Olive Snails
(Family) Olividae
Distinguishing Characteristics: The Olive snails have glossy, smooth, bullet-shaped shells with deep grooves in the shell and columella. They have long slit-like apertures. Their siphonal canal is merged with their aperture and called a "siphonal notch". Most of these species are quite small.
Habitat: These snails prefer to live on sandy, rocky, or silty intertidal zones or subtidal zones such as the areas near coral reefs. They often burrow in sand.
Diet: All members of this family feed on burrowed bivalves such as clams or scavenge on carrion.
Scientific Name: Americoliva sayana
Common Name: Lettered Olive
Distinguishing Characteristics: A large olive shell, cream or tan-colored with brown V-shaped markings. Spire is short and conical, with four to five whorls. The aperture extends nearly the entire length of the shell. Maximum size 3.5 inches.
Interesting Facts: This species is the official shell of South Carolina, adopted in 1984. Read more about it here.
Scientific Name: Americoliva reticularis
Distinguishing Characteristics: A light cream colored shell covered with light brown netted pattern, from which the species gets its common name. Spire is short and conical, with four whorls. The aperture extends nearly the entire length of the shell. Maximum size 2 inches.
Lettered Olive
Netted Olive