Welcome to team Crazy Woman’s shell identification page!

All of the seashells in this content were found on the barrier islands of SWFL’s beaches. Florida has fabulous shells all up and down the coastal beaches but team Crazy Woman’s favorite place to seek seashells are the barrier islands. Some shells are rare and you may only find one in your lifetime and others you may find every single trip. Tides, currents, storms and seasons combined create a treasure trove of variation each and every trip to the beach. No viable live specimens were taken.

Favorites of the team Crazy Woman meetings at Serenity Island.

Junonia ~ The price of Florida Beachcombers! Truly a rare find for the sheller wishing to add a genuine prize to private collection.

Flamingo Tongue ~ In my copious hours scanning the sands, I have found a total 10. Those ten were found same day in proximity in the fresh turning tide line. The shell is famous for the beauty of the live animal, which is covered with yellow-orange spots, each and circled by a dark ring. The Flamingo Tongue has been called the leopard of the sea. This animal feeds on sea fans and other soft corals at various depths. Note the small beading eyes and long feelers on each side of the feeding snout. The live animal almost completely encloses its shell. The small Flamingo Tongue shells are not as spectacular as a live animal, but are still quite attractive because of their unique shape. They feature a bulge around the middle with a raised ridge encircling it like the bulging belt of a very fat person. 

Apple Murex ~ Murex shells are known worldwide for their spectacular frills and spines. The shell opening is unusually round and located at the middle of the Shell. Murex shells were famous in ancient history as the source of a rare fabric dye used by the Romans for their “royal purple robes.” Thousands of shells were required to extract just a tiny amount of the dye by drying and boiling the soft body parts of the murex animals. Thus, only the very rich and powerful could afford to wear this color.

Mermaid’s Purse ~ The Mermaids Purse, also known as Devil’s Purse, is the egg case of a clear nose skate. The egg casing has a skinny handle resembling the handle of a purse hence where it gets its name. So don’t pull it off if you are lucky enough to find it still attached! If you shake it and hear a rattle that would be the pieces of the egg being protected inside the case, like change in your purse.

Tulip ~

Pear Whelk ~

Flask post prohibition embedded in roots and under sand until storm redistributed sands. D= distiller code, D-126=Seagram’s, MTC logo = Thatcher Glass Manufacturing, 8 = glass mold number, 2793 = federal permit/license number, 54 = year of manufacture.

Lightning Whelk ~

Florida Conch ~

Flat Scallop ~