A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers. The shells are empty because the animal has died and the soft parts have decomposed or been eaten by another animal.
The gastropods, commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda.
Strombus is a genus of medium to large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Strombidae, which comprises the true conchs and their immediate relatives. The genus Strombus was named by Swedish Naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Around 50 living species were recognized, which vary in size from fairly small to very large. Six species live in the greater Caribbean region, including the queen conch, Strombus gigas, and the West Indian fighting conch, Strombus pugilis. However, since 2006, many species have been assigned to discrete genera. These new genera are, however, not yet found in most textbooks and collector's guides.
Robert Tucker Abbott was an American conchologist (seashells) and malacologist (molluscs). He was the author of more than 30 books on malacology, which have been translated into many languages.
Monetaria moneta, common name the money cowry, is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Turbinellidae are a family of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda. Members of this family are predators.
Bathytoma prodicia is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Borsoniidae.
Cochlespira zanzibarica is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cochlespiridae.
Gemmula webberae is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Turridae, the turrids.
Cotonopsis lafresnayi, common name the well-ribbed dovesnail, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Columbellidae, the dove snails.
Capulus ungaricus, common name the bonnet shell, is a species of medium-sized sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Capulidae, the cap snails.
Chelycypraea testudinaria, common name the tortoise cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Monetaria annulus, common name the ring cowrie, ring top cowrie, or gold ring cowrie, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Purpuradusta fimbriata, common name : the fringed cowry, is a species of sea snail, a cowry, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
Canarium wilsonorum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Phalium, common name the bonnet shells, is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Cassidae, the helmet shells, bonnet shells and their allies.
Laevistrombus is a genus of sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Strombidae, the true conchs.
Tudivasum is a genus of large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Vasinae, the vase shells, within the family Turbinellidae.
Octomarginula ostheimerae is a species of small sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets and slit limpets.
Sclerodoris tuberculata is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, shell-less marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Discodorididae.
