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An Illustrated and Cross-Referenced Glossary of Malacological and Conchological Terms |
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| by Paul S. Mikkelsen | |||
| Term | Definition |
| CONCH PEARL | A PEARL, often pink in color, produced by the Queen Conch, Strombus gigas. | |
| EAR | See: HINGE EAR; WING. | |
| HEART | [need definition]. | |
| HINGE EAR | In bivalves, an anterior and/or posterior expansion of the VALVE in the hinge area; = AURICLE. | |
| LINEAR | Resembling a line; long, often narrow, and of uniform breadth; see also: RECTILINEAR. | |
| MOTHER OF PEARL | See: NACRE. See also: PEARL. | |
| NUCLEAR | Pertaining to the PROTOCONCH, or to the larval shell. | |
| NUCLEAR WHORL | The early larval shell, sometimes distinguished from the PROTOCONCH. See illustration: Composite Gastropod. See also: ADULT WHORLS; VELICONCH. | |
| PEARL |
A CALCAREOUS spheroid secreted by the mantle of a mollusk (mostly bivalves, but some gastropods too), in layers, to reduce the irritation of some foreign particulate matter lodged within the tissues of the animal. The pearl often has a NACREOUS appearance and although predominantly white in color, they may be various colors including blue, pink, green, brown, or nearly black. See also:
MARGARITACEOUS;
MARGARITIFEROUS;
MOTHER OF PEARL. See: Glossary of Pearl Terms by Pearl-Guide.com See: Glossary of Technical Terms by Costellos.com |
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| PEARLY LAYER | See: NACRE. | |
| POSTNUCLEAR | Succeeding the nucleus or PROTOCONCH in the growth of a gastropod shell. | |
| POSTNUCLEAR WHORL | Any turn of a GASTROPOD shell formed after the formation of the NUCLEUS. | |
| RECTILINEAR | In a straight line; see also: LINEAR. | |
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