Image: Ria Tan Umbonium vestiarium |
Button Tops are delightful snails found in soft, sandy, seashores from east Africa to Australia.
Image: Femorale |
Button Top shells come in a vast array of colours and patterns.
Image: Ria Tan |
Unfortunately you might not actually see one even if it's right under your nose. The shells are flattened and glossy so that Button Tops can effortlessly burrow just below the surface of the sand. All that emerges into the water above are tentacles, eye stalks and a pair of tubes known as siphons.
Image: Ria Tan Two tentacles, two eye stalks, two siphons |
If they can't satisfy their appetite that way they can also use one tentacle and their foot to gather dinner right from the sand, instead. But for the most part, Button Tops are filter feeders, which is very unusual for a snail.
Image: Ria Tan |
Image: Ria Tan |
they are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDelete@TexWisGirl: They really are!
ReplyDelete@stregajewellry: So true!