Jingle Shell (also known as Mermaid's toenail, Silver-shell)
Phylum: Mollusca, Class: Bivalvia, Order: Pectinida, Family: Anomiidae, Genus: Anomia, Species: Anomia simplex · Anomiidae (Jingle shell family) · Bivalve, whole shell, flattened irregular disc shape
Species
Anomia simplex
Shell Type
Bivalve, whole shell, flattened irregular disc shape
Family
Anomiidae (Jingle shell family)
Size
Approximately 1 inch in diameter, which is typical for an adult of this species. Adults generally range from 0.75 to 1.5 inches.
Color & Pattern
Translucent golden-yellow and pearlescent tones with a high silver or gold metallic sheen. The coloration is completely natural and highly reflective, showing subtle wavy growth lines.
Rarity
Very Common
Habitat
Found attached to hard substrates, rocks, shells, and pilings in shallow subtidal to intertidal marine and brackish waters.
Geographic Range
Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and common along the New England coast.
Description
An attractive, paper-thin, translucent bivalve shell with an irregular, rounded outline. It exhibits a distinct golden-yellow pearlescent luster that gleams in the light. The upper valve is convex while the lower valve is flat with a deep notch for a calcified byssus.
Key Features
Thin, translucent, paper-like texture; bright golden, silvery, or orange-yellow pearlescent coloration; irregular round to oval shape conforming to the surface it grew upon.
Collector Value
Low monetary value due to high abundance, but highly prized by beachcombers for crafts, jewelry-making, and decorative wind chimes.
Condition Notes
Gem condition, intact upper valve with brilliant luster and no visible cracks, chips, or boring holes.
Interesting Facts
When shaken together in a jar or collected in groups, jingle shells make a distinct chiming or jinkling sound, which is how they earned their common name. They anchor themselves permanently to hard surfaces using a unique calcified plug.
Ecological Role
Acts as a filter feeder, helping to clear coastal waters of suspended organic particles. Provides a hard substrate attachment point for other encrusting marine organisms.
Similar Species
Pododesmus cepio (Pacific Jingle), which is generally larger and more greenish, and Anomia adesmia, distinguished by subtle differences in hinge structure and geographic distribution.
Beach Finding Tips
Look along the high tide line on sandy beaches near rocky outcroppings or jetties, especially after storms. They are best spotted when wet, as their metallic luster catches the sunlight.
Notes
Sandy Beach Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island