Initially, I was attempting to find a kind of snail that looks like Gary from SpongeBob; while I was looking through various mollusk classes, I found an interesting oddity: swimming slugs, or Sea Angels. [image] Original observation “Naked Sea Butterfly (Clione limacina)” at https://www.inaturali…

[image] coniontises: Reproductive love darts! Yes, please check out the Wikipedia article which I wrote a lot of: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_dart And this Wikipedia video starring yours truly, which is especially suitable for upcoming Valentines Day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F…

[image] susanhewitt: The most ancient jewelry ever found is strings of beads that consist of seasnail shells. Some years back, I attended a lecture on early California indigenous artifacts by Mark Hylkema, California State Archeologist. He said, the oldest documented currency, is Ohlone shel…

I know the Chumash used purple dwarf olive shells (Olivella biplicata) for currency but that looks more recent. http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/chumash-money-09303.html

[image] susanhewitt: There are some beaches that are composed entirely of seashells. Okinawa is one of my bucket list destinations because of the Starsand beaches (星砂の浜). The whole beach is made of tiny star-shaped shells of a protist called Baclogypsina sphaerulata (so not actually a mollus…

Biomineralization is a fascinating subject. Sticking to the topic of mollusks, there’s a deep-sea snail (Chrysomallon squamiferum) that clads itself in iron sulfides it extracts from hydrothermal vents. It incorporates the minerals into it’s shell and the scales covering it foot. It’s shell is ac…

[image] susanhewitt: Giant Squids are the largest invertebrates on Earth. Aren’t they smaller than the colossal squids? I think the giant squids are longer, but the colossal squid has a larger mass when fully grown.

That’s what I was trying to recall! It had the word Olivella, at least, I’m pretty sure. [image] thomaseverest: I know the Chumash used purple dwarf olive shells (Olivella biplicata) for currency but that looks more recent.

On the ScubaBoard, there is a thread specifically for Nudibranch Lovers . These shell-less marine gastropods – with a rather Rococo quality to them, I think – seemingly come in as many different combinations of colors and frills as tropical birds and flowers.

Molluscs are great! I mainly spend my time looking at marine molluscs. There is a group of of sea slugs called the Sacoglossan slugs ( https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47801-Sacoglossa ) that are the only known animals to use kleptoplasty. Basically, they can incorporate the choroplasts stolen from…

There is nothing interesting about mollusks! And now I’m leaving, to seek shelter. Seriously, in the Prairies they are few and far between, so I don’t know about them at all. Just thought I’d stir the pot a little.

The Most Interesting Things about Mollusks!

Nature Talk

Topic		Replies	Views
What are some of your favorite taxa that very few people are interested in? Nature Talk	47	2076	June 9, 2023
The most beautiful (Sea)Shell \ Snail Shell, Phylum Mollusca, that you have ever found? Nature Talk question	14	928	February 11, 2025
Tell me your favourite animal fun fact! Nature Talk	78	5858	September 1, 2023
Mysterious organisms that keep you up at night Nature Talk	33	1200	December 27, 2022
Nature in Orange! Nature Talk	141	2852	January 22, 2026

The Most Interesting Things about Mollusks!

Related topics