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| shelled snails text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda |
| Bazillion
snail Batillaria zonalis Family Batillariidae updated Aug 12 Where seen? This snail is commonly encountered in large numbers on many of our shores. In shallow sandy and slightly muddy areas which are sheltered from strong waves and currents, including the bottom of man-made lagoons, usually near the mid-water mark. It is said that they can reach densities of hundreds of snails per square metre. It was previously placed in the Family Potamididae. Features: 2-3cm. Shell conical with pattern of white spiralling lines with finer lines and large bumps. Shell opening oval, large, flared with upturned spout at the tip. Operculum is circular and made of a horn-like material with several circular whorls that are usually quite visible. The animal has a mottled body and fine bars on its proboscis and thick tentacles. Sometimes, they are seen in 'bands' of many individuals. Small ones have been seen floating on the water surface with the broad foot. Sometimes mistaken for Creeper snails (Family Cerithiidae). More on how to tell these snails apart. What does it eat? It eats detritus and grazes on the microscopic algae that grow on the bottom. |
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 Sometimes forming bands of many individuals. Tanah Merah, Dec 09 |
 Circular operculum made of horn-like material. |
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 Seen floating on the water surface. Tanah Merah, Jun 09 |
 Mottled body. Tanah Merah, Dec 10 |
 Fat tentacles with fine bars. Tanah Merah, Dec 11 |
Bazillion snails on Singapore shores
| Photos for free download from wildsingapore flickr |
| Family
Batillariidae recorded for Singapore from Tan Siong Kiat and Henrietta P. M. Woo, 2010 Preliminary Checklist of The Molluscs of Singapore.
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Links
References
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Graham Brash, Singapore. 145 pp.|
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