Snail. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a laver spire snail (Hydrobia ulvae). The snail can seal itself inside its shell by pulling a pl

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Snail. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a laver spire snail (Hydrobia ulvae). The snail can seal itself inside its shell by pulling a plug (brown) over its operculum (lower right). It does this to protect itself from predators. This snail inhabits estuaries and coastal mudflats. It is a small snail, reaching a maximum length of around a centimetre. Magnification: x18 at 6x7cm size.

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Size: 3000px × 3500px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, aperture, brackish, coloured, estuarine, flat, hydrobia, invertebrates, laver, mollusca, mud, mudsnail, nature, operculum, plug, sem, shell, snail, spire, ulvae, vertical, wadden, wildlife, zoology