Shellfish

Japanese: 貝 - かい

A general term for mollusks with calcareous shells, or the shells themselves. In a broad sense, it refers to the mollusks themselves, but can also include sea urchins, barnacles, and nightshades. Most are marine, but they also live in freshwater and on land. The giant giant clam (shell length 1.37m, weight 230kg) of the axe-pods and the gastropod Tridacna araffura (shell height 80cm) are the largest species in the world. The largest species found in Japan are the axe-pod Tridacna finnas (shell length 40cm) and the gastropod Tridacna conch (shell height 43cm). The flesh is edible, and the shells are used for crafts. The shell consists of three layers: the pericarp, the prismatic layer (shelly substance), and the nacreous (subshell) layer, and is secreted from the mantle membrane of the mollusks. The outermost pericarp is a type of protein called conchiolin, which is leathery. The main component of the prismatic layer and nacreous layer is calcium carbonate.
→ Related topics: Gastropods | Brachypods

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

軟体動物のうち，石灰質の殻をもつものの総称，またはその殻。広義には軟体動物そのものを指し，またウニ，フジツボ，ホオズキガイ等を含めることもある。大部分は海産だが，淡水や陸上にもすむ。斧足(ふそく)類のオオジャコガイ（殻長1.37m，重量230kg），腹足類のアラフラオオニシ（殻高80cm）がおのおの世界最大種である。日本産では斧足類のヒレジャコガイ（殻長40cm），腹足類のホラガイ（殻高43cm）が最も大きい。身は食用，殻は細工物などに利用される。貝殻は殻皮，稜柱層（殻質），真珠（殻下）層の３層からなり，軟体の外套(がいとう)膜から分泌される。最外層の殻皮はコンキオリンと呼ばれるタンパク質の一種で，革質。稜柱層，真珠層の主成分は炭酸カルシウム。
→関連項目腹足類｜斧足類

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