CHAPTER XXXII: THE WORM SHELLS AND POD 



SHELLS 



Family Vermetid.'E 



Shell tubular, with septa; regularly spiral when young; 

 whorls free, irregular when adult; aperture round; operculum 

 circular, concave on outside; body worm-like; head long, with 

 tentacles and eyes; foot rudimentary. Mollusks usually attached 

 to coral rocks or imbedded in sponges. 



Genus VERMETUS, Ads. 



Shell irregularly spiral, attached on one side or free; tube 

 partitioned repeatedly; operculum small. 



The Worm Shell (K. spiratus, Phil.) is a mollusk, notwith- 

 standing its very worm-like shell, which is yellowish brown, or 

 white, like the calcareous coverings of certain marine worms. The 

 spiral is close and regular at first, then it becomes free and wanders 

 off in irregular, wayward fashion. Longitudinal, angled keels on 

 the shell, distinguish this species. It may attain a length of 6 to lo 

 inches. To fit the attenuated shell, the body is much elongated. 

 The foot is short and broad. There is a horny circular operculum 

 fitting the aperture. The toothed tongue is truly molluscan. 



These shells often form, as if for mutual protection, an intri- 

 cate, tangled mass. They are found in shallow water all along the 

 Atlantic seaboard, in the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico. 



V. squamigerus, Cpr., occurs in clusters on the southern 

 California coast. Each shell is loosely twisted, and shows scaly 

 growth lines. Colour, yellowish white. 



V. varians, d'Orb., forms masses on the Florida coast. 

 The shells are irregularly convoluted, and violet brown. 



Genus SILIQUARIA, Brug. 



Shell spiral, becoming free and irregular, with a longitudinal 

 groove, or series of holes, its whole length; operculum elevated 



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