For at least a couple of times in the recent past I was shown shells of B.
carica as "right-handed lightning whelks from Sanibel." (Check a nice
right-handed lightning whelk in the Shell Museum's SW Florida Shells online
guide.) Invariably, upon further questioning, owners admitted that the
shells could well be from somewhere else, such as Outer Banks or other
places along the East Coast. No carica on the left coast of Florida for
sure.     

José H. Leal, Ph.D., Science Director & Curator  
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum
Editor, The Nautilus
[log in to unmask]            
www.shellmuseum.org <http://www.shellmuseum.org/>

                                                
3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road
Sanibel, FL 33957 USA
(239)395-2233
fax (239)395-6706

 

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From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Marlo Krisberg
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2015 11:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Are Busycon carica and carica eliceans living in West
Florida?

I can only concur with all comments to the effect that B. carica is not
present anywhere in Florida south of Duval County.  Occurrence farther south
would be serendipitous.  I have collecting records for west Florida for
myself and Phil Poland going back 35 years - no B. carica.  

Marlo
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John
Timmerman
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 5:29 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CONCH-L] Are Busycon carica and carica eliceans living in West
Florida?

According to reference books ("American Seashells II" records Cape
Canaveral) Busycon carica and its associated variants are found living no
further south than East Florida. 

I repeatedly see examples of the species attributed to West Florida,
especially in the Sanibel Island area. For the occasional Internet auction
being offered by someone who has inherited a relative's shells or collected
them decades ago  I easily write it off to incorrect memory but to keep
seeing this species time and again attribute to West Florida in collections
I have seen in person makes me question. 

Has the species extended the range naturally and/or been introduced to West
Florida? 

John Timmerman
NC
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