12/27/7  In order to get an idea of the prevalence of D. meta around Florida I posted the following request on Conch-L: 

I have found Diodora meta to be a rare shell in Florida. I would like to hear from others who have found this species in Florida. I have posted a presentation on this species and would like to expand the information with others' experiences.

The following data regarding D. meta was provided in response:

12/27/2007, Bill Clendenin:

I collected Diodora meta from intertidal rocks at Point O' Rocks, Siesta Key, Satasota, in 1965, and in beach drift on Johnson's Shoals off Cayo La Costa, Lee County, in 1971. I have not collected locally in many years.

12/27/2007, Robert Lipe:

We found a dead Diodora meta at Skyway South in Tampa Bay a few years ago. We found a live one attached under a rock in shallow water on your side of the state at Sebastian Inlet over 10 years ago. We used to find them in Jim Moore's dredgings from deep water off Tampa Bay.


Steve Rosenthal wrote in separate emails:

1/3/2008; I am going by memory (I wont be home til saturday), but yes the shells I have indeed resemble somewhat worn specimens of the same shells pictured here. As I said, the combination of lucapina shape (elongate and low conic) combined with the strong sculpture (vs that of Lucapina species I have) was pretty distinctive. You might want to post this or show it to Harry and David. That would be two records from NC- actually I have two specimens, cant check if they are from the same place....the specific data would have to wait until I get home....

1/5/2008; I remembered to check the diodora, indeed they date from 1986 when I lived in NC...at the time I had not much reference material in my library, and drew a blank, so I sent them to an advanced collector friend in New England, he pegged them as D. meta based on the Johnsonia publications. When I finally got a copy of Abbott Am. Seashells and checked them out I did agree. They match up well, though subfossil...right shape, round hole, etc....just worn down but sculpture still very clear. Nothing else really fit.

Locality was Surf City, NC which I dont think is real far from the other location cited for NC.

David Kirsh wrote on Dec 27 2007:

I found a Diodora meta at Fort Macon, NC in August, 2000, which Harry said might be fossil or a range extension. Porter (1974) in North Carolina Marine and Estuarine Mollusca makes no mention of it.

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1/1/15 Susan J. Hewitt:

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I found one slightly damaged shell of Diodora meta at Blind Pass on Captiva, during my December 2014 trip to Sanibel.

3/12/16  Rusty:

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Certain seem to be rare I hadn't found a single specimens of this from treasure coast so far.

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12/27/07  Harry Lee:

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It is probable that we're talking about the same species, but it may ultimately prove to be different from Diodora meta (von Ihering, 1927), which was named from Brazil. (Marlo: See comparison of Florida and Brazilian D. meta in slides below.)

Specimens were found in the spoil used in beach renourishment near Jacksonville Beach-Neptune Beach (FL) border by Bill Hanson and the late Bonnie Holiman in Sept., 1986.

I have shells from Pinellas and Levy Cos., FL and LA. Abbott (1974) gave the range as “South half of Florida; Brazil.”

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