Pteropurpura trialata Sowerby, 1834
88-91mm Palos Verdes, CA On mossy rocks at 20-40'
Northern form - Wide smooth varices, light weight, usually
larger then Southern form
Pteropurpura trialata Sowerby, 1834 62-91mm
Mission Bay Jetty, San Diego, California On mossy rocks and pilings feeding
on tube worms at 10-30'
Southern form - Short varices covered with intricate lacy
sculpture, stocky heavy body. Usually smaller overall then Northern form
Pteropurpura trialata alba Berry, 1912 76mm
Mission Bay Jetty, San Diego, California On mossy rocks and pilings feeding
on tube worms at 10-30'
Pteropurpura
trialata alba Berry, 1912 62mm Mission Bay Jetty, San
Diego, California On mossy rocks and pilings feeding on tube worms at 10-30'
- Rare Albino with color on one body whorl
Pteropurpura
trialata Sowerby, 1834 40-60mm Aqua Hedionda Lagoon,
Carlsbad, CA On tube worms at 10-30' - Dwarf
Pteropurpura
trialata Sowerby, 1834 44-55mm Aqua Hedionda Lagoon,
Carlsbad, CA On tube worms at 10-30' - Dwarf form - These have the same amount
of whorls as a typical one, only 30-40mm smaller.
Melanistic form, I have only found these in this lagoon. The
large one is a very geriatric shell- twice as heavy as a normal one.
Pteropurpura
trialata alba Berry, 1912 39-58mm Aqua Hedionda Lagoon,
Carlsbad, CA On tube worms at 10-30' - Dwarf form - Color is on the inside of
the body whorl and shows through to the outside. Very different from typical
P. alba which is normally very white except for the tip of the siphon which
is colored brown.
Pteropurpura
trialata Sowerby, 1834 56mm Aqua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad,
CA On tube worms at 10-30' - Dwarf form - Very unusual color form, very dull
with a allover brown coloration, only one I have ever seen like this.
Pteropurpura
trialata Sowerby, 1834 77mm Dana Point Marina, Dana
Point, CA on mossy boulders at 10-20' - Transition between Northern and Southern
forms.
