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Drifters
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Shells

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Page 1
Angel Wing
Ark Shell
Baby's Ear
Bay Scallop
Channeled Duck Clam
Page 2
Coquina
Disk Clam
Giant Atlantic Cockle
Hay's Rock Shell
Page 3
Lightning Whelk
- Eggcases
Murex
Hooked Mussel
Page 4
Marsh Snail
Moon Snail
Page 5
Oyster Flower
Oyster Drill
- Eggcases
Saw-Tooth Penshell
Page 6
Slipper Shell
Stout Tagelus
Quahog

Shells of Galveston Bay

Seashells of Galveston Texas: http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/GT/jholzapf/Gulf/Galveston.html
Seashells and Other Things from Assateague Beach
http://www.assateague.com/shells.html

Mollusks Snails, clams, squid are representative of the Phylum Molluska. Mollusks have been very successful: there are more species of mollusks in the ocean than on any other group. There are approximately 125,000 different species.

Mollusks feature a soft body with a muscular foot. They usually have a calcium carbonate shell, although it may be found internally in some species. Mollusks are amazingly diverse and occupy all types of environments. They can inhabit rocky shores to the deep sea. Some live a terrestrial life, while others thrive in freshwater.

There are 3 major groupings of Mollusks: The gastropods (or univalves), the Bivalves and the Cephalopods. Gastropods are best known as snails and are the largest, most common, and the most varied group of mollusks. A typical gastropod (which literally means "stomach foot") is basically a coiled mass of vital organs enclosed by a single shell (hence, the name univalve). The shell rests on a creeping foot and is usually coiled.

Bivalves are the clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops. The body is compressed instead of coiled and is placed between two shells (or valves). Some of these invertebrates are burrowers, some live on hard surfaces and attach themselves by either cementing their lower shell (oysters) or by running byssal threads for security (mussels). Some can bore into rock, wood, or coral.

The cephalopods are voracious predators specialized for locomotion. This group includes the octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish. Most are agile swimmers. Their shell is found internally or lost completely. The name cephalopod means "head-footed". The head has arms with suckers to capture prey. They have large eyes that are amazingly like ours.