Wentletrap shell

Epitonium scalare (Linnaeus, 1758) - C.Chen

National Shell Museum on Instagram: "The Angulate Wentletrap, Epitonium angulatum, is probably the most abundant and variable among the many species of wentletraps (family Epitoniidae) found along the shores of Southwest Florida. The species reaches up to 25 mm in length (about an inch). Angulate Wentletraps feature sharp sculptural blades (“costae” in wentletrap jargon) that sometimes form “hooks” near the junction of two adjacent whorls. The Angulate Wentletrap has a translucent…

Wentle trap shell

This is one of my favorite local marine snails, the Tinted Wentletrap (Epitonium tinctum). It's ~1.5 cm tall, slender, with tight whorls and well defined axial ribs (or varices). The ribs appear to spiral around the shell towards the apex, hence the name wentletrap, originally a Dutch term for a spiral staircase. Tinted Wentletraps are specialized carnivores, feeding on sea anemones. On Bodega Head, they can be found nestled among Aggregating Anemones (Anthopleura elegantissima) — see below…

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Wentletrap

Seashells are excellent photography subjects because of their lovely colors, interesting patterns, and elegant beauty. They're also easy to find. Even if