>I collected an interesting specimen of Cypraea spadicea last weekend.  It has a barnacle, Tetraclita rubescens, attached to the anterior right side of the dorsum. The interesting thing is that the barnacle is completely glazed over including the aperture. The nacre has totally encapsulated the barnacle. The barnacle is about 10mm high by 15mm in diameter. I now have this critter in my aquarium with hopes of observing the mantle extend totally over the barnacle. I've seen small inclusions glazed over before, but never anything so large in proportion to the shell size. Anyone know if this is a common occurance?<

I have similar specimens of Pliocene scaphelline volutes with overgrown barnacles.  Perhaps they were estivating for a while.

In the strict technical sense, nacre-covered barnacles could only occur in Gaza or similar forms, as nacre designates mother-of-pearl.

    Dr. David Campbell
    Old Seashells
    University of Alabama
    Biodiversity & Systematics
    Dept. Biological Sciences
    Box 870345
    Tuscaloosa, AL  35487 USA
    [log in to unmask]

That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa