Marsh Periwinkle

Littoraria irrorata

The Marsh Periwinkle is a small snail that loves to live in wet, salty places like marshes. It has a pretty spiral shell that can be different colors, making it a fun find on the beach!

Hábitat: Coastal areas

Aspecto

The Marsh Periwinkle has a sturdy, cone-shaped shell, typically greenish-brown or gray, often adorned with dark spiral bands or flecks. Its aperture is oval, and it stands out from other marsh snails due to its robust shell and characteristic markings, helping it blend into its reedy habitat.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloMolluscaClaseGastropodaOrdenLittorinimorphaFamiliaLittorinidaeGéneroLittoraria

Marsh Periwinkle

Categoría

Invertebrate

Rareza

Common

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

If a Marsh Periwinkle loses its footing, it can quickly reattach itself using a special gooey 'anchor'!

Marsh Periwinkles can live for years, slowly exploring their marshy homes one slime trail at a time!

Marsh Periwinkles sometimes 'surf' on floating debris during floods to find new feeding grounds!

These amazing snails spend most of their lives *above* the water, not in it, unlike most snails!

Habilidades especiales

Marsh Periwinkle can climb high on marsh grasses to escape rising tides and predators, using its strong foot to cling securely.

Marsh Periwinkle has a modified gill cavity (pallial lung) that helps them breathe air and survive long periods out of water.

Marsh Periwinkle can create a mucous trail to grip and climb vertical plant stems, helping them avoid aquatic dangers.

Marsh Periwinkle has a radula, a ribbon of tiny teeth, that helps them scrape algae and diatoms from surfaces for food.

Medidas y detalles

Tamaño: 20-30 mm
Esperanza de vida: 730-1095 días
Cantidad de patas: 1

Dieta y alimentación

They munch on tiny plants and algae, keeping marsh surfaces clean.

Alimentos principales

algae
diatoms
fungi
detritus
cordgrass

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eats

Saltmarsh cordgrass

Spartina alterniflora

Grazes on surface detritus and fungi growing on its stems.

eaten by

Fiddler crab

Uca pugilator

Predatory crabs may feed on snails that fall into the water.

eaten by

Mummichog

Fundulus heteroclitus

Small fish eat snails that slip off marsh grass into the water.

eaten by

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Birds with strong bills pry periwinkles from grass stems.

Rasgos

Solitario

Los animales solitarios viven solos durante la mayor parte de su vida y solo interactúan con otros para aparearse o cuidar de sus crías.

Colorido

Colorido describe a organismos u objetos que exhiben una amplia variedad de colores brillantes y distintivos.

Herbívoro

Este rasgo caracteriza a los organismos cuya dieta consiste total o principalmente en material vegetal.

Descomponedor

Describe a los organismos que descomponen la materia orgánica muerta, reciclando los nutrientes de vuelta al ecosistema.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.

Costero

Los hábitats costeros son entornos dinámicos situados a lo largo de la interfaz entre la tierra y el mar, influenciados por las mareas, las olas y el agua salada.