Unicorn snail, miniature awlsnail
Shells from George Montagu’s collection.
This species was introduced as British by Pulteney (1799) and restated by Maton & Rackett (1807) and then by Montagu, all referrring this taxon to Linnaeus. Montagu (1808) was reluctant to accept this species as British but it would appear that specimens were in circulation in the early 19th century. The Lyons collection, (dating from around 1810) in Tenby contains two lots both with Weymouth (from Miss Pocock) as their origin, and in keeping with the original record of Pulteney. The RAMM label gives the source as “Mr Dillwin, Bantry Bay” and this would coincide with Dillwyn’s visit to Ellen Hutchins the Irish botanist in 1809.
The RAMM and Tenby shells are in good condition but it is not known if they were collected from sites in the UK or from collections brought back from its native Caribbean.
In January 2020 the Montagu Collection was awarded Designated status by Arts Council England. This mark of distinction recognises the collection’s international significance to the scientific community - it is the most intact and taxonomically important collection of British shells of the early 19th century (1800-1816) to be found anywhere in the UK.
For more information see Oliver PG, Morgenroth H (2018) Additional Type and other Notable specimens of Mollusca from the Montagu Collection in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 281-303. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.94.24776
This species was introduced as British by Pulteney (1799) and restated by Maton & Rackett (1807) and then by Montagu, all referrring this taxon to Linnaeus. Montagu (1808) was reluctant to accept this species as British but it would appear that specimens were in circulation in the early 19th century. The Lyons collection, (dating from around 1810) in Tenby contains two lots both with Weymouth (from Miss Pocock) as their origin, and in keeping with the original record of Pulteney. The RAMM label gives the source as “Mr Dillwin, Bantry Bay” and this would coincide with Dillwyn’s visit to Ellen Hutchins the Irish botanist in 1809.
The RAMM and Tenby shells are in good condition but it is not known if they were collected from sites in the UK or from collections brought back from its native Caribbean.
In January 2020 the Montagu Collection was awarded Designated status by Arts Council England. This mark of distinction recognises the collection’s international significance to the scientific community - it is the most intact and taxonomically important collection of British shells of the early 19th century (1800-1816) to be found anywhere in the UK.
For more information see Oliver PG, Morgenroth H (2018) Additional Type and other Notable specimens of Mollusca from the Montagu Collection in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter. Zoosystematics and Evolution 94(2): 281-303. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.94.24776
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- Moll4275
- Collection Class
- Molluscs
- Collection Area Region
- Caribbean
- Collector Excavator
- Montagu, Colonel George (from the collection of)
- Common Name
- unicorn snail, miniature awlsnail
- Simple Name
- mollusc: shell
- Period Classification
- George III (1760-1811)
- Production Town
- Production Person Initials
- Production Person Surname
- Production Year Low
- Production Year High
