The gastropod shell is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, a kind of mollusc. The shell is an exoskeleton, which protects from predators, mechanical damage, and dehydration, but also serves for muscle attachment and calcium storage. Some gastropods appear shell-less (slugs) but may have a remnant within the mantle, or the shell is reduced such that the body cannot be retracted within (semi-slug). Some snails also possess an operculum that seals the opening of the shell, known as the aperture, which provides further protection. The study of mollusc shells is known as conchology. The biological study of gastropods, and other molluscs in general, is malacology. Shell morphology terms vary by species group.
Marginellidae, or the margin shells, are a taxonomic family of small, often colorful, sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the clade Neogastropoda.
Marginella huberti is a species of colorful small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Marginellidae.
Plesiocystiscus is a genus of minute predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Cystiscidae.
Bullata is a genus of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Marginellidae, the margin snails.
Gurmatia is an extinct small genus of pyramidellid gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the family Pyramidellidae.
Curtitoma hebes is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mangeliidae.
Mitromorpha biplicata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitromorphidae.
Inodrillia amblytera is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Horaiclavidae.
Xanthodaphne pompholyx is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Nepotilla bathentoma is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae.
Nassarius glans, common name the acorn dog whelk, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.
Isara gabonensis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitridae, the miters or miter snails.
Gibbula multicolor, common name the multicoloured topshell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Megastomia conoidea is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pyramidellidae, the pyrams and their allies.
Clanculus euchelioides, common name the small top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Cyllene lamarcki is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Nassariidae, the Nassa mud snails or dog whelks.
Perrottetia hongthinhae is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Streptaxidae.
Hindsiclava calligonoides is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies.
Hindsiclava paraconsors is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies.
