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| shelled snails text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > Family Trochidae |
| Toothed
top shell snail Monodonta labio Family Trochidae updated Aug 10 Where seen? This snail with a tooth in its shell opening is commonly seen on many of our shores. Often in groups on boulders, stones and seawalls. It is more active at night. Features: 3-3.5cm. The thick shell is an asymmetrical cone decorated by thick, rough, beaded cords. Usually grey or greenish grey. Mono donta means 'one-toothed'. Indeed, there is a single large tooth-shaped structure at the shell opening. The yellow, thin operculum is made of a horn-like material. The flexible operculum allows the animal to withdraw deep into the coils of the shell. Hopefully, safe from prying claws of hungry crabs. The animal has a pair of long tentacles. Its body is brown and the edge of the foot is fringed with long tentacles. |
 Kusu Island, May 05 |
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 Underside |
 Closeup of shell opening with 'tooth' and thin operculum. |
Toothed top shell snails on Singapore shores
 St. John's Island, Aug 05 |
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 Brown foot fringed with tentacles. |
more photos of toothed top shell snails on Singapore shores
northern shores
southern shores part 1 | part 2
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