NEW YORK SHELL CLUB NOTES No. 246 November 1978 Page 5 
MINERAL PRODUCING 
PRIMITIVE SEA CREATURES 
Robert J. L. Wagner 
Looking over some of my vast amount of articles pertaining to the 
sea, I came across one by George Getze, a reporter who specializes 
in science. It seemed interesting enough to pass it on to you 
"shellers," so here ‘tis. 
A primitive sea creature called the chiton may show science how life 
could have developed on other planets in an entirely different way 
from the way it developed on earth. 
The chiton, in fact, is living proof that earth animals are able to 
perform some of the "mineral" processes that were carried out by 
geological forces before life appeared. The chiton is one animal 
that might be more interesting to geologists than to biologists. 
Without the use of high temperatures and high pressures that are 
needed deep in the earth to do the same thing, the tiny chiton pro- 
duces four different minerals, including two compounds of iron. 
First, these widely distributed mollusks have teeth coated with mag- 
netite, or magnetic iron. Some chitons have a second kind of iron 
mineral in their teeth. This is lepidocrocite, a mineral that never 
before has been found to have a biological source. 
A third mineral is francolite, a phosphate, which is also found in 
the teeth of chitons. The iron compounds and francolite are not all 
mixed up together but are arranged in patterns that look something 
like the work of abstract art. 
Dr. Lowenstam, professor of paleoecology at Caltech stated that "4am 
is possible that life somewhere else may be based on the iron atom 
instead of the carbon atom as it is on earth." 
Still another mineral precipitated by the chiton is calcium carbonate, 
found in coral skeletons and shells, which the chiton uses for its 
Protective shell plates. Thus, some chitons precipitate more differ- 
ent minerals than any other known animal. Not bad for such a lowly 
creature, eh? 
Reprinted from 1978 Jacksonville, 
Florida, Shell Show Booklet, p.24 
Ss Renan Ie Mts ea 
XENOPHORIDAE 
The members of the family Xenophoridae (Carrier Shells) have a habit 
of cementing pebbles, sand, shells and their fragments, with an oc- 
casional bit of coral, and sometimes a small sponge, to the outer 
surface of their own shell. Naturally, they must use whatever is 
available in their particular habitat, so that some specimens are 
more attractive than others of the same species. Those selecting 
Pebbles and bits of rock are called "Geologists," while those that 
acquire other shells are known as "Conchologists." The Japanese 
call them "Kumasaka Gai" or "Robber Shells," after a notorious Japa- 
nese robber and highwayman, Kumasaka. 
Glyde H. Hebert in SHELL-O-GRAM Vol. 19, 
No. 8, August 1978. Jacksonville Shell Club 
