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Image: Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory
Calliostoma annulatum |
Him:
"I couldn't afford a diamond ring so I tied a snail to a bit of string instead."
Her:
"It's BEAUTIFUL!"
The Jeweled Top Snail is a marine snail...
Who rides around in the equivalent of a
gold-plated limousine.
Actually, it's probably a tighter fit in there so it's probably more like something
a little smaller. Still covered in gold and jewels, though!
These dazzling gastropods reach about 2 cm (an inch) long and inspire jealousy among fellow inhabitants of kelp forests from Alaska to California.
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| Image: Steve Lonhart (SIMoN / MBNMS) |
They're omnivorous, feasting on the actual kelp as well as algae and various encrusting creatures like hydroids and bryozoans. They may even feed on the corpses of dead fish!
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| Image: California Academy of Sciences |
"May I just say that it is my greatest pleasure to contribute my cold, rotting flesh to the continued splendour of your most illustrious carriage.
It's what I would've wanted"
4 comments:
wow! looks like something straight out of thailand! wow!!!
Must be strange to know it lives so close to you!
That's one pretty snail!
I know! It really looks like it's covered in tiny, carefully placed jewels!
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