Shells Photos

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Venus comb murex. Scientists speculate that the distinctively long and narrow spines are a protection against fish and other mollusks and prevent the mollusk from sinking into the soft, sandy mud where it is commonly found, Murex pecten
Venus comb murex. Scientists speculate that the distinctively long and narrow spines are a protection against fish and other mollusks and prevent the mollusk from sinking into the soft, sandy mud where it is commonly found.
Species: Venus comb murex, Murex pecten
Image ID: 12970  
Glory of the Sea cone shell, brown form. The Glory of the Sea cone shell, once one of the rarest and most sought after of all seashells, remains the most famous and one of the most desireable shells for modern collectors, Conus gloriamaris
Glory of the Sea cone shell, brown form. The Glory of the Sea cone shell, once one of the rarest and most sought after of all seashells, remains the most famous and one of the most desireable shells for modern collectors.
Species: Glory of the seas cone, Conus gloriamaris
Image ID: 08732  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21612  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21609  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21622  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21640  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21652  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21660  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21661  
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs, Enhydra lutris, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
A sea otter eats a clam that it has taken from the shallow sandy bottom of Elkhorn Slough. Because sea otters have such a high metabolic rate, they eat up to 30% of their body weight each day in the form of clams, mussels, urchins, crabs and abalone. Sea otters are the only known tool-using marine mammal, using a stone or old shell to open the shells of their prey as they float on their backs.
Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutris
Location: Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Landing, California
Image ID: 21662  
Venus comb murex. Scientists speculate that the distinctively long and narrow spines are a protection against fish and other mollusks and prevent the mollusk from sinking into the soft, sandy mud where it is commonly found, Murex pecten
Venus comb murex. Scientists speculate that the distinctively long and narrow spines are a protection against fish and other mollusks and prevent the mollusk from sinking into the soft, sandy mud where it is commonly found.
Species: Venus comb murex, Murex pecten
Image ID: 12971  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12972  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12973  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12974  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12975  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12976  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12977  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12978  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12979  
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster, Spondylus
Thorny oyster or spiny oyster.
Species: Thorny oyster, Spondylus
Image ID: 12980  
Hermit crab. Hermit crabs wear shells to protect their soft abdomens, which are asymmetrical and curved to fit the spiral shape of their shell. Like all crabs, hermit crabs are decapods; they have five pairs of legs, including a pair of claws. One claw is much larger than the other, the hermit crab uses it for defense and food shredding while it uses the smaller claw for eating. The second and third pairs of legs help the crab walk, and the last two pairs hold the hermit crab in its shell, Pagurus
Hermit crab. Hermit crabs wear shells to protect their soft abdomens, which are asymmetrical and curved to fit the spiral shape of their shell. Like all crabs, hermit crabs are decapods; they have five pairs of legs, including a pair of claws. One claw is much larger than the other, the hermit crab uses it for defense and food shredding while it uses the smaller claw for eating. The second and third pairs of legs help the crab walk, and the last two pairs hold the hermit crab in its shell.
Species: Hermit crab, Pagurus
Image ID: 13693  
Box turtle. Box turtles are famous for their hinged shells, which allow them to retract almost completely into their bony armor, Terrapene
Box turtle. Box turtles are famous for their hinged shells, which allow them to retract almost completely into their bony armor.
Species: Box turtle, Terrapene
Image ID: 13987  
Box turtle. Box turtles are famous for their hinged shells, which allow them to retract almost completely into their bony armor, Terrapene
Box turtle. Box turtles are famous for their hinged shells, which allow them to retract almost completely into their bony armor.
Species: Box turtle, Terrapene
Image ID: 13988  
Tulip Cone, Conus tulipa
Tulip Cone.
Species: Tulip cone, Conus tulipa
Image ID: 07954  
Tulip Cone, Conus tulipa
Tulip Cone.
Species: Tulip cone, Conus tulipa
Image ID: 07955  
Tulip Cone, Conus tulipa
Tulip Cone.
Species: Tulip cone, Conus tulipa
Image ID: 07956  
Mustellina Olive, Oliva mustellina
Mustellina Olive.
Species: Mustellina olive, Oliva mustellina
Image ID: 07957  
Mustellina Olive, Oliva mustellina
Mustellina Olive.
Species: Mustellina olive, Oliva mustellina
Image ID: 07958  
Oliva lignaria fordi, Oliva lignaria fordi
Oliva lignaria fordi.
Species: Oliva lignaria fordi
Image ID: 07959  
Oliva lignaria fordi, Oliva lignaria fordi
Oliva lignaria fordi.
Species: Oliva lignaria fordi
Image ID: 07960  
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All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.