An organic protein or chitinous substance that forms the outer layer or matrix of mollusks' shells.
From 'conch' and '-iolin' (derived from Greek 'ion' meaning violet, originally naming a coloring compound). Used in malacology (shell science).
Conchiolin is the glue that holds shell structures together—it's like the concrete in a brick building, and without it, shells would just be brittle mineral piles instead of the incredibly strong structures they are.
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