| Dentalium Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
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| Dentalium octangulatumDonovan, 1804 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Scaphopoda |
| Order: | Dentaliida |
| Family: | Dentaliidae |
| Genus: | Dentalium Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Species | |
50, see text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Dentalium is a large genus of tooth shells or tusk shells, marine scaphopod molluscs in the family Dentaliidae. [1] The genus contains 50 described species and about 50 extinct species. [2]
The scientific name of this genus comes from the Latin word dentis, meaning tooth, based on the tooth or tusk-shaped form of these molluscs.
The mantle of Dentalium species is entirely within the shell. The foot extends from the larger end of the shell, and is used to burrow through the substrate. They position their head down in the substrate, with the apical end of the shell (at the rear of the animal's body) projecting up into the water. These molluscs live on seafloor sediment, feeding on microscopic organisms, detritus and foraminiferans.
The shells are conical and curved in a planispiral way, and they are usually whitish in color. Because of these characteristics, the shell somewhat resembles a miniature elephant's tusk. They are hollow and open at both ends; the opening at the larger end is the main or anterior aperture of the shell. The smaller opening is known as the apical aperture.
At Mehrgarh, a village located at the foot of the Bolan Pass in Balochistan in modern-day Pakistan, ornaments made of Dentalium shell have been found at burial sites dating back to 6000 BCE. [3]
Excavations conducted by Jean-François Jarrige have described 'Exceptional grave deposits of Dentalium headbands found on the heads of several females...In Burial 274, the headband was made of woven rows of small dentalium and closed by two straps used as a clasp'. [4]
The shells of Dentalium neohexagonum have been used by Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest and West Coast as a form of status and currency since time immemorial. The Chumash people have also been reported using dentalium as early as circa 1000 AD, in the Morro Bay area. [5]
Māori traditionally used Dentalium shells for decorative purposes, such as rings and necklaces. Most artefacts have been found around the Coromandel Peninsula, and typically earlier artefacts during the Archaic Period (1300–1500) are Dentalium solidum, while later shells are Dentalium nanum . [6] [7]
In pre-modern medicine, these shells were considered an excellent alkali, and apothecaries would pulverize them for use in several preparations. The shell used for this purpose was described by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in London in the 18th century as being "of a tubular, or conical form, about 3 inches long; of a shining, greenish white; hollow; light, and divided lengthwise by parallel lines, running from top to bottom. It is about the thickness of a feather, and bears some resemblance to a canine tooth." However, it was considered at that time to be very rare, and in lieu of that, another shell was usually substituted. This was described as a multi-colored shell found in the sand where the tide had fallen; this shell was not channeled, or fluted. The large green shell to which the writer first refers must have been either Dentalium elephantinum or Dentalium aprinum , both of which are large and greenish, and live in the Indo-Pacific zone. The other shell was presumably another species, possibly Dentalium entale , which is native to Great Britain.
Species within the genus Dentalium include: [8] [9] [10]
Extinct species within the genus Dentalium include: [11]
Fossils in the genus Dentalium are geographically widespread. This genus is very ancient, going back up to the Silurian period (age range: from 422.9 to 0.0 million years ago). It is especially represented in Cretaceous, Eocene and Miocene fossils. [11]
Spondylus is a genus of bivalve molluscs, the only genus in the family Spondylidae. They are known in English as spiny oysters or thorny oysters.
Ostrea is a genus of edible oysters, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Ostreidae, the oysters.
Barbatia is a genus of "bearded" ark clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the family Arcidae, the ark clams.
Nucula is a genus of very small saltwater clams. They are part of the family Nuculidae.
Dentaliidae is a family of relatively large tusk shells, scaphopod mollusks in the order Dentaliida.
Cadulus is a large genus of small tusk shells in the family Gadilidae. It contains over fifty-one described species.
Polinices is a genus of predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the subfamily Polinicinae of the family Naticidae, commonly known as moon snails.
Turris is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Turridae, the turrids.
Petaloconchus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Vermetidae, the worm snails or worm shells.
Pitar is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the subfamily Callocardiinae of the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. The genus contains over 60 species.
Glycymeris, common name the bittersweet clams, is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Glycymerididae.
Antalis is a genus of tusk shells, marine scaphopod mollusks.
Polyschides is a genus of gadilid tusk shell (scaphopod).
Acrosterigma is a genus of large saltwater clams or cockles, marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae, the cockles.
Tucetona is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Glycymerididae, the bittersweet clams. Unlike other genera in the family, Tucetona species have a ribbed shell.
Fustiaria is a genus of scaphopods in the order Dentaliida and is the only genus comprising the family Fustiariidae, with 24 species.
Siphonodentalium is a genus of small tusk shells in the family Gadilidae.
Fissidentalium is a genus of molluscs belonging to the family Dentaliidae.
Graptacme is a genus of molluscs belonging to the family Dentaliidae.
Laevidentalium is a genus of molluscs belonging to the family Laevidentaliidae.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). "Blain". Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.[ dubious – discuss ]