An Illustrated and Cross-Referenced Glossary of
Malacological and Conchological Terms

by Paul S. Mikkelsen

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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
   

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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