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| familia = [[Dentaliidae]]
| familia = [[Dentaliidae]]
| genus = '''''Dentalium'''''
| genus = '''''Dentalium'''''
| genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
| subdivision = See text.
}}
}}


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In pre-modern medicine, dentalium was considered an excellent [[alkali]], and [[apothecaries]] would pulverize dentalium for use in several preparations. The genuine dentalium used for this purpose, as described by [[Joseph Pitton de Tournefort]], is of a tubular, or conical form, about 3 inches long; of a shining, greenish white; hollow; light, and divided lengthwise by parallel lines, running from top to bottom. It is about the thickness of a feather, and bears some resemblance to a canine tooth. However, it is very rare, and in lieu of that, was usually substituted by a multi-colored shell found in the sand where the tide had fallen; this shell was not channeled, or fluted like dentalium.<ref>{{1728}}</ref>
In pre-modern medicine, dentalium was considered an excellent [[alkali]], and [[apothecaries]] would pulverize dentalium for use in several preparations. The genuine dentalium used for this purpose, as described by [[Joseph Pitton de Tournefort]], is of a tubular, or conical form, about 3 inches long; of a shining, greenish white; hollow; light, and divided lengthwise by parallel lines, running from top to bottom. It is about the thickness of a feather, and bears some resemblance to a canine tooth. However, it is very rare, and in lieu of that, was usually substituted by a multi-colored shell found in the sand where the tide had fallen; this shell was not channeled, or fluted like dentalium.<ref>{{1728}}</ref>


== Species ==
{{mollusc-stub}}
* ''[[Dentalium agassizi]]'' <small>Pilsbry and Sharp, 1897</small> stained tuskshell
* ''[[Dentalium americanum]]'' <small>Chenu, 1843</small> American tuskshell
* ''[[Dentalium antillarum]]'' <small>D'Orbigny, 1842</small>
* ''[[Dentalium bartletti]]'' <small>Henderson, 1920</small>
* ''[[Dentalium calamus]]'' <small>Dall, 1889</small>
* ''[[Dentalium callipeplum]]'' <small>Dall, 1889</small>
* ''[[Dentalium callithrix]]'' <small>Dall, 1889</small>
* ''[[Dentalium carduum]]'' <small>Dall, 1889</small>
* ''[[Dentalium ceratum]]'' <small>(Dall, 1881)</small>
* ''[[Dentalium circumcinctum]]'' <small>Watson, 1879</small>
* ''[[Dentalium dalli]]'' <small>Pilsbry and Sharp, 1897</small>
* ''[[Dentalium diarrhox]]'' <small>Watson, 1879</small>
* ''[[Dentalium didymum]]'' <small>Watson, 1879</small>
* ''[[Dentalium eboreum]]'' <small>Conrad, 1846</small>
* ''[[Dentalium ecostatum]]'' <small>T W Kirk, 1880</small>
* ''[[Dentalium ensiculus]]'' <small>Jeffereys, 1877</small>
* ''[[Dentalium entale entale]]'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small>
* ''[[Dentalium entale stimpsoni]]'' <small>(Henderson, 1920)</small>
* ''[[Dentalium entale]]'' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>
* ''[[Dentalium floridense]]'' <small>J. B. Henderson, 1920</small>
* ''[[Dentalium glaucarena]]'' <small>Dell, 1953</small>
* ''[[Dentalium gouldii]]'' <small>Dall, 1889</small> gould tuskshell
* ''[[Dentalium inversum]]'' <small>Deshayes, 1825</small>
* ''[[Dentalium laqueatum]]'' <small>A. E. Verrill, 1885</small> reticulate tuskshell
* ''[[Dentalium liodon]]'' <small>Pilsbry and Sharp, 1897</small>
* ''[[Dentalium meridionale]]'' <small>Pilsbry and Sharp, 1897</small>
* ''[[Dentalium nanum]]'' <small>Hutton, 1873</small>
* ''[[Dentalium neohexagonum]]'' <small>Sharp and Pilsbry, 1897</small> hexagon tuskshell
* ''[[Dentalium occidentale]]'' <small>Stimpson, 1851</small>
* ''[[Dentalium ophiodon]]'' <small>Dall, 1881</small>
* ''[[Dentalium perlongum]]'' <small>Dall, 1881</small>
* ''[[Dentalium pilsbryi]]'' <small>Rehder, 1942</small>
* ''[[Dentalium pretiosum]]'' <small>Sowerby, 1860</small>
* ''[[Dentalium rebeccaense]]'' <small>Henderson, 1920</small>
* ''[[Dentalium rectius]]'' <small>Carpenter, 1864</small>
* ''[[Dentalium semistriolatum]]'' <small>Guilding, 1834</small>
* ''[[Dentalium sowerbyi]]'' <small>Guilding, 1834</small>
* ''[[Dentalium stenochizum]]'' <small>Pilsbry and Sharp, 1897</small>
* ''[[Dentalium suteri]]'' <small>Emerson, 1954</small>
* ''[[Dentalium taphrium]]'' <small>Dall, 1889</small>
* ''[[Dentalium texasianum]]'' <small>Philippi, 1848</small>
* ''[[Dentalium tiwhana]]'' <small>Dell, 1953</small>
* ''[[Dentalium tubulatum]]'' <small>Henderson, 1920</small>
* ''[[Dentalium vallicolens]]'' <small>Raymond, 1904</small> trench tuskshell
* ''[[Dentalium vitreum]]'' <small>M. Sars, 1851</small>
* ''[[Dentalium vulgare]]'' <small>da Costa, 1778</small>
* ''[[Dentalium zelandicum]]'' <small>Sowerby, 1860</small>


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>
* [[Arthur William Baden Powell|Powell A W B]], ''New Zealand Mollusca'', [[HarperCollins|William Collins Publishers Ltd]], Auckland, New Zealand [[1979]] ISBN 0-00-216906-1
* {{ITIS|ID=82118|taxon=''Dentalium''}}


[[Category:Molluscs]]
[[Category:Molluscs]]

Revision as of 19:59, 5 June 2007

Dentalium
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Scaphopoda
Order:
Dentaliida
Family:
Dentaliidae
Genus:
Dentalium

Linnaeus, 1758
Species

See text.

Dentalia (plural of dentalium) are tooth shells, molluscs of the genus Dentalium or family Dentaliidae[1], historically harvested from deep waters around the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. It was valued highly by First Nations peoples as a form of currency. It is still appreciated as a decorative bead object for native costumes. The Nez Perce would pierce their noses and wear dentalia through their septums; this practice led to the current name applied to the tribe.[2]

In pre-modern medicine, dentalium was considered an excellent alkali, and apothecaries would pulverize dentalium for use in several preparations. The genuine dentalium used for this purpose, as described by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, is of a tubular, or conical form, about 3 inches long; of a shining, greenish white; hollow; light, and divided lengthwise by parallel lines, running from top to bottom. It is about the thickness of a feather, and bears some resemblance to a canine tooth. However, it is very rare, and in lieu of that, was usually substituted by a multi-colored shell found in the sand where the tide had fallen; this shell was not channeled, or fluted like dentalium.[3]

Species

References

  1. ^ "dentalium". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. ^ Josephy, Alvin M. (1997). The Nez Perce Indians and the Opening of the Northwest. Houghton Mifflin Books. ISBN 0395850118. p 23.
  3. ^ Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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