Story: Coastal shoreline
A large cat’s eye snail, surrounded by tiny periwinkles, rests upside down on coastal rocks. The snail has retreated into its shell, closing its blue-green ‘trapdoor’. This protects it from predators, and from drying out. The periwinkles seal their openings with mucus and may seek shelter in crevices when the tide is out.
About this item
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Melanie Lovell-Smith
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