Bivalves have a hard shell made of minerals, typically layers of calcite and aragonite. The shell has two halves (valves) connected by a flexible ligament hinge. Powerful muscles contract to close the valves into a tight fit. Teeth along the edges of each valve interlock to keep them from sliding apart if the bivalve is attacked by a predator. The pattern of teeth, because it is often species-specific, is one feature used to identify bivalves. The shell grows over time, using calcium taken up from seawater or ingested food. Bivalves have no heads at all, and a flattened foot. The foot is shaped for wedging into sand, explaining why bivalves have also been called pelecypods (hatchet-feet). To keep from getting moved by water currents, bivalves tend to attach themselves to hard surfaces or burrow into sediments. They burrow by probing down with the foot (lengthening) and then retracting it (shortening) to tug the shell downward.