Malacology
Malacology is the study of mollusks. This includes animals like octopus, snails, slugs, and clams. It is the second largest phylum of animals, making them one of the most successful groups on the planet. There are over 80,000 described species of mollusks with many more left to be discovered. Mullusca is composed of 8 recognized classes including Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Polyplacophora, Scaphapoda, Monoplacophorans, the Aplacophorans, Caudofoveata and Solenogastres, and Bivalvia.
Common Atlantic Slipper Snail
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Crepidula fornicata
Class:
Gastropoda
Order:
Littorinimorpha
Family:
Calyptraeidae
Image Voucher:
ANSP 139356
Shell Information
Length (mm): 38-56
Dextral
Chirality:
This shell has a slight curve to one side with a moderately tall curve that can very depending on where this shell was nested as it grew. The interior is divided by a white shelf called or septum. It typically has a tan coloration with some darker streaks.
Description:
Ecological Information
Distribution:
Depth (m):
Nova Scotia to Texas
0 to 70 meters
Diet:
Suspension feeder
Habitat:
Marine; Among seagrass and hard substrates
Misc. Facts
These snails change sex as they age starting as males when young and changing to female when older. This shell is also sometimes called a Boat Shell or Quarterdeck.
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Crepidula fornicata (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=138963 on 2021-06-10
Morris, P. A. (1987). A field guide to shells: Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the West Indies (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.
Rosenberg, G., F. Moretzsohn, and E. F. Garc�a. 29. Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 579�699 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico�Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas.
Rosenberg, G. 2009. Malacolog 4.1.1: A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca. [WWW database (version 4.1.1)] URL http://www.malacolog.org/