Shell-ography of The Island In 1962, Shell Point’s forefathers were searching for a location to build a retirement community for retired C&MA missionaries. They decided upon southwest Florida, which happens to be famous for spectacular varieties of shells.
Perhaps that’s why the peninsula on which they finally built The Island has always been called “Shellpoint” by locals and nautical maps. In keeping with the tradition, they decided to call the new retirement village “Shell Point,” and name all of its residential
buildings after shells. Now that The Island at Shell Point is fully built, and all of its residence buildings (except Harbor Court and The Pavilion) are indeed named for shell species, we present here a profile of the characteristics of those shells.
TELLIDORA
SUNDIAL
KING’S CROWN
CAMEO
CELLANA
S A N D D O L L A R
LUCINA
In the same family as macoma, but smaller, and with “teeth” on the hinge.
Resembling a spiral staircase, the recognizable conical sundial can be found in shallow waters in the south Atlantic.
This member of the conch family has small projections which form its “crown.” Found in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
Also called the bull mouth helmet, most come out of Africa or the Pacific. It is the shell used in Italy to make cameo jewelry.
Also referred to as a “limpet,” the cellana has a remarkably strong foot, and is found on the shores of all temperate seas.
Another popular source of jewelry, there are many species of Florida sand dollar, each with a different pattern of holes.
Round, with long anterior muscle scars and a thin, strong shell. It’s found in tropical climes.
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MACOMA
NAUTILUS
Large round shell with white interior and a rib that goes from the hinge to the hind end. Most are found in Florida and the Caribbean.
The most highly developed mollusks - in the same class as octopi and squid. Found everywhere, but mostly in the south Pacific.
Shell Point Life | March 2012
R O YA L BONNET Around 2 1/2 inches long, the royal bonnet is most commonly found in southeast Florida.
PERIWINKLE
COQUINA
TURBAN
JUNONIA
Olive brown, with a dark brown interior, periwinkles can be found in the north Atlantic, up to Nova Scotia.
Small, asymmetrical ovals. Many colorful coquina shells stay in connected pairs and look like butterfly wings. Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
The chestnut turban (pictured here) is brown or grey outside, with whitish knobs and a pearly white inside. In the south Atlantic and Gulf.
A distinctive cream shell with spiral rows of squarish brown spots. Found in the south Atlantic and on the Gulf coast, especially south Florida.