A beautiful and increasingly hard-to-find dark form of Chicoreus rachelcarsonae, personally collected by me while commercial lobster fishing at Pulley Ridge, Dry Tortugas, Florida. This specimen was recovered from a baited lobster trap set in 220–240 feet of water aboard my vessel, F/V AVA PILAR in January 2026.

This uncommon dark color form closely matches the original species description, which notes shell coloration ranging from pink or pale salmon-orange overlaid with numerous fine dark reddish-brown to black spiral lines, often producing a distinctly darker appearance. The specimen displays exceptional frond development, crisp sculpture, and outstanding symmetry, making it an impressive example of one of Florida’s most desirable deep-water muricids. This shell was personally identified by Ed Petuch.

Specimen Data

• Family: Muricidae
• Species: Chicoreus rachelcarsonae
• Author: Petuch, 1987
• Location: Pulley Ridge, Dry Tortugas, Florida
• Method: Baited lobster trap, 220–240 ft
• Date Collected: January 2026
• Collector: Randy D. Rivera – F/V AVA PILAR
• Measures: 43.6 mm (1.72”)
• TSC #: #0289MUR-TSC

Condition

An outstanding collector-quality specimen with exceptional frond development, sharp sculpture, and an attractive rare dark color form. The shell is in excellent overall condition with only minor natural imperfections consistent with deep-water trap-collected specimens.

Please review all photographs carefully, as they are considered part of the description and accurately represent the specimen you will receive.

Your specimen will be carefully packed and shipped with tracking and includes its original Tortugas Shell Collection data label.

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