Malacology
Malacology is the study of mollusks. This includes animals like octopus, snails, slugs, and clams. It is the second largest phylum of animals, making them one of the most successful groups on the planet. There are over 80,000 described species of mollusks with many more left to be discovered. Mullusca is composed of 8 recognized classes including Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Polyplacophora, Scaphapoda, Monoplacophorans, the Aplacophorans, Caudofoveata and Solenogastres, and Bivalvia.
Marsh Periwinkle
(Say, 1822)
Littoraria irrorata
Class:
Gastropoda
Order:
Littorinimorpha
Family:
Littorinidae
Image Voucher:
ANSP 395802
Ecological Information
Distribution:
Depth (m):
Massachusetts to Texas
0 to 22 meters
Diet:
Herbivore
Habitat:
Marine; Shallow coastal salt marshes and intertidal zones
Misc. Facts
The Marsh Periwinkle can not survive on seagrass alone. One way they supplement their diet is by "farming" fungus. They do this by eating holes in cordgrass and spreading waste on the surface to create the ideal conditions for the fungus to grow.
Citations
MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Littoraria irrorata (Say, 1822). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=419566 on 2021-06-10
Morris, P. A. (1987). A field guide to shells: Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the West Indies (3rd ed.). Houghton Mifflin.