Title
Longley's Carrier (Onustus longleyi)
FMM2011.20.052.1
Subject
seashells, gastropods, shell collectors
Description
White to milky white to pale gray gastropod shell. Wide conical shape. Nautilus shape on underside.
Carrier shells belong to a group of marine snails in the family Xenophoridae, a name that comes from Greek and means “bearing foreigners.” If you look closely, you can see several smaller shells attached to the sides of this specimen. Carrier shells will grab sedimentary matter such as shells or shell fragments, pebbles, or pieces of coral. They hold onto the foreign object with their foot and proboscis and then secrete calcium carbonate, which cements the object onto the growing edge of the shell.
Carrier shells belong to a group of marine snails in the family Xenophoridae, a name that comes from Greek and means “bearing foreigners.” If you look closely, you can see several smaller shells attached to the sides of this specimen. Carrier shells will grab sedimentary matter such as shells or shell fragments, pebbles, or pieces of coral. They hold onto the foreign object with their foot and proboscis and then secrete calcium carbonate, which cements the object onto the growing edge of the shell.
Comments