Carrier Shells

Did you know that there’s a species of sea snail that decorates its own shell? Learn more about this remarkable bunch of snails for today’s #WildlifeWednesday.

Sea shells come in many shapes, form, color, and sizes which make them adorned by many. We can’t deny that sea shells are one of the beauties of the sea and for many years, people have been collecting shells for ornaments and for display. 

The Carrier Shells, a family of gastropods, are known for their shells decorated with hard marine debris such as coral pieces, other shells, shell fragments, and stones. One example of species of carrier shell is the Pallid Carrier Shell which is found in the Philippines and other parts of the Pacific and Indian ocean.

As the snail grows, it attaches hard marine debris to the outer side of the shell. Attaching one fragment takes a lot of process and time. The snail will look for the right fragment and place it in the right position. It will then hold the fragment and apply a special glue produced by their body to cement the new attachment. This process takes about 1 and a half hours to complete. The snail will then rock back and forth to test the new attachment and stop moving for about 10 hours and wait for the adhesive to dry.

Their decorative shell serves many purposes. Having hard attachments helps the snail stay in the right position to prevent them from flipping and exposing their vulnerable side to predators, and adds another layer of armor to their thin shell. Another purpose is for them to look like a pile of coral debris and shells which thereby help them blend with their surroundings and make them difficult to spot especially when not moving. 

To avoid risk of ecosystem damage and to protect organisms that rely on shells (even shell fragments) for their survival, let us leave seashells in the seashores and avoid buying seashell handicraft products.

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Text and photo by the NMP Zoology Division

© National Museum of the Philippines (2021)