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.