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Project Noah Nature School
Trochus sp
These marine snails were conical but squat with flat bottoms, making them look like Tops. They had red markings and smooth whorls. The two trochus snails were found in the same rock pool - Pics 1 & 2 are of the first snail feeding on red algae. Pic #2 shows the snail upside down - the broad white patch being its foot. A rim of the shell is visible aorund the foot, to left and to the bottom of the photo. Pics #3 & 4 show another trochus feeding on micro-algae on Neptune's necklace . Pic #3 shows two sensory tentacles protruding from under the shell towards the right and down.
Littoral zone
These trochus snails were very busy - I watched the first one for at least 10 minutes - I could see him "rasping" on the red algae, the water gently pulsing with every movement. He seemed to prefer being upside down. The tentacles on the second trochus seemed to be searching constantly making contact with every bit of the surface of the beaded neptune's necklace. These snails are said to be the best cleaners of algae !
Spotted on Feb 14, 2012
Submitted on Feb 15, 2012
2 Comments
That is kinda strange..
Trochus at Beaumaris. Things get weirder every day.