Seashell Facts

Seashells are popular with beach lovers and tourists as collectible items. Children and adults alike spend hours combing the sand for shells in a wide array of colors and patterns.

Formation

The seashell serves as the outer covering and protection for sea animals in a group known as mollusks. The seashell is the animal's skeleton except it is on the outside of the animal instead of inside the animal like a human's skeleton.

Types

There are thousands of types of mollusks, resulting in thousands of types of shells. These changes are caused by different genetics among species and the different environments in which the mollusks live.

Predators

Seashells with holes in them have likely been smashed against a rock as they washed onto the beach, or the creature living in the shell was attacked by a predator. The predator may have chipped away at the shell in an attempt to break it open and eat the creature inside.

Color

According to SeashellWorld.com, the color and the pattern found on a seashell depends on the diet of the creature. A steady diet may cause a spiral pattern where as an inconsistent diet can lead to spots along the shell.

Other Uses

While protection is the primary function, shells do not always serve simply as protection. Certain mollusks use the shell to keep from losing water and drying out while others use the shell to help them move with the currents.

References

• Seashells
• Types of Seashells
• Shell World Seashell Facts