Explain this snails shell coating please

[Kaliber35]

Ive seen these little snails all over the place. I used to just ignore them, but the other day I picked it up and the pretty design on it shell came right off as if it were wet stickers. Whats that all about? How does it get on there and why? I dont see it being a camouflage attempt.

Picture borrowed from member "deeper thoughts" upper key pic thread.

 

[ONESPEED]

The design doesn't come off, it's part of the animal and goes back into the shell when they are threatened. The shell is called a flamingo tongue.

 

[Kaliber35]

Thank you. The design is basically how the snail breathes. Its an extension of its foot and aids in O2 absorption and CO2 exhaust. Very interesting.

 

[ONESPEED]

Thank you. The design is basically how the snail breathes. Its an extension of its foot and aids in O2 absorption and CO2 exhaust. Very interesting.

Very cool, sounds like we both learned something tonight.

 

[Chugwhump]

Stolen from my Reef Creatures book by Paul Humann, Edited by Ned Deloach.

Common name: Flamingo Tongue
Latin: Cyphoma gibbosum
Class: Snails Gastropoda
Subclass: Prosobranchia...which if I remember any of my Catholic School/Biology Class Latin,
means Protruding Lung.
Another interesting couple of critters are the "Fingerprint Cyphoma" and the "Spotted Cyphoma".

Chug
Cum catapulatae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt