The name Xenophora comes from two ancient Greek words, and means "bearing foreigners", so-called because in most species the snail cements pieces of rock or shells to its own shell at regular intervals as the shell grows.[3]
Description
The
shells of species within this genus vary from small to large (diameter of base without attachments 19–90 mm; height of shell 21–60 mm), depressed-conical, with narrow to very narrow, simple peripheral edge, non-porcellanous ventrally. Foreign objects are attached to all
whorls, with generally more than 30% of dorsal surface obscured by these objects. The foreign objects are usually medium-sized to large.[4] Although the foreign objects are usually mollusk shells, pebbles, or small pieces of coral rock, in some instances a bottle cap has been attached by the snail to its shell.
Species
The genus Xenophora includes the following species and subspecies:[4][5][6]
Fossils of Xenophora are found in marine strata from the
Cretaceous to
Quaternary (age range: from 89.3 to 0.012 million years ago.). Fossils are known all over the world.[7][9]
The name Xenophora comes from two ancient Greek words, and means "bearing foreigners", so-called because in most species the snail cements pieces of rock or shells to its own shell at regular intervals as the shell grows.[3]
Description
The
shells of species within this genus vary from small to large (diameter of base without attachments 19–90 mm; height of shell 21–60 mm), depressed-conical, with narrow to very narrow, simple peripheral edge, non-porcellanous ventrally. Foreign objects are attached to all
whorls, with generally more than 30% of dorsal surface obscured by these objects. The foreign objects are usually medium-sized to large.[4] Although the foreign objects are usually mollusk shells, pebbles, or small pieces of coral rock, in some instances a bottle cap has been attached by the snail to its shell.
Species
The genus Xenophora includes the following species and subspecies:[4][5][6]
Fossils of Xenophora are found in marine strata from the
Cretaceous to
Quaternary (age range: from 89.3 to 0.012 million years ago.). Fossils are known all over the world.[7][9]