Pawleys Island Shells
We find lots of these pretty ridged shells at low tide on the sand bars of the north end of Pawleys Island
Beach. We have only seen an occasion broken remnants of this shell on other beaches. One of the local jewelers is selling gold and silver copies of these
as "Pawleys Island shells" as if they were unique to here. I think they
are rare relatively rare finds because our coast is gently sloping and their normal depth
is far offshore.
Upon investigation we found out that they are officially known as
Imperial Venus Chione latilirata (Conrad)
Description: 1.5 inches, Rounded, triangular and inflated shell. Large, heavy concentric ridges rounded and often sharply shelved at the top. Ridges fragile on dry specimens ( and the color tends to bleach out with time.. Bottom edge of ridges not serrated. Bottom edge of shell finely grooved. Cardinal and lateral teeth on hinge. Habitat: Lives offshore, south of Cape Hatteras, in 60-to 120-foot depths. Occasionally found on ocean beaches.
Range: North Carolina to Florida.
Description: 1.5 inches, Rounded, triangular and inflated shell. Large, heavy concentric ridges rounded and often sharply shelved at the top. Ridges fragile on dry specimens ( and the color tends to bleach out with time.. Bottom edge of ridges not serrated. Bottom edge of shell finely grooved. Cardinal and lateral teeth on hinge. Habitat: Lives offshore, south of Cape Hatteras, in 60-to 120-foot depths. Occasionally found on ocean beaches.
Range: North Carolina to Florida.
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