Humphrey Wentletrap Epitonium humphreysii (Kiener)

Humphrey Wentletrap Epitonium humphreysii (Kiener)
Description: (3/4 inch) Small, high-spired shell. Very similar to angulate wentletrap in appearance, habitat and numbers, but eight to nine rounded ribs on each whorl thicker and not angulate at shoulder. Also, generally more slender with a thicker lip on round aperture. Smooth spaces between ribs. Operculum.
Color: White exterior and interior. Mahogany-colored operculum.
Habitat: Occasionally found in drift on ocean beaches.
Range: Massachusetts to Texas.
Notes: (See brown-band wentletrap Notes) : Also called lined wentletrap. About 24 kinds of wentletraps have been recorded in North Carolina waters. A carnivore, it forages in sand for sea anemones and tears tissue with its jaws. It secretes a substance that turns purple and may anesthetize the anemones. Females lays strings of sand-covered egg capsules. Its young are free-swimming. The precious wentletrap (up to 2 3/4 iches long) from the Pacific Ocean is one of the prettiest shells known.
Source: Seashells of North Carolina, North Carolina Sea Grant College Program

Wentletrap

Auger-Shaped - wentletraps (Epitoniidae)

(High Resolution) Wentletrap

(High Resolution) Wentletrap

Humphrey Wentletrap Images

(High Resolution) Wentletrap

Yes, these all look like Humphreys wentletraps.  Make sure that you've
counted the ribs by holding the shell at the pointed end and looking at
the wide end.  Humphreys have 8-9 ribs.

They're beautiful!

Terri

>
> Please verify for me, if I have all Humphreys.
> http://www.edwardtbabinski.us/beach_kids/sea_shells/wentletrap/
> The new higher resolution photos should reveal any characteristics,
> otherwise. If not, I sure would like to find one on the beach.
>
> Thank you, Sharon
>
> "Beautiful wentletraps! I've found only a few of those myself. I
> treasure them! Definitely look like Humphrey wentletraps to me.
>
> Terri K. Hathaway
> Marine Education Specialist
> North Carolina Sea Grant
> http://www.ncseagrant.org/

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terri Kirby Hathaway
Marine Education Specialist
North Carolina Sea Grant
www.ncseagrant.org

Life and ink they run out at the same time
Or so said my old friend the squid - Jimmy Buffett

Enlarge images to 320 pixels by clicking thumbnails

(High Resolution) Wentletrap

(High Resolution) Wentletrap

Other Wentletraps Epitonium angulatum (Say)

Angulate Wentletrap Epitonium angulatum (Say)
Description: (1 inch) High, slender, glossy spire. Each whorl with nine to 10 strong ribs, each slightly angled on the whorl shoulder. Smooth spaces between ribs. Round aperture. Operculum.
Color: Shiny white interior and exterior. Reddish brown operculum.
Habitat: Occasionally found in drift on ocean beaches.
Range: New York to Uruguay.
Notes: (See brown-band wentletrap Notes) : Also called lined wentletrap. About 24 kinds of wentletraps have been recorded in North Carolina waters. A carnivore, it forages in sand for sea anemones and tears tissue with its jaws. It secretes a substance that turns purple and may anesthetize the anemones. Females lays strings of sand-covered egg capsules. Its young are free-swimming. The precious wentletrap (up to 2 3/4 iches long) from the Pacific Ocean is one of the prettiest shells known.

RELATED POSTS
Humphrey Wentletrap
Angulate vs. Humphrey Wentletrap?

FURTHER RESOURCES
Epitonium angulatum - Angulate Wentletrap
Epitonium angulatum (Say, 1830). Mayport Naval Station Beach, Duval Co, FL (about 25 mm.) By far the most common wentletrap on our beaches.

Western Atlantic Mollusk Species
Database ...Epitonium angulatum (Say, 1831). Range: 41°N to 35°S; 97°W to 0°W Depth: 0 to 219 m (live 0.5 to 0.5 m) Maximum Reported Size: 25 mm

Sanibel Shells: Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum
Family Epitoniidae Epitonium angulatum (CB Adams, 1839) Angulate wentletrap - 25 mm
Shell variation of Epitonium angulatum

The Paleobiology Database
Epitonium angulatum. Classification. Rank, Name, Author
Taxonomic history. No taxonomic history is available for Epitonium angulatum. Synonymy

Alabama Mollusks -- Marine Species List
Epitonium angulatum (Say, 1830). 092 Epitonium candeanum (Orbigny, 1842). 093 Epitonium dallianum (Verrill & Smith, 1880)

Epitonium angulatum. Angulate Wentletrap
Gastropoda. Caenogastropoda. Epitoniidae. Epitonium humphreysi. Gastropoda. Caenogastropoda. Epitoniidae

EPITONIIDAEE
pitonium angulatum - Epitonium angustum Epitonium aureomaculatum - Epitonium auritium Epitonium barissum - Epitonium bellastriatum

eNature: Epitonium angulatum
1/2-7/8" (13-22 mm) high. Elongate, slender to moderately broad, with pointed spire; white. Whorls smooth, rounded, separated