protoconch
Protoconch refers to the initial part of a mollusk shell that is formed during the embryonic and larval stages. It typically occupies the apex of the adult shell and represents the shell produced before metamorphosis. The protoconch is distinct from the teleoconch, which is the portion of the shell that grows after the mollusk reaches juvenile or adult form.
In many gastropods and bivalves, the protoconch consists of one or more whorls and can differ in
The protoconch holds important biological and evolutionary information. Its size, number of whorls, and surface features
In paleontology, the protoconch is a valuable character for identifying fossil mollusks and inferring phylogenetic relationships.
Overall, the protoconch represents the embryonic and early larval shell, marking the transition from the developmental