Shell · Genus
Xenophora
Carrier shells
Carrier shells (Xenophora) cement other shells, pebbles and coral fragments to their own shell as they grow, producing a collage that delights collectors; Xenophora pallidula carries whole shells, X. conchyliophora bits of everything. They are moderately priced and every specimen is unique. Fossil Xenophora are known from the Cretaceous.
| Habitat | Sand and mud bottoms, shelf depths, worldwide |
|---|---|
| Regions | Indo-Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic |
| Family | Xenophoridae |
| Authority (WoRMS) | Fischer von Waldheim, 1807· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Status (WoRMS) | accepted· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Classification (WoRMS) | Animalia › Mollusca › Gastropoda › Littorinimorpha › Xenophoridae· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
CITES and protection
Not CITES-listed.
Care (Byne's disease)
Attached shells and pebbles loosen; handle carefully.
Photographs
Elsewhere
- WoRMS AphiaID: 138664
- Wikidata: Q3176940
- WoRMS / MolluscaBase record
- Wikipedia: Xenophora
- CITES Appendices
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Xenophora" (Shell family). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/shells/xenophora. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-xenophora,
title = {Xenophora},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/shells/xenophora}},
year = {2026},
note = {Shell family article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, worms, wikidata, commons, smithsonian. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.