Xenophorids are unusual in that in many of the species the animal cements small stones or shells to the edge of the
shell as it grows, thus the shells of those species are sometimes humorously referred to as "shell-collecting shells". Additionally, the genus name
Xenophora comes from two ancient Greek words and means "bearing (or carrying) foreigners". The shells are small to rather large (diameter of base without attachments 19–160 mm; height of shell 21–100 mm), depressed to conical, with narrow to wide, simple to spinose peripheral edge or flange separating
spire from base.
Aperture large, base broad, rather flattened, often
umbilicate.
Periostracum very thin or wanting.
Protoconch depressed-conical, multispiral (in one species paucispiral).
Teleoconch usually with foreign objects attached in spiral series to peripheral flange and, sometimes, remainder of dorsum, at least on early
whorls.
Operculum horny, yellowish to brown, nucleus lateral, with simple growth lamellae, sometimes with conspicuous radial striae or hollow radial ribs. ==Classification==