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Marine Mollusks

Marine Mollusks
Common NameScientific NameNotes
Class Gastropoda – Limpets, Snails and Nudibranchs
Family Acmaeidae – Plate Limpets
Atlantic Plate LimpetTestudinalia testudinalis
Family Trochidae – Top Shells
Obscure SolarelleSolariella obscuravery rare; one found in 1958.
Family Lacunidae – Lacuna Shells
Common Northern LacunaLacuna vincta
Family Calyptraeidae – Cup-and-Saucer Limpets
Common Atlantic SlipperCrepidula fornicataon Nomans Land
Convex SlipperCrepidula convexa
Eastern White SlipperCrepidula planaalso on Nomans Land
Striate Cup-and-Saucer LimpetCrucibulum striatumvery rare
Family Rissoidae – Cingulas
Pointed CingulaCingula aculeusuncommon to rare
Chestnut AlvaniaAlvania castanea
Carinate AlvaniaAlvania pelagica
Family Littorinidae - Periwinkles
Smooth PeriwinkleLittorina obtusataalso on Nomans Land
Northern Rough PeriwinkleLittorina saxatilis
Common PeriwinkleLittorina littoreaalso on Nomans Land
Marsh PeriwinkleLittorina irroratauncommon
Family Triforidae - Triforas
Black-lined TriforaTrifora nigrocinctauncommon
Family Janthinidae – Purple Snails
Common Purple Sea SnailJanthina janthinarare
Globe Purple Sea SnailJanthina globosavery rare; two found in 1959
Family Aporrhaidae – Pelican’s Foot
American Pelican’s FootAporrhais occidentalisvery rare; one found in 1960
Family Naticidae – Moon Shells
Common Northern Moon ShellLunatia herosalso on Nomans Land
Shark EyePolinices duplicatus
Immaculate Moon ShellPolinices immaculatusrare
Spotted Northern Moon ShellLunatia triseriatauncommon; on Nomans Land
Southern Miniature NaticaNatica pusillauncommon
Arctic NaticaNatica clausavery rare; found 1873
Family Buccinidae - Whelks
Waved WhelkBuccinum undatumuncommon; on Nomans Land
Pygmy ColusColus pygmaeavery local and rare
Northern ColusColus islandicusrare
Brown-corded NeptuneNeptunea decemcostatauncommon
Family Melongenidae – Crown Conchs
Knobbed WhelkBusycon caricaon Nomans Land
Channeled WhelkBusycon canaliculatum
Family Muricidae – Drills and Rock Shells
Atlantic Oyster DrillUrosalpinx cinerealalso on Nomans Land
Thick-lipped DrillEupleura caudata
Atlantic DogwinkleNucella lapilluson Nomans Land
Family Nassariidae – Mud Snails
New England NassaNassarius trivittatuson Nomans Land
Common Eastern NassaNassarius vibexrare
Eastern Mud NassaNassarius obsoletus
Family Columbellidae – Dove Shells
Well-ribbed Dove ShellAnachis translirataalso on Nomans Land
Greedy Dove ShellAnachis avara
Lunar Dove ShellMitrella lunata
Family Epitoniidae - Wentletraps
Greenland WentletrapEpitonium greenlandicumuncommon
Brown-banded WentletrapEpitonium rupicolarare
Champion’s WentletrapEpitonium championi
Family Turritellidae – Worm Shells
Spiral Worm ShellVermicularia spirata
Alternate BittiumBittium alternatum
Family Cerithiidae – Cerith Shells
Adam’s Miniature CerithSeila adamsirare
Awl Miniature CerithCerithiopsis subulatarare
Green’s Miniature CerithCerithiopsis greenirare
Brown Sargassum SnailLitiopa melanostomarare; only on Sargassum weed
Family Turridae – Mangelia Shells
Plicose MangeliaMangelia plicosauncommon
Waxy MangeliaMangelia cerinauncommon
Violet MangeliaCuritoma violaceauncommon
Lora TurretPropebela lora
Harpshell TurretProebela harpulariavery rare; found off Gay Head 1871, 1880, 1881
Family Pyramidellidae – Odostomes and allies
Fat OdostomeOdostomia gibbosa
Half-smooth OdostomeOdostomia seminuda
Double-sutured OdostomeOdostomia bisuturalis
Bush’s OdostomeOdostomia bushianarare
Three-lined OdostomeOdostomia trifidauncommon
Snowy TurbonilleTurbonilla nivearare
Verrill’s TurbonilleTurbonilla verrillirare; the type specimen taken at Martha’s Vineyard.
Elegant TurbonilleTurbonilla elegantulavery rare
Varied TurbonilleTurbonilla strictauncommon
Carolina TurbonilleTurbonilla carolinianauncommon
Interrupted TurbonilleTurbonilla interrupta
Mighel’s TurbonilleTurbonilla mighelsirare
Long PyramSayella productarare
Stimpson’s PyramStilifer stimpsonirare
Olive MellanellaMellanella oleacea
Conoidal EulimaMelanella conoidearare
Family Amnicolidae – River Dwellers
Totten’s HydrobiaHydrobia totteni
Family Caecidae – Tiny Tubular Snails
Beautiful Little CaecumCuecum pulchellum
Cooper’s Atlantic CaecumCaecum cooperirare
Family Acteonidae – Baby-Bubbles
Adam’s Baby-BubbleActeon punctostriatusvery rare; one found c. 1960
Family Atydae – Paper-Bubbles
Eastern Paper-bubbleHaminoea solitaria
Atlantic Paper-bubbleHaminoea succineauncommon to rare
Quadrate Paper-bubblePhiline quadrata
Family Retusidae – Barrel-Bubbles
Channeled Barrel BubbleRetusa canaliculatarare
Arctic Barrel BubbleRetusa obtusa
Family Acteocinidae – Barrel-Bubbles
Brown’s Barrel-BubbleCylichna alba
Oryza Barrel-BubbleActeocina oryzarare
Family Ellobiidae – Salt Marsh Snails
Common Salt Marsh SnailMelampus bidentatus
Family Aplysiidae – Sea-hares
Willcox’s Sea-hareAplysia willcoxiuncommon; one found in 1968
Family Cymbulidae – Pteropods
Shoe-shaped PteropodCorolla calceolavery rare; found once off Gay Head
Family Spiratellidae – Pteropods
Retrovert PteropodSpiratella retroversarare; found in late 1800’s and in 1964
Family Plakobranchidae - Sea Slugs
Eastern Emerald ElysiaElysia chloroticaFound in Menemsha Pond (iNaturalist)
Family Clionidae – Sea Butterflies
Naked Sea ButterflyClione limacina
Family Cavolinidae – Pteropods
Three-toothed CavolineCavolina tridentatarare
Straight-needle PteropodCreseis aciculavery rare; found in 1871
Family Pleurobranchiidae - Nudibranchs
Atlantic PleurobranchPleurobranchus tardafound on Sargassum weed in Vineyard Sound
Family Corambidae - Nudibranchs
Obscure NudibranchCorambe obscura
Family Dorididae – Nudibranchs
White DoridLamellidoris muricata
Family Polyceridae – Nudibranchs
Rim-backed NudibranchPolycera dubia
Family Fionidae – Nudibranchs
Atlantic Blue FionaFiona pinnata
Family Dotodae – Nudibranchs
Coronate DotoDoto coronata
Family Okeniidae – Okenias
Modest OkeniaOkenia modestauncommon and off Nomans Land
Family Dendronotidae – Nudibranchs
Frond EolisDendronotus frondosus
Family Scyllaeidae – Nudibranchs
Sargassum NudibranchScyllaea pelagicafound on Sargassum weed in Vineyard Sound
Family Aeolidiidae – Nudibranchs
Papillose EolisAeolidia papillosa
Family Tergipedidae – Nudibranchs
Johnston’s Balloon EolisTergipes despectus
Balloon EolisTenellia adspersarare; found in 1881
Family Glaucidae – Nudibranchs
Blue GlaucusGlaucus marinusin ocean off south coast
Crested GlaucisCratena pilatarare; found in 1873
Family Flabellinidae - Nudibranchs
Red-gilled NudibranchFlabellina gracilis
Red-gilled NudibranchCoryphella verrucosa
Salmon-gilled NudibranchCoryphella salmonacea
Dwarf Balloon EolisEubranchus exiguus
Painted Balloon EolisEubranchus pallidus
Class Amphineura – Chitons
Family Ischnochitonidae - Chitons
Common Eastern ChitonChaetopleura apiculata
Class Scaphopoda – Dentaliums and Tusk Shells
Family Dentaliidae - Tusks
Stimpson’s TuskAntalis entalisvery rare; one known specimen found c.1940’s
Class Pelecypoda – Clams, Oysters, Scallops, etc.
Family Solemyacidae – Awning Clams
Atlantic Awning ClamSolemya velum
Family Arcidae – Ark Shells
Transverse ArkAnadara transversa
Blood ArkAnadara ovalisuncommon to rare
Ponderous ArkNoetia ponderosa
Family Mytilidae - Mussels
Blue MusselMytilus edulison Nomans Land
Black MusselMusculus niger
Smooth MusselMusculus laevigatauncommon
Northern Horse MusselModiolus modiolusuncommon; also on Nomans Land
Atlantic Ribbed MusselModiolus demissusalso on Nomans Land
Glandular Bean MusselCrenella glandula
Family Pectinidae - Scallops
Atlantic Bay ScallopAequipecten irradianson Nomans Land
Atlantic Deep Sea ScallopPlacopecten magellanicus
Iceland ScallopChlamys islandicauncommon
Family Anomiidae – Jingle Shells
Common JingleAnomia simplexalso on Nomans Land
Prickly JingleAnomia aculeateuncommon
Family Ostreidae - Oysters
Eastern OysterCrassostrea virginica
Family Crassatellidae – Triangular Shells
Lindsley’s CrassinellaCrasinella mactraceauncommon
Family Carditidae - Carditas
Northern CarditaVenericardia borealisuncommon; on Nomans Land
Family Diplodontidae – Cleft Clams
Atlantic Cleft ClamThyasira trisinuatauncommon
Family Lucinidae – Lucinas
Northeast LucinaLucinoma filosa
Cross-hatched LucinaDivaricella quadrisulcatauncommon
Family Cardiidae – Cockle Shells
Morton’s Egg CockleLaevicardium mortoni
Northern Dwarf CockleCerastoderma pinnulatum
Family Nuculidae – Nut Clams
Atlantic Nut ClamNucula proxima
Delphinula Nut ClamNucula delphinodontarare; found off Gay Head
Family Nuculanidae - Yoldias
File YoldiaYoldia limatulauncommon
Short YoldiaYoldia sapotilla
Family Astartidae - Astartes
Chestnut AstarteAstarte castaneaon Nomans Land
Waved AstarteAstarte undatauncommon
Squarish AstarteAstarte quadrans
Family Pleurophoridae – Black Clams
Ocean QuahogArctica islandicauncommon on shore
Family Veneridae – Venus Clams
Northern QuahogMercenaria mercenariaon Nomans Land
Morrhua VenusPitar morrhuanarare
Amethyst Gem ClamGemma gemma
Family Leptonidae – Nestler Clams
Atlantic Flat LeptonMysella planulata
Northern LeptonMysella bidentatarare; found in 1875
Eastern AligenaAligena elevatauncommon
Family Petricolidae – False Angel Wing
False Angel WingPetricola pholadiformis
Family Pholadidae – Boring Clams and Piddocks
Fallen Angel WingBarnea truncatauncommon
Great PiddockZirphaea crispatarare to very rare
Angel WingCyrtopleura costatauncommon
Family Tellinidae - Tellins
Northern Dwarf TellinTellina agilisuncommon
Delicate TellinTellina tenellarare
Tenta MacomaMacoma tentarare
Balthic MacomaMacoma balthicauncommon
Family Semelidae - Semeles
Tellin-like CumingiaCumingia tellinoides
Family Corbuldae – Basket Clams
Contracted CorbulaCorbula contractarare
Family Sanguinolariidae – Long Siphon Clams
Stout TagelusTagelus plebeiusalso on Nomans Land
Purplish TagelusTagelus divisusvery rare
Family Solenidae – Razor Clams
Atlantic Razor ClamSiliqua costatarare
Common Razor ClamEnsis directus
Green Jackknife ClamSolen viridisrare
Family Mactridae – Surf Clams
Stimpson’s Surf ClamSpisula polynyma
Atlantic Surf ClamSpisula solidissimafound on Nomans Land
Dwarf Surf ClamMulinia lateralis
Family Hiatellidae – Saxicaves
Arctic SaxicaveHiatella arcticaextremely rare; found once in October 1958
Family Myacidae – Soft-shell Clams
Soft-shell ClamMya arenaria
Family Thraciidae – Thracias
Conrad’s ThraciaThracia conradi
Northern ThraciaThracia septentrionalisrare
Family Periplomatidae – Spoon Clams
Lea’s Spoon ClamPeriploma leanum
Paper Spoon ClamPeriploma papyratium
Family Mesodesmatidae – Wedge Clams
Arctic Wedge ClamMesodesma arctatumuncommon
Family Teredinidae – Shipworms
Common ShipwormTeredo navalisuncommon; also on Nomans Land
Family Lysonidae – Lysonias
Glassy LyonsiaLyonsia hyalinauncommon
Family Pandoridae - Pandoras
Gould’s PandoraPandora gouldianauncommon
Class Cephalopoda – Squid, Octopus, and Cuttlefish
Family Spirulidae – Spirulas
Common SpirulaSpirula spirulavery rare
Family Loliginidae – Long-finned Squid
Atlantic Long-finned SquidLoligo pealeiicommon seasonally
Family Ommastrephidae – Short-finned Squid
Short-finned SquidIllex illecbrosusuncommon in Vineyard Sound
Family Argonautidae – Nautiluses
Common Paper NautilusArgonauta argoextremely rare; the northernmost known locality for this tropical species.
Family Octopodidae - Octopusses
Offshore OctopusBathypolypus arcticusuncommon; usually in deep ocean water; a small one found in Menemsha Pond in October 1988.
Common Atlantic OctopusOctopus vulgarisone taken in Vineyard Sound 1876