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A shell consisting of one valve only; a mollusk whose shell is composed of a single piece, as the snails and conchs.

Having one valve; as, a univalve shell or pericarp.

A univalve mollusk of the genus Haliotis. The shell is lined with mother-of-pearl, and used for ornamental purposes; the sea-ear. Several large species are found on the coast of California, clinging closely to the rocks.

rojecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve. (e) The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal.

A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age.

A marine univalve shell of the genus Cymba.

A marine univalve shell of the genus Bulla and allied genera, belonging to the Tectibranchiata.

Resembling the genus Buccinum, or pertaining to the Buccinidæ, a family of marine univalve shells. See Whelk, and Prosobranchiata.

A genus of large univalve mollusks abundant in the arctic seas. It includes the common whelk (B. undatum).

hrough a buttonhole, as in buttoning boots and gloves. -- Button shell (Zoöl.), a small, univalve marine shell of the genus Rotella. -- Button snakeroot. (Bot.) (a) The American composite genus Liatris, having rounded buttonlike heads of flowers. (b) An American umbelliferous plant with rigid, narrow leaves, and flow…

used to convey letters from a distant point to to its home. -- Carrier shell (Zoöl.), a univalve shell of the genus Phorus; -- so called because it fastens bits of stones and broken shells to its own shell, to such an extent as almost to conceal it. -- Common carrier (Law.) See under Common, a.

A distinct girdle or band of color; a raised spiral line as seen on certain univalve shells.

The upright pillar in the axis of most univalve shells.

A name applied to various marine univalve shells; esp. to those of the genus Strombus, which are of large size. S. gigas is the large pink West Indian conch. The large king, queen, and cameo conchs are of the genus Cassis. See Cameo.

A kind of spiral curve found in certain univalve shells. Agassiz.

A genus of marine univalve shells; the gondola.

Decapitated; worn or cast off in the process of growth, as the apex of certain univalve shells.

Having the form of a disk, as those univalve shells which have the whorls in one plane, so as to form a disk, as the pearly nautilus. Discoid flower (Bot.), a compound flower, consisting of tubular florets only, as a tansy, lacking the rays which are seen in the daisy and sunflower.

A genus of large univalve mollusks, including the partridge shell and tun shells.

A flattened marine univalve shell of the genus Haliotis; -- called also sea-ear. See Abalone.