Hi David: It is not uncommon to find foreign shells on tourist beaches, whereas parents will often buy shells at a shop on then seed the beach with them for their small children to find. Of course in the process a few will get lost along the way. There have also been instances of beach shell shops getting trashed by a storm and loosing their inventory to the sea, where it in turn ends up on the beaches. Leslie > Folks, > > I spent some time in Sarasota, FL last weekend. Between downpours I was able > to pick up a few shells. > > On the south end of Long Boat Key, practically the first shell I saw was a > beachworn valve of Tellidora cristata. Splendid, because I never encountered > any before! > > And very close to it was, unmistakeably, Strombus urceus. > > Someone must have been out walking their pet hermit crab when it slipped the > leash. > > Other pet theories? > > David Kirsh >