jingle shell

jingle shell
1. any of several marine, bivalve mollusks of the genus Anomia, having a thin, pearly shell with a conspicuous hole or notch near the hinge of the lower valve.
2. the shell itself.

* * *

also called  saddle oyster 

      any of several marine invertebrates of the class Bivalvia belonging to the family Anomiidae. In most species of these oysterlike bivalves, one shell valve (i.e., half) is closely appressed to a rock surface and has a large hole in its wall through which a calcified byssus (tuft of horny threads) attaches to the rock and thus anchors the animal. The upper shell valve, though it is more convex than the lower, is usually irregular in shape and follows the configuration of the rock surface.

      Jingle shells are often thin and translucent and have pearly interiors. They make a jingling sound when shaken against each other, hence the name jingle shell. They are much used in the manufacture of lampshades, chimes, and other ornaments.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jingle shell — Jingle Jin gle, n. 1. A rattling, clinking, or tinkling sound, as of little bells or pieces of metal. [1913 Webster] 2. That which makes a jingling sound, as a rattle. [1913 Webster] If you plant where savages are, do not only entertain them with …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • jingle shell — noun : a mollusk of the genus Anomia or sometimes of the family Anomiidae having thin flat translucent shell valves that produce noise when dried and shaken together * * * 1. any of several marine, bivalve mollusks of the genus Anomia, having a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Jingle — Jin gle, n. 1. A rattling, clinking, or tinkling sound, as of little bells or pieces of metal. [1913 Webster] 2. That which makes a jingling sound, as a rattle. [1913 Webster] If you plant where savages are, do not only entertain them with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • saddle shell — noun : jingle shell * * * saddle shell, 1. a shell suggesting a saddle in shape, as that of a bivalve mollusk of East Indian seas. 2. a mollusk with such a shell …   Useful english dictionary

  • gold shell — noun : a jingle shell (especially Anomia simplex) of the Atlantic coast of No. America with a shell sulphur yellow to coppery red or sometimes silver gray or black …   Useful english dictionary

  • clink shell — noun Etymology: clink (I) : jingle shell …   Useful english dictionary

  • jingleshell — jingle shell n. The thin, translucent, rounded, yellowish or grayish shell of any of several marine bivalve mollusks of the genus Anomia. * * * …   Universalium

  • Anomiidae — Taxobox name = Anomiidae image width = 200px regnum = Animalia phylum = Mollusca classis = Bivalvia ordo = Ostreoida subordo = superfamilia = familia = Anomiidae familia authority = Rafinesque, 1815 subdivision ranks = Genera and species… …   Wikipedia

  • bivalve — bivalvular /buy val vyeuh leuhr/, adj. /buy valv /, n. 1. Also called lamellibranch. Zool. any mollusk, as the oyster, clam, scallop, or mussel, of the class Bivalvia, having two shells hinged together, a soft body, and lamellate gills. adj. 2.… …   Universalium

  • London Clay — Formation Stratigraphic range: Ypresian London Clay at Reculver Type Formation …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”