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Description:
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Marine molluscs with a tapering, tubular, slightly curved tusk-like shell, that is open at both ends. The large end remains anchored in the sand by a cone shaped foot. Influent and outfluent streams take place at the narrow end.
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The drawing of this thin shell, near bottom of page, shows its highly retractile, slender ceptacula. Like sticky fingers, secretions on the tips of the ceptacula pick up food particles for transfer to the mouth (See
Anatomy & Function
).
About 350 species are known, most found in 6 meters or more of water, with a few species, only, found on shore.
Cadula
shells are typically 4 mm in length, whereas
Dentalium
shells up to 150 mm have been found off shore of Japan. Fossil species of
Dentalium
up to 300 mm, with a 30 mm diameter, are known. The shells are widely used for jewelry and are often massed in the beaded portions of American Indian clothing decorations.
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Classification
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Class: Scaphopoda
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Family: Dentaliidae
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Genus:
Antalis
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Genus:
Dentalium
Family: Siphonodentaliidae
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Genus:
Siphonodentalium
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Genus:
Cadulus
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Genus:
Entalina
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Dentalium elephanteum
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Elephant Tusk
, 6.5 cm
Philippines
Drawing of the common tusk shell,
Dentalium vulgare
(da Costa, 1778)
LINKS TO OTHER TUSK SHELLS:
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