In Greek mythology, Triton was a son of Neptune and Amphitrite. According to the accounts of the poets, it was his duty to blow a trumpet to announce his father's coming. He was celebrated for his wisdom and knowledge of future events. He had the power of changing his form at will. In the later mythology, a race of tritons was brought on the scene. They were subordinate deities. They followed in the train of the greater sea god and were full of pranks and fun. Like Triton, they had the power to change their form, and appeared frequently with the upper parts of a human being and the lower parts of some animal. They were represented in art as blowing conch shells to soothe the waves. The name triton has a wide application in natural science. Various shells, conch-bearing animals, and salamanders, are known as tritons.
