| A sea snail is an invertebrate that lives in saltwater tidepools and it has a shell attached to its back as protection against predators. Their shells come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. On its head are two tentacles with eyes. They produce a thick slime that creates a suction that lets them stick to things and crawl upside down. Sea snails eat using a tongue called a radula to drill holes in food and suck out their food’s insides. They eat anything from algae to other snails, depending on the species. A few of the most common snails that we found in the field are Morula granulata, Nerita picea, and Littorina pintado. We were able to find these snails in the intertidal in and under rocks. Other common sea snails include Nerita polita, Drupa morum, and Strombus maculatus. Sea snails belong to the Mollusca phylum along with clams, oysters, cuttlefish, squids, and octopuses. They have unique features. All sea snails have a foot, a shell, a soft body (or mantle) and a radula. Some snails are used by humans as decorations or souvenirs.
Snails are invertebrates that live in shells. Their shells vary in shape, size, and color. Some shells can be collected for money because of their value. An example of a shell that is collected because of its beauty would be the cowries. Snails can be found on rocks. They can also be found on algae. Even though they are marine, they don’t always have to be covered by water, because their shells retain water. Some snails eat algae, while others eat other snails and fish. Cone snails are an example of a kind of snail that eats fish. Snails eat using their radula, a modified tongue. Most snails are native and found in the Indo-Pacific and Indo-West Pacific. Snails are not dangerous to humans but some cone snails have fatal stings. So whenever picking up a cone snail, hold it by the wide end. Cone snails can be identified by their cone shaped shell. Snails are eaten by fish and octopi. The most common snails in rocky or algae covered areas are the littorines (Littorina pintado) and the nerites (Nerita picea and Nerita polita). We found the littorines and nerites at every site we have visited and they are normally found on rocks. We hope you find this information very useful.
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