World Shell Collection of George Melissas
- Giant Clam, Tridacna gigas
- Flavid Cone, Conus flavidus
- Articulate Harp, Harpa articularis
- Heart Cockle, Corculum cardissa
- Alabaster Murex, Murex alabaster
- Glory of the Seas Cone, Conus gloriamaris
- Distaff Spindle, Fusiness colus
- Cloth of Gold Cone, Conus textile
- Pelican’s Foot, Aporrhais pespelicani
- Damon’s Volute, Amoria damoni
- Caribbean Crown Conch, Melongena corona
- Beau’s Murex, Murex beaui
- Pear Cowrie, Cypraea pyrum
- Lotorium Triton, Cymatium lotorium
- Bubble Cone, Conus bullatus
- Tessellate Cone, Conus tessulatus
- Undulate Volute, Amoria undulata angasi
- Snake-head Cowrie, Cypraea caputserpentis
- Spotted Turrid, Turris babylonia
- Granulated Cowrie, Cypraea granulate
- Bough Cone, Conus thalassiarchus
- Venus Comb Murex, Murex pectin
- Pecten superb
- Papera rapa, Rapa rapa
- Carrier Shell, Xenophora cerea
- Admiral Cone, Conus ammiralis
- Cardinal Miter, Mitra cardinalis
- Rose Branch Murex, Murex palmarosa
- Voluta Harpulina loroisi
- Martin’s Tibia, Tibia martini
- Pacific Common Olive, Oliva miniacea
- Noble Pecten, Pecten senatorius
- Hawkwing Conch, Strombus raninus
- Florida Fighting Conch, Strombus alatus
- Humpback Cowrie, Cypraea mauritiana
- Tribble’s Cone, Conus tribblei
- Conus armadillo
- Calliostoma formosensis
- Polished Green Turbo
- Triton Rubecula, Cymatium rubecula
- Cat Cone, Conus catus
- Bleeding Tooth Nerite, Nerita peloronta
- Cypraea bistronotata
- Marginella cingulata
- Oak Cone, Conus quercinus
- General Cone, Conus generalis
- Haitian Tree Snail, Liguus virgineus
- Mouse Cowrie, Cypraea mus
- Dragon Cowrie, Cypraea caurica
- Tapestry Turban, Turbo petholatus
- Episcopal Mitre, Mitra mitra
- Conus phuketensis
- Horned Helmet, Cassis cornuta – Juvenile
- Liguus fasciatus
- Major Harp, Harpa major
- Polished Limpet
- Mother of Pearl Abalone
- Chocolate Spotted Auger, Terebra subulata
- White Spotted Auger, Terebra guttata
- Chama Shell, Spondylus ictericus
- Mushroom Coral
- Precious Pink Coral
- Spondylus barbatus
- Green California Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus
- Vitate Conch, Strombus vittatus
- Colorful Queen Mitre, Vexillum citrinum
- Centre-Horned Murex, Murex axicornis
- Babelomurex bernardi
- Elephant Snout Volute, Cymbium glans
- Pringle’s Marginella, Afrivoluta pringlei
- Conus sulcocastaneus
- Endive Murex, Chicoreus endivia
- Voluta cancellata
- Spindle Shaped Volute, Voluta Ericusa sowerbyi
- Thrush Cowrie, Cypraea turdus
- Victor Dan’s Delphinula, Angaria vicdani
- Dimidiate Auger, Terebra dimidiatus
- Onyx Cowrie, Cypraea onyx
- Bay of Bengal Cone, Conus bengalensis
- Conus kintoki
- Circumcised Cone, Conus circumcises
- Angular Volute, Zidona dufresnei
- Miraculous Thatcheria, Thatcheria mirabilis
- Tiger Cowrie, Cypraea tigris
- Betulinius Cone, Conus betulinus
- Spindle Tibia, Tibia fusus
- Leopard Scallop, Annachlamys leopardus
- Flame Helmet, Cassis flammea
- Marble Cone, Conus marmoreus
- Banded Marble Cone, Conus marmoreus bandanus
- Regal Thorny Oyster, Spondylus regis
- Red Pipe Organ Coral, Tubipora musica
- Poca Coral
- Slipper Coral, Polyphillia talpina
- Cluster Coral, Acropora milepora
- Lettuce Coral, Pavona decussate
- Cat’s Paw Coral, Stylophora pistillata
- Red Barnacle Cluster
- Giant Egg Cockle, Laevicardium elatrum
- Umbilicate Cowrie, Cypraea hesitata
- Filamentous Horse Conch, Pleuroploca filmentosa
- Donkey’s Ear Abalone, Haliotis asinina
- Caribbean Vase, Vasum muricatum
- Golden Cowrie, Cypraea aurantium
- Tankerville’s Ancilla, Ancilla tankervilli
- Tibia powesi
- Spindle Shell, Volva volva
- Thin-Line Cone Shell, Conus voluminalis
- Broad Pacific Conch, Strornbus latissimus
- Chambered Nautilus, Nautilus pompilus
- Geography Cone, Conus geographus
- Fluted Giant Clam, Tridacna squamosa
- Arabian Cowrie, Cypraea arabica
- Ramose Murex, Chicoreus ramosus
- Nodose Paper Nautilus, Argonauta nodosa
- Orange Spider Conch, Lambis crocata
- Nobel Volute, Cymbiola nobilis
- Lightening Whelk, Busycon contrarium
- Precious Wentletrap, Epitonium scalare
- Map Cowrie, Cypraea mappa
- English Channel Sea Urchin, Eichinus esculents
- Bear Paw Clam, Hippopus maculatus
- Perverse Whelk, Busycon perversum
- Purple Dye Murex, Murex brandaris
- Green Turbo, Turbo marmoratus
- Frog Shell, Bursa bubo
- Atlantic Thorny Oyster, Spondylus americanus
- Coral Pieces
- Australian Trumpet Shell, Syrinx auranus
- Hebrew Cone, Conus ebreaus
- Costate Cockle, Cardium costatum
- Polished Trochus Top Shell, Trocus, niloticus
- Polished Black Turbo Shell
- Giant Spider Conch, Lambis trucata
- Queen Conch, Strom bus gigas
- King Helmet, Cassis tuberosa
- Atlantic Trition Trumpert, Charonia variegata
- Pacific Triton, Charonia tritonis
- Queen Helmet, Cassis madagascarensis
- Sea Fan, Sea Whips, Gorgonians
- Sunburst Starfish
- Pendant Murex, Chicoreus aculeatus
- Pacific Thorny Oyster, Spondylus princeps
- Noble Pecten, Pecten nobilis
- Japanese Latiaxis, Latiaxis japonicus
- Philippine Landsnail, Heliocostyla species
- Nautica Snail Species
- Florida Landsnail, Bulimulus sporadicus
- Columbarium formosissimum
- Oliva annulata
- Ziba abyssicola
Shell Collection of Henry Francis DuPont
These shells were reported to have been collected locally on Gasparilla and Little Gasparilla Islands by Henry F. DuPont and his family from 1920 until 1969. The collection was donated to the Johann Fust Community library in 1969 in his memory by his family.
- Sunburst Starfish
- Spiny Paper Cockle, Paprida soleniformis
- Vanhynings Giant Cockle, Dinocardium robustum vanhynigi
- Florida Worm Shell, Vermicularia knorri
- Keyhole Limpet, Diodora cayensis
- Atlantic Deer Cowrie, Cypraea cervus
- Alternate Tellin, Tellina alternata
- Turkey Wing, Arca zebra
- Queen Helmet, Cassis madagascarensis
- Florida Cerith, Cerithium floridanum
- Gaudy Natica, Natica canrena
- Oiant Tun, Tonna galea
- Angel Wing, Cyprotopleura costata
- Coffee Bean Trivia, Trivia pediculus
- Quahog Clam, Mercenaria mercenaria
- Purplish Tagelus, Tagelus divisus
- Caribbean Carrier Shell, Xenophora caribea
- Calico Clam, Macrocallista maculate
- Tinted Cantharus, Cantharus tinctus
- Alphabet Cone, Conus spurius atlanticus
- Junonia, Voluta Scaphella junonia
- Buttercup Lucine, Anodontia alba
- Eastern Paper Bubble, Bulla gouldiana
- Sunray Venus, Macrocallista nimbosa
- Great Tellin, Tellina magna
- Shark’s Eye, Polin ices duplicates
- Tulip Mussel, Modiolus americanus
- Milk Conch, Strombus costatus
- Atlantic Auger, Terebra dislocate
- Angular triton, Cymatium femorale
- Jingle Shell, Anomia simplex
- Teeth of Giant Mega-tooth Shark, Carcharodon megaladon
- Poreous Coral, porous asterorides
- Staghorn Coral, Acropora cervicornis
- Pear Whelk, Busycon spiratum
- Paper Fig, Ficus communis
- Banded Tulip, Fasciolaria hunteria
- American Star Shell, Astraea Americana
- Scotch Bonnett, Phalium granulatum
- Florida Fighting Conch, Strombus alatus
- Queen Conch, Strombus gigas
- Spiny Jewel Box, Echinochama arcinella
- Flower Coral, Eusmilia fastigata
- Common Nutmeg, Cancellaria reticulate
- Common Baby’s Ear, Sinum perspectivum
- Florida Horse Conch, Pleuroploca gigantean
- Cut-Ribbed Arc. Anadara lienosa floridana
- Apple Murex, Phyllonotus pomum
- Rough Scallop, Lindapecten muscosus
- Chestnut Turbo, Turbo castenea
- Lettered Olive, Oliva sayana
- Lion’s Paw. Lyropecten nodosus
- Stearn’s Cone. Conus stearnsi
- Florida Cone, Conus floridanus
- King’s Crown Conch, Melongena corona
- Ravenel’s Scallop, Pecten ravenelli
- Common Egg Cockle, Laeivicardium laevigatum
- Jujube Top Shell, Calliostoma jujubinum
- Cabrit’s Murex, Murex cabriti
- Elegant Dosina, Dosina elegans
- Bleeding Tooth, Nerita peloronta
- Rose Murex, Vokesimurex rubidus
- Atlantic Bay Scallop, Aequipecten irradians concentricus
- Lace Murex, Chicoreus dilectus
- True Tulip, Fasciolaria tulipa
- Lightenting Whelk, Busycon contrarium
- West Indian Fighting Conch, Strombus pugli
- Rose Petal Tellin, Tellina lineate
- Atlantic Bubble, Bulla striata
- Calico Scallop, Argopecten gibbus
- Atlantic Modulus, Modulus modulus
- Atlantic distorsio, Distorsio clathrata
- Royal Murex, Hexaplex regius
- Comb bittersweet, Glycymeris pectinata
- Red Sea Urchin, Diadema antillarium
- Florida Keyhole Sand Dollar, Mellita tenius
- Arrowhead Sand Dollar, Encope michelini
- Sea Biscuit Sand Dollar, Clypeaster reticulates
- Pancake Sand Dollar, Clypeaster subdepressus
- English Channel Sea Urchin, Eichinus esculents
Sailor’s Valentine
The stunning and intricate Sailor’s Valentine is a form of shell craft popular during the 1800s that uses a large number of small shells to form patterns. These were originally made by craftswomen on Barbados and were sold to sailors who brought them home from their voyages to give to their loved ones.
This one was created by Jim Cowperthwait in honor of his wife Chris. Chris was the President of the JF Library Foundation Board during the fundraising and renovation of the library. She is now honored as Emerita of the Foundation.