Hi CONCH-L,
 
                    I have a question I hope you all can answer for me. We all
know that the mantle secretes calcium to form the shell but how does it
dissolve the shell as it grows it's whorls. Take for example Muricopsis
oxytatus (Hexagon Muricop). These shell are covered entirely with spines. As
the shell grows it's new whorls it is constantly encountering these spines.
Does the animal dissolve the spines or does it simply incorporate them into
the new growth? If it does dissolve them how does it do it and what chemical,
if any, does it use?
 
 
Thanks,
Stephen McMahan