texas and many for
Gulf of Mexico
Photos by N. Barrera

15. Smallest Texas Seashell
Ammonicera minortalis
Omalogyridae
Flower Garden Banks
Photos by N. Barrera

16. Triplofusus giganteus
Horse Conch
Fasciolariidae
Texas
Micromollusk
Photo by F. Moretzsohn at
the Texas State Aquarium

17. Entemnotrochus adansonianus
Pleurotomariidae
Flower Garden Banks, below 100 m
Photos by J. Janko (Tunnell, 1973)

18. Perna perna
Mytilidae
Invasive Species
(Hicks and Tunnell, 1993, 1995)
Photo by J. Woelke

19. New Species
Conus sauros García, 2006 Conidae
Holotype HMNS, Port Aransas, Texas Photo by F. Moretzsohn

20. 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

21. 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

22. Ch. 2. Chronology of Texas Malacology
First, Minor
Expeditions to
Region
Major
Expeditions
to Region
WWI
Depression
WWII
Species accumulation curve

23. 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)

24. 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

25. Ch. 4 – Collecting Seashells
• Regulations and “Sheller’s Creed”
• Collecting
• Buying
• Trading
• Grading
• Maintaining
• Shell Clubs
• National Organizations (AMS vs. COA)
• Conchology vs. Malacology

26. Ch. 5 - General features of mollusks
Photos by F. Moretzsohn

27. 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.)

28. Aplacophora (4 spp.)

29. Polyplacophora (7 spp.)

30. Fissurellidae (19 spp.)

31. Caecidae (16 spp.)

32. Epitoniidae (23 spp.)

33. Muricidae (26 spp.)

34. Lightning Whelk – Texas State Shell

35. Conidae (13 spp.)

36. Cephalopoda (10 spp.)

37. Mytilidae (includes the deepest)

38. Tellinidae (25 spp.)

39. Scaphopoda (10 spp.)

40. Appendix
• Numbered
checklist of all
900 species
• Scientific names
& synonyms
• Popular names
• Shell size range
• Habitat & Biology
• Depth range

41. Glossary
(in Appendix)
Comprehensive
listing of technical
terms (over 900),
including from
following fields:
– Malacology
– Taxonomy
– Biology
– Geology

42. 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

43. Thank you!
Any Questions?
Photo by N. Barrera
Pedipes mirabilis - Siphonariidae