Dentalium neohexagonum is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of tusk shell

Tusk shell

The tusk shells or scaphopods are a class of shelled marine mollusks. The scientific name of this class is Scaphopoda, meaning "shovel-footed". Shells of species within this class range from about 0.5 to 15 cm in length...

 in the family Dentaliidae

Dentaliidae

Dentaliidae is a family of tusk shells in the order Dentaliida.-Genera:* Antalis H. & A. Adams, 1854 * Coccodentalium Sacco, 1896 * Compressidentalium Habe, 1963 * Dentalium Linnaeus, 1758 * Eudentalium Cotton & Godfrey, 1933...

. As the Latin name implies, the cross section of this shell is hexagonal; hence its common name is six-sided tusk shell.

This species occurs along the central and southern California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 coast of the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

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The shells of this species are known to have been used by the Chumash people at least as early as circa 1000 AD, in the Morro Bay area.