All mollusks build their own shells, whether they live in water or on land. Creatures like snails, clams, oysters and mussels use an organ called a mantle to secrete layers of calcium carbonate, which ...

The snail’s shell diameter averages about 22 to 30 millimeters (.87 to 1.18 inches). Each snail’s shell has a unique combination of stripes and colors, so no two are exactly alike. These snails eat ...

Hermit crabs are more than happy to let snails build them a perfect home. Hermit crabs are obsessed with snail shells. These crafty little crabs, found in California's rocky intertidal zone, are more ...

But even if they catch the snackers red-handed, they can’t do much damage to a hermit crab drawn up inside its shell. Though hermit crabs can hide inside their shells, their legs and claws usually ...