Egg case of Busycon sinistrum (lightning whelk) (23946949834)

Description:

Description: Busycon sinistrum Hollister, 1958 - egg case of a lightning whelk (public display, Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA) This species is also known as Sinistrofulgur sinistrum, which has been considered by some to be conspecific with Busycon perversum. The gastropods (snails & slugs) are a group of molluscs that occupy marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Most gastropods have a calcareous external shell (the snails). Some lack a shell completely, or have reduced internal shells (the slugs & sea slugs & pteropods). Most members of the Gastropoda are marine. Most marine snails are herbivores (algae grazers) or predators/carnivores. The odd-looking structure shown above is a long, coiled egg case produced by a lightning whelk (see: www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/23700747493). The structure consists of dozens of connected discs. Each disc contains many eggs, many of which eventually develop into baby lightning whelks, each bearing a protoconch shell. Classification: Animalia, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Neogastropoda, Busyconidae More info. at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinistrofulgur_sinistrum. Date: 2 January 2016, 14:53. Source: Egg case of Busycon sinistrum (lightning whelk). Author: James St. John.