Encope tamiamiensis

[Thebes]

The sample image here was collected directly from a Drag Line operator's windrow in a lime rock mine in Southern FL just outside of Naples around the Sable Palm area of the Big Cypress swamp of the Everglades in 1997.  The specimen has been completely removed from the limestone petrol (lime rock low density ls) matrix. What is interesting is the general shape of the specimen and how this 5 million year old specimen differs from the present day specimen at the same general location.  I am guessing the seas of which the archaic specimens existed in were more challenging to exist in general as the specimen appears more elongate than present day specimen possibly for navigational purpose in higher energy seas than say today.  Consequently the respiratory flower on top seems to be larger than today's comparable specimen as a direct consequence in the different morphology.

[Sacha]

I've found, from my limited experience and guidance from Roger Portal at the UF, that there is a fairly high degree of variation in test shape within species and conclusions from individual samples are misleading.