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Checklists & Collecting Reports
Lists of shells collected at Florida/Gulf locations
Posted: May 18 2024
Mosquito Lagoon (North Central Florida)
Mosquito Lagoon is the most northern section of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), North America's most biologically diverse estuary system. The IRL was the first ever designated Estuary of National Significance. The IRL stretches approximately 156 miles along the east coast of Florida from Ponce Inlet at the north to Jupiter Inlet at the South. The lagoon region encompasses portions of Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach counties. The lagoon system actually encompasses a series of shallow, interconnected lagoons -- the Indian River, the Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana River. Six small and widely spaced inlets connect the lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean. The size of these inlets and the shallow nature of the lagoon allow for a limited exchange of waters between the lagoon and the ocean. One of these inlets, Port Canaveral, is separated from the lagoon by locks, further reducing tidal exchange with the ocean.
The IRL has a great diversity along its 156 mile length, but limited diversity at any one section. Much of the Lagoon is polluted and heavily developed. However, the southern half of the Mosquito Lagoon portion of the IRL is surrounded by the Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and is the one section of the IRL that remains entirely undeveloped. This area is rather distant from the inlet at Ponce and does not exchange waters with the ocean. The collecting area for the shells in this list is reflected in the below photo of the Haulover Canal area.
![mosquito lagoon 5.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04fdd9_daf39fa8c6fe4b95b673c9506850a3c2~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_404,h_685,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/mosquito%20lagoon%205.jpg)
![mosquito lagoon 7.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04fdd9_556ca7f3f3ee4a57b59841cc45da1485~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_361,h_350,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/mosquito%20lagoon%207.jpg)
![mosquito lagoon 6.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04fdd9_5c4703833c2c4925a7c1f2e86e1c8a7a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_429,h_408,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_auto/mosquito%20lagoon%206.jpg)
This list was started in October 2006 and includes the results of multiple collecting efforts by Marlo Krisberg over a two year period. All IDs are by Marlo and, when in doubt, confirmed by Harry Lee (Lee, Harry G. 2009 Marine Shells of Northeast Florida. Jacksonville Shell Club, Jacksonville, Florida).
Univalves
Acteocina canaliculata
Astyris lunata
Bittiolum varium
Busycotypus spiratus
Bulla occidentalis
Caecum pulchellum
Cerithiopsis gemmulosa
Cerithium atratum
Cerithium muscarum
Crepidula depressa
Crepidula maculosa
Eupleura sulcidentata
Fasciolaria tulipa
Granulina hadria
Haminoea succinea
Longchaeus suturalis
Marshallora modesta
Melanella conoidea
Modulus modulus
Nassarius vibex
Olivella pusilla
Petitilla crosseana
Pilsbryspira leucocyma
Prunum apicinum
Prunum carneum
Pyrgocythara plicosa
Rictaxis punctostriatus
Sinistrofulgur sinistrum
Truncatella pulchella
Turbonilla toyatani
![Busycon sinistrum 21.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04fdd9_d35d51496cae4df29a9d7349eff51e56~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_600,h_342,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Busycon%20sinistrum%2021.jpg)
Bivalves
Anadara ovalis
Angulus merus
Angulus texanus
Anomalocardia auberiana
Brabatia cancellaria
Carditamera floridana
Chione elevata
Glans dominguensis
Lyonsia hyalina
Mercenaria mercenaria form notata
Parastarte triquetra
Tagelus divisus
Tagelus plebeius
Tellina aequistriata
Tusk Shells
Dentalium americanum (MK;