Florida Shells/coral - Is this what I have?

[Navychief]

Trying to get myself educated but the more I learn the more I realize I don’t know!

 

From left: Anadara Aequalitas, Septaseria Marylandica, Vasum Locklini. How close was I?

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Not very. 

I don't know the species from this area, but in binominal nomenclature you must use italics, it's never a capital letter for the species and you must get the spelling right. 

I don't know the ids, but they might be Anadara aequatorialis, Septastrea marylandica and Vasum locklini. 

Nice finds. 

[Navychief]

Thanks T Dad, I am just starting to crawl when it comes to conchology. Soooo much to learn. But I’m enjoying every bit of info I get. Thank you again

[Tidgy's Dad]

1 hour ago, Navychief said:

Thanks T Dad, I am just starting to crawl when it comes to conchology. Soooo much to learn. But I’m enjoying every bit of info I get. Thank you again

I'm Adam, my friend, and I'm very much still learning, too. 

That's part of what we do here, share and learn from each other. 

[Navychief]

Thanks Adam. I’m sure will talk again. I’m Richard

[fossilnut]

Just a comment on your middle coral fossil. It possibly is a combination fossil: by that I mean a gastropod (snail) died. The dead shell was occupied by a hermit crab. As it moved around a coral cell settled on the shell. It multiplied until it covered the shell entirely. With the hermits crab movement in and out of the snails aperture the coral grew expanding the space for the growing hermit crab. This enabled the hermit crab to live out its life within that shell and not having to move to another risking being eaten in the process. I can say 100% for sure because I cant clearly see the opening (snails aperture) in the picture. But its overall shape really looks the part. I have found coral covered ones from Florida and bryozoan covered ones from South Carolina and Maryland. With some of the bryozoan covered ones, the bryozoan near the aperture is worn down from the hermit crabs dragging the covered shell along the bottom as it fed. Check out Pinecrest fossils on TFF for an extensive kist of fossils. It is important to try to identify which fossil beds you are getting your material as species changed over the time frames of Florida's inundations. Those are some of the neater fossils. The Vasum has a species just like yours but niot as worn down that was named horridum which I loved because it reflected the uglyness (I liked it) of the shell.

[Navychief]

Thanks for all that great info. I really find it fascinating that one shell can have 3 lives! Can’t think of any others that do. I find my shells behind my building in Tampa Fl. They were used as land fill so I really don’t know where they were brought in from. Somewhere in the local area I would assume. But I really enjoy the thrill of the dig! My wife thinks I am a little crazy but she is into bones rather than shells. Thanks again for your reply