# Common Atlantic Slippersnail (*crepidula fornicata*) The Common Atlantic Slippersnail is a little sea creature that loves to hang out on the ocean floor! It has a unique shell that looks like a tiny slipper, making it a fun find on beach adventures. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Commonly found in marine environments along the Atlantic coast. - **Also known as:** Atlantic Slippersnail, Crepidula, Slippersnail ![Common Atlantic Slippersnail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Crepidula_fornicata_01.JPG&width=800) Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crepidula_fornicata_01.JPG) ## Appearance The Common Atlantic Slippersnail has an oval, flattened shell, often off-white, yellow, or light brown. Its most distinctive feature is an internal, shelf-like partition that resembles a small slipper, making it unique from other marine snails. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Mollusca - **Class:** Gastropoda - **Order:** Littorinimorpha - **Family:** Calyptraeidae - **Genus:** Crepidula ## Interesting facts - A slippersnail can spend its whole life attached to just one spot. - These snails were accidentally spread worldwide by hitchhiking on oyster shipments. - They can glue themselves tightly to surfaces, making them very hard to remove! - They lay their tiny eggs in protective capsules under their shells! ## Special abilities - **Gender Changer:** Common Atlantic Slippersnail can change its sex from male to female as it grows, which helps them adapt to group living. - **Living Ladder Builder:** Common Atlantic Slippersnail has a strong foot that helps them stick to each other, forming tall, living stacks or chains. - **Water Filterer:** Common Atlantic Slippersnail can filter tiny food particles from the water, which helps them find food and keep water clean. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** up to 50 mm - **Weight:** up to 5 g - **Lifespan:** up to 10 years - **Number Of Offspring:** up to 20000 g ## Diet & Feeding This snail sips up tiny floating bits of food, like invisible plant soup, right from the water. - **Age differences:** null - **Primary Foods:** Phytoplankton, Zooplankton larvae, Detritus, Suspended organic matter - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Green crab (*Carcinus maenas*) — A common predator in their habitat. - **Eats:** Common starfish (*Asterias rubens*) — Starfish prey on many shellfish. - **Depends on:** [Eastern oyster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-oyster) (*Crassostrea virginica*) — Often attaches to oyster shells for support. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Atlantic Slippersnail? Compare the overall shape, opening, spiral, ribs, hinge and surface sculpture. Beach shells often lose the colors and sharp edges they had on the living animal, so shape does most of the work. Seashell Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Atlantic Slippersnail? up to 50 mm ### How much does Common Atlantic Slippersnail weigh? up to 5 g ### How long does Common Atlantic Slippersnail live? up to 10 years ### What does Common Atlantic Slippersnail eat? This snail sips up tiny floating bits of food, like invisible plant soup, right from the water. ### Where is Common Atlantic Slippersnail usually found? Commonly found in marine environments along the Atlantic coast. ### How does Common Atlantic Slippersnail hunt? Filter feeding ### What is the number Of Offspring of Common Atlantic Slippersnail? up to 20000 g ## Where to spot - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-lookout-coast-guard-station) — US · Historic Site - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Harkness Memorial State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/harkness-memorial-state-park) — Connecticut, US · Botanical Garden - [Ocean Drive Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ocean-drive-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Burnett's Corner](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/burnetts-corner) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Common Atlantic Slippersnail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-atlantic-slippersnail) ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Common Atlantic Slippersnail Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-atlantic-slippersnail)