The amber pen shell can be found in coastal western Atlantic waters, ranging from southern Florida across the
The … See more

The amber pen shell burrows as it grows, but the wide posterior end of the shell always remains exposed so water from above the seafloor can be drawn through the inhalent chamber of the mantle cavity. Typical of b… See more

The amber pen shell may reach 30 cm (12 in) in length with shell growth being extremely rapid after settlement [up to 2.2 mm (0.087 in) in length/day] and growth slowing down as shells get large and attain a refuge in … See more

The amber pen shell is a hermaphrodite, the gonads producing both sperm and ova. The larvae are planktonic and drift with the currents. The shells of the planktonic larvae are transparent, pale golden or amber in color, and … See more

The amber pen shell may host a number of symbionts in its mantle cavity. Shrimp Pontonia mexicana (Palaemonidae), cardinalfish Astrapogon stellatus, pea crabs (Pinnotheridae) and sea anemones (Actiniaria) … See more