The genus Xenophora comprises species of marine gastropods (Cretaceous‐Recent) able to add fragments of various origins to their shell surface. Agglutination potentials vary, from species lacking attachments to species completely covered by agglutinated materials, as in the Mediterranean species Xenophora crispa. Here, we analyse Recent and fossil specimens of Xenophora crispa from the Mediterranean area using SEM and XRD, to better understand their biomineralization patterns and the mechanisms leading to the agglutination of shells, bioclasts and lithoclasts, and their evolution in time. We also provide new data on poorly studied gastropod shell microstructures. We conclude that: (1) most of the Xenophora crispa shell consists of an aragonitic crossed lamellar fabric, but fibrous to spherulitic prismatic fabrics, seemingly of calcite, have been found in the columella and peripheral edge (the thickest parts of the shell); (2) attachment of objects is mediated by a prismatic microstructure, indicating that this may be the most functional fabric in attachment areas in molluscs; and (3) the functional purpose of the agglutination in Xenophora crispa may be related to a snowshoe strategy to successfully colonize muddy substrates, coupled with tactile and olfactory camouflage. Indeed, this species secretes in the columella and peripheral edge a less dense and a more organic rich calcitic fabric, possibly to lighten the shell thickest parts in order not to sink in soft sediments and to facilitate the shell raising from the substrate to create a protected feeding area. This behaviour seems to have been maintained by X. crispa over 2 My time span.

中文翻译：

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载体壳Xenophora crispa（König，1825）是如何构建其壳的？来自近期和化石记录的证据

Xenophora属包括海洋腹足纲动物（白垩纪—近缘种），能够将各种起源的碎片添加到它们的壳表面。凝集的潜力各不相同，从缺少附着的物种到被凝集的物质完全覆盖的物种，如地中海物种Xenophora crispa一样。在这里，我们使用SEM和XRD分析了地中海地区的Xenophora crispa的近期和化石标本，以更好地了解它们的生物矿化模式以及导致贝壳，生物碎屑和碎石碎屑凝集的机制，以及它们随时间的演化。我们还提供了关于腹足动物壳微结构研究不足的新数据。我们得出以下结论：（1）大多数Xenophora crispa壳由杂碎的薄片状织物组成，但在小柱和外围边缘（壳的最厚部分）中发现了纤维状到球状棱柱形的织物，看似方解石。（2）物体的附着是由棱柱形的微观结构介导的，这表明它可能是软体动物附着区域中功能最强的织物。（3）Xenophora crispa中凝集的功能目的可能与成功定居泥泞底物的雪鞋策略有关，并伴有触觉和嗅觉伪装。的确，该物种在小肠和外围边缘分泌了密度较小，有机度更高的钙质织物，可能减轻了壳的最厚部分，以免沉入柔软的沉积物中并促进壳从底物上浮起，从而形成受保护的生物。喂食面积。X. crispa在2 My的时间范围内似乎一直保持这种行为。