Finding the Rare Junonia

The Marco Island Shell Club held their first guest lecture seminar at the Library’s Rose Hall on January 6th. Guest lecturer Tony Mauriello, a Florida Master Naturalist, spoke to a full house on a topic that was very familiar to residents on a barrier island. I suspect that most of the attendees, like myself, wanted to learn more about Junonia shells and also share their shelling experiences.

Scaphella junonia is a species of marine gastropod mollusk found in Florida and on the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. In easier terms, a sea snail! The term gastropod refers to a single shell mollusk.

According to Mauriello, Junonia shells are rare because they live far away from shore in water between 100 and 420 feet deep. It is rare to find one in perfect shape and if you do, you might get your name in the local newspaper.

According to the Registry of World Record Size Shells, the largest Junonia shell ever found was only six inches long and was collected in the Gulf of Mexico in 1972. Their usual size is anywhere between one and four inches.

The Junonia is a white to pinkish white shell with spiral rows of squarish dots of dark-mauve, reddish brown or dark brown that allow the snail to be camouflaged in the ocean floor. It is named after Juno, the ancient Roman goddess known for her stately beauty.

For shellers and beachcombers, the Junonia is a trophy shell - the grand prize - for those lucky to have a few in their collection. I have been beachcombing for over ten years and I’ve only found a few not-so-perfect Junonias. Yet, there are people who visit our beaches for the first time and they find one – it is pure luck!

Becky Miller, a member of the Shell Club, shared that she found her three Junonias on Residents’ Beach. She knows the exact date and year and on two occasions, she also found a golden olive with the Junonia.

Just early last week, Shela Westrate and her husband stopped by Ocean Soul shop at the Esplanade and spoke with owner, Tyler Klefot, to learn about the Junonia shell. The next morning her husband found one right on the beach.

Beach resident Fran Klein found four Junonias on Marco’s beach and three of them by the Cape Marco years ago during low tide. Another friend, Cristina, also found a perfect specimen after a big storm but her most prized find was a little seahorse, as she never saw one again.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and along the wrack line a beachcomber (a person who searches beaches for interesting items) can find all kinds of interesting things. What about the Scotch Bonnet shell, another collectible from Gulf area beaches? I find egg casings from whelks and horse conch worth collecting. I have a collection of alphabet cones, banded tulips, horse conchs, lettered olives, sand dollars and other beach treasures and my pile is growing each time I go to the beach.

The best part about searching for shells along the shoreline is meeting people doing the same thing - hunting for treasures washed ashore and each day is different. You never know what jewels decide to find you.

What to do with the “not-so-perfect” Junonia? The edges might be worn out and some dots are faded but it is still a Junonia. How about the other shells you’ve accumulated all those years? Crafting and shell art is a unique way to put your ever-growing shell collection to good use. And those in the shoe boxes in the garage? The Marco Island Shell Club might be a good place to start.