Planktonic snails

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The animal above is called Limacina. It is small, about two millimeters across, and eats phytoplankton. (Photo courtesy of Larry Madin, WHOI)

Planktonic snails live in the ocean, and can be extremely abundant. This one, called Limacina, is small, about two millimeters across. They have coiled shells like a land snail, and a fleshy foot. They capture their food by making a small net of mucus that hangs in the water. Food gets caught on the net, which the snail pulls back into its mouth. Limacina eats phytoplankton, and in turn is a source of food for many fish. There are other species of planktonic snails in the Antarctic ocean, including some large brown ones about 1 inch across (2.5 centimeters).

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda

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