Moon Snail by nongo

Photography • Sea/Undersea • posted on Jul 06, 2005

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Description

The moon snail is a large gastropod typically found partially buried in sand and mud beaches. It can attain a size over 5 inches in shell diameter and can extend a fleshy foot to over 12 inches in diameter. As large as this foot may seem, it can completely fit inside the shell after expelling considerable amounts of water Attached to the foot is a thin horn-like oval object called the operculum. The operculum closed off the opening to the shell like a trap door when the shell pulls it's body inside. The moon snail is a predator mainly on clams, which it reaches by digging with it's large foot. Clam shells found with a perfectly round hole drilled in them were probably eaten by moon snails. Low tides in the spring and summer are the best time to look for moon snails. At this time, they come into shallow water lay their eggs. Moon snail egg cases, commonly called sand collars, appear to be thin pieces of rubber in the shape of a round collar. They are composed of snail eggs sandwiched between layers of mucus coated with sand.

Comments (26)

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DJB

12:40AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Wow is this ever a close up.Makes a good abstract photo.

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GiMi53

12:49AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

A great composition ! Fantastic pastel colors...Thanks for the explanation too ! :~)

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EricSBauer

12:52AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

that's cool, love the color and spiral!!! dof is awesome!!! very well done!!!

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jacro

1:52AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

magnificent color palette,excellent shot!

BMWilliams

2:00AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Wish I could do good pix like that.

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sharky_

2:01AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Very interesting snail with a very educational explanation. Very large in size. Excellent job. Aloha

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kimariehere

3:28AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

so artistically captured.. a true work of art i love its spiral.. you did a magnificent job on this beauty!!

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marybelgium

5:12AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Original and beautiful tones !

vlaaitje

7:04AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

wow, great shot.......love the pattern in there..well taken and info

Michelle A.

8:02AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Beautiful muted colors and light......

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sputter

8:12AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

That sounds like a big snail!! Very beautiful colors and textures in your photo!

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kansas

9:06AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Wonderful shot of this specimen. Ineresting info. Thanks.

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Enmos

9:28AM | Wed, 06 July 2005

Wow thats one large snail !! Thanks for the info and beautiful near-abstract shot of it !! Arent the patterns found in nature amazing ? Superb work !! :o)

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