Shell money is a medium of exchange similar to coin money and other forms of commodity money, and was once commonly used in many parts of the world. Shell money usually consisted of whole or partial sea shells, often worked into beads or otherwise shaped. The use of shells in trade began as direct commodity exchange, the shells having use-value as body ornamentation. The distinction between beads as commodities and beads as money has been the subject of debate among economic anthropologists.
The word dentalium, as commonly used by Native American artists and anthropologists, refers to tooth shells or tusk shells used in indigenous jewelry, adornment, and commerce in western Canada and the United States. These tusk shells are a kind of seashell, specifically the shells of scaphopod mollusks. The name "dentalium" is based on the scientific name for the genus Dentalium, but because the taxonomy has changed over time, not all of the species used are still placed in that genus; however, all of the species are certainly in the family Dentaliidae.
Dentalium is a large genus of tooth shells or tusk shells, marine scaphopod molluscs in the family Dentaliidae. The genus contains 50 described species and about 50 extinct species.
Mya truncata, common name the blunt gaper or truncate softshell, is a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Myidae.
Marsenina stearnsii is a species of small slug-like sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the subfamily Lamellariinae of the family Velutinidae.
Pseudomelatoma penicillata, common name the doleful turrid, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pseudomelatomidae.
Forreria belcheri is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Muricidae, the murex snails or rock snails.
Metzgeria montereyana is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ptychatractidae.
Euspira pallida is a species of predatory sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Naticidae, the moon snails.
Odostomia franciscana is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Odostomia subturrita is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Felimare porterae is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae. It was named by Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell in honor of his wife Wilmatte Porter Cockerell.
Turbonilla aragoni is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Turbonilla recta is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Turbonilla tenuicula is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Lirularia acuticostata, common name the sharp-keeled lirularia, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Puncturella multistriata or the many-ribbed puncturella is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Eulithidium substriatum is a species of small sea snail with calcareous opercula, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phasianellidae, the pheasant snails.
Crimora coneja, common name the rabbit dorid, is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Polyceridae.
Archierato columbella is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Eratoidae, the false cowries or trivias and allies.
