sabretooth shells?

[jeroen v.]

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>

[dave r]

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

[jeroen v.]

Thank you Dave!

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

[jeroen v.]

Thank you very much!

[dave r]

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