nassa
(ˈnæsə)
[mod.L. (J. B. P. A. de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck 1799, in Mém. Soc. d'Hist. Nat. Paris I. 71), f. L. nassa basket fish-trap.]
The shell of a marine gastropod of the genus once so called, now included in the genus Nassarius; a basket shell; = dog-whelk. Also attrib.
| 1853 L. Reeve Conchologia Iconica XVI. s.v. Nassa, plate 1 The rough Nassa... A very elegantly coronated species, with the spine rising into a sharp turret. 1971 World Archaeol. III. 136 String bands to which cowrie or nassa shells are attached. 1974 S. P. Dance Encycl. Shells 156/1 Nassarius fossatus Gould. Giant Western Nassa. Shell ovate. Conical spire, apex pointed. |