Page:American Seashells (1954).djvu/506

408 creamy-white with faint mauve stripes on the escutcheon. Interior white, commonly with a purple splotch at the posterior end. This is a common shore species, formerly called C. succincta Val. Chione calif orniensis undatella Sowerby Frilled Californian Venus Plate 3ii San Pedro, California, to northern South America. Differing from calif orniensis in being more inflated, usually with more numerous and more closely spaced, thinner concentric ribs, and retaining mauve-brown color splotches in the adults. Very common. Aiany workers consider this a full species, and apparently additional field study is necessary. Chione fluctifraga Sowerby Smooth Pacific Venus Plate 31k San Pedro, California, to the Gulf of California. lYo inches in height, slightly longer, moderately compressed, subtrigonal; radial grooves or ribs strong at the posterior third and at the anterior quarter of the shell; central area with stronger, low, rather wide, concentric ribs which may have coarse, half-moon-shaped beads. Lunule not well-defined; escutch- eon not well seen and not sunken nor smooth as in calif orniensis. Exterior creamy-white, semi-glossy, rarely stained with blue-gray. Interior white with purple splotches near the muscle scars or on the teeth. Not uncommon along the sandy shores in southern localities. Section Timoclea Brown 1827 Chione griis Holmes Gray Pygmy Venus Plate 32! North Carolina to Key West to Louisiana. /4 to % inch in length, oblong, with 30 to 40 fine, radial ribs which are crossed by very fine, concentric threads. The posterior dozen ribs are cut along their length by a very fine groove. Dorsal margin of right valve fim- briated and overlapping the left valve. Lunule narrow, heart-shaped, colored brown. Escutcheon very narrow and sunken. Exterior colored a dull-gray, but some Florida specimens tend to be whitish, pinkish or even orange. In- terior glossy-white with purplish brown area at the posterior end. Pnrple color on hinge at both ends. Commonly dredged in shallow water. Chione pygnmea Lamarck White Pygmy Venus Southeast Florida and the West Iiidies.