Forums SEASHELL-COLLECTOR
sabretooth shells? - Printable Version

+- Forums SEASHELL-COLLECTOR (http://forum.seashell-collector.com)
+-- Forum: Seashell Collector's Forum (http://forum.seashell-collector.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Forum: Shells identification Help (http://forum.seashell-collector.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5)
+--- Thread: sabretooth shells? (/showthread.php?tid=865)



sabretooth shells? - jeroen v. - 11-03-2009

Hi,

Can someone identifie all of this shells?
I hope the picture is ok to do that...
They are all beachfinds from spain...

Thank you!

<a href="http://img264.imageshack.us/g/p1010141b.jpg/" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://img264.imageshack.us/g/p1010141b.jpg/">http://img264.imageshack.us/g/p1010141b.jpg/</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://img263.imageshack.us/i/p1010143.jpg/" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://img263.imageshack.us/i/p1010143.jpg/">http://img263.imageshack.us/i/p1010143.jpg/</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://img337.imageshack.us/i/p1010148l.jpg/" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://img337.imageshack.us/i/p1010148l.jpg/">http://img337.imageshack.us/i/p1010148l.jpg/</a><!-- m --></a>
<a href="http://img407.imageshack.us/i/p1010152x.jpg/" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://img407.imageshack.us/i/p1010152x.jpg/">http://img407.imageshack.us/i/p1010152x.jpg/</a><!-- m --></a>  <span class="petit">--Last edited by jeroen V. on 2009-11-03 23:35:51 --</span>


sabretooth shells? - dave r - 11-03-2009

Hi Jeroen V, they are shells of the class Scaphopoda, commonly known as Tusk Shells from their similarity to tiny elephant tusks. They live buried in sand and gravel with the narrow end upward just clear of the substrate through which they breathe. The animal has sticky tentacles on its foot, which is at the broad end, with which it catches its prey, microscopic creatures living in the sand. I can't say for certain which species they are but they look like Dentalium vulgare, the Common Tusk Shell. Try Google for more info.
Dave


sabretooth shells? - jeroen v. - 11-03-2009

Thank you Dave!

Is it normal that 1 species is having so difrent colors? From completely white to white/green, brown and black?


sabretooth shells? - jeroen v. - 11-04-2009

Thank you very much!


sabretooth shells? - dave r - 11-04-2009

Yes, they are whitish or cream in colour when fresh but get stained by mud and algae after they die.