While hunting for seashells, you might come across some other finds or clues about how molluscs live.
•If you find a neat, round hole punched in a shell – especially a bivalve shell – this is evidence that it was hunted and eaten by a predatory snail, such as a whelk. Shells dotted with multiple holes, however, were covered in a type of bright yellow sponge. Known as a boring sponge, it uses acid to perforate limestone rocks and the shells of living molluscs.
•For some types of shell, it’s possible to make a rough estimate of how old the animal was that made it. Like tree rings, molluscs lay down layers of material with darker yearly bands. To determine its age, scientists cut thin slices of shell and count these under…
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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024