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Apple Murex
Phyllonotus pomum · Size: About 2 to 4 inches
A rugged shell with heavy, rounded ridges, short spines, and a brown, tan or cream color. It is a predator that feeds on other shellfish.
How to identify it
Chunky with bold ridges, a rounded opening and a short canal. It looks like a rougher cousin of the tulips.
Where to look near Sarasota
It can turn up now and then on beaches in this area, but it is not as common as the lightning whelk or fighting conch.
More shells to look for
Finding apple murexs with a guide
Apple murex shells are an occasional find on our tours rather than a sure thing, which makes a good one a talking point at show-and-tell afterward.
Fun Florida Tours runs a guided night shelling and snorkeling tour in shallow Gulf water at Siesta Key, Sarasota and Anna Maria Island. You wade in from shore with a guide, the group shares one bright LED light pod that lights up the bottom, and the water stays under 4 feet deep, so you do not need to be a strong swimmer. After 60 minutes in the water we spend 15 minutes on the sand for show-and-tell, where guides name everything the group found. Empty shells are yours to keep; anything alive goes back.