How do shells protect animals

Even so, hermit crabs appreciate the additional protection of a true shell, and go to great lengths to acquire them. Hermit crabs do not make their own shells; instead, they scavenge the shells of dead mollusks, and cram their most vulnerable parts deep inside.

Hermit crabs make suitable pets, given proper care, which includes a roomy, humid habitat with plenty of opportunities for hiding and climbing. Additionally, hermit crabs should be kept in groups, as they form immense colonies in the wild.

Bivalves are mollusks that produce two symmetrical shells, which come together to protect the delicate animal living inside. While they are not very active, with proper care, you can keep some of these shelled mollusks as pets. Beginners should stick to easy-to-keep species, such as giant clams Tridacna spp. Bivalves are filter feeders, who ingest food particles that they withdraw from the water column, so in some cases, they can help reduce the amount of particulate matter floating in your aquarium.

The remaining shells are destined for elsewhere in India and abroad. Bansod had expected to speak with a few artisans and learn about their craft but was flabbergasted by what he saw. One worker told him that his facility processes anywhere from 30 to tons of shells a month, and, Bansod says, several other such facilities exist in southern India. The dozens of shell species they handle range from the spider conch, a curved shell with long protrusions resembling spider legs, to the green turban, with its swirling emerald, white, and brown vertical layers.

According to Bansod, the shells are packaged by the kilogram and sold to craftsmen as raw material for souvenirs and other handicraft products. The supply chain varies from town to town. In the case of less touristy towns such as Rameshwaram, he says, larger processing factories send their shells to middlemen who sell them to artisans in places like Kanyakumari. Shells from Rameshwaram are also exported overseas or to larger Indian cities such as Vizag and Mumbai.

At least 50, mollusk species inhabit the Earth. Whereas some shells are harvested for their meat, others—like the chambered nautilus, known for its beautiful, coiled multi-colored protective casings—are collected solely for decorative purposes.

India is by no means the only major supplier. Local news reports from GMA News Online in the Philippines describe similar processes there for harvesting, cleaning, and distributing shells. Shells are also exploited commercially in Indonesia and throughout the Caribbean, among other places. Only a few species—notably the queen conch, which can grow to a foot in length, the chambered nautilus, the giant clam, and a few species of snails—are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES , the body that regulates the global wildlife trade.

To trade these species, importers must obtain a permit from the country of origin, which is registered in an international database. In addition, CITES requires that source countries set fishing quotas to ensure that trade in these species is sustainable. Like India, a number of other countries have implemented their own policies to protect marine mollusks. Despite these measures, according to a study by Defenders of Wildlife, a U. Between and , U. Fish and Wildlife Service agents confiscated 77 different types of wildlife products, and shells, with more than half a million seized, appeared in the top five.

Their funny names are often what they have in common, but for the rest of the world, sea snails are motley experience of colors and shapes. Bivalves are shellfish protected by two shell halves. Each half is more or less equivalent in size. Well known bivalve species include the mussel , the cockle and the oyster. Most snail houses spiral clockwise. However, some species have houses spiraling counter-clockwise. Sometimes, you find a snail which should spiral clockwise, but spirals counter-clockwise.

These are the true exceptions and shell collectors are crazy about such finds. You can see which way a house spirals by checking whether or not the opening is to the right of the center, when holding the house with the opening down and facing you. Because it can no longer mature, the hormone meant to stop shell growth is not produced, allowing the snail house to grow larger than normal.

The skeleton of the common cuttlefish is very unusual. It only has a backbone and when the animal dies, this is the only remaining evidence. Should you walk along the beach, you often find these cuttlebones washed ashore. Most people are familiar with cuttlebone sold in pet shops for birds.

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