Alex Mustard / Flamingo tongue (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeding on a seafan (Gorgonia ventalina) Cyphomas feed on corals and concentrate the toxic chemicals into their mantle, which they then wrap around the outside of it...

Wild Wonders of Europe / Banfi / Keys simnia (Neosimnia spelta) on a Yellow gorgonia (Eunicella cavolini) Larvotto Marine Reserve, Monaco, Mediterranean Sea, July 2009

David Shale / Deepsea heteropod mollusc (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Deepsea heteropod molluscs (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Heteropod mollusc (Atlanta peroni) from between 195-498m / 640-1634ft, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

Juergen Freund / X-ray of shell of the Venus Comb Murex {Murex pecten}

Juergen Freund / X-ray of shell of spider conch {Lambis chiragra}

Birgitte Wilms / Nudibranch laying eggs, Indonesia

Norbert Wu / Flamingo Tongue Snail (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeding on Common Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina) showing deep purple tone where the Sea Fan has released protective compounds, Saba, Caribbean

Fred Bavendam / Cowry living on Sea Fan (Solenocaulon sp), Bali, Indonesia

Norbert Wu / Cone Snail (Conus dalli), Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico

Flip Nicklin / Naked Sea Butterfly (Clione limacina) underwater portrait, Arctic

Alex Mustard / Grey bonnet snail (Phalium glaucum) female laying a large mass of orange eggs. This egg mass has been laid by several snails. Bitung, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Lembeh Strait, Molucca Sea.

David Fleetham / Imperial commensal shrimp (Periclimenes imperator / Zenopontonia rex) on Spanish dancer nudibranch (Hexabranchus sanguineus) at night. Philippines.

Tony Wu / Ama diver getting back aboard boat after two hours in the sea collecting Sea snails (Turbo sazae). Futo Harbour, Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture, Honshu, June 2010.

Tony Wu / Ama diver searching rocks for shellfish including Sea snails (Turbo sazae) in decreasing visibility. Futo Harbour, Izu Peninsula, Honshu, Japan. June 2010.

Tony Wu / Ama diver searching for shellfish including Sea snails (Turbo sazae) amongst seaweed. Hose supplies diver with air and enables communication with husband at surface. Futo Harbour, Izu Peninsula, Honsh...

Tony Wu / Ama diver searching for shellfish including Sea snails (Turbo sazae) amongst seaweed. Hose supplies diver with air and enables communication with husband at surface. Futo Harbour, Izu Peninsula, Honsh...

Tony Wu / Ama diver searching for shellfish including Sea snails (Turbo sazae) amongst seaweed. Hose supplies diver with air and enables communication with husband at surface. Futo Harbour, Izu Peninsula, Honsh...

Tony Wu / Ama diver searching for amongst seaweed with basket almost full with Sea snails (Turbo sazae). The basket can be exchanged by her husband at the surface. Futo Harbour, Izu Peninsula, Honshu, Japan. Ju...

David Fleetham / Warted egg cowries (Calpurnus verrucosus) are pictured on Leather coral (Sarcophyton sp), on which they feed. Komodo, Indonesia.

David Fleetham / Triton trumpet shell (Charonia tritonis) attacking a crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), Hawaii.

David Fleetham / Triton trumpet shell (Charonia tritonis) attacking a crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), Hawaii.

Richard Herrmann / Bat Star (Asterina miniata) group and sea snails feeding on Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) that was killed by California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), Monterey Bay, California

Constantinos Petrinos / Bat volute predatory sea snails (Cymbiola vespertilio) mating, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Franco Banfi / Headshield slugs (Micromelo undatus) Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Ingo Arndt / Cone Top Shell (Tectus conus) from Indo-Pacific, Meeresmuseum Ozeania, Riedenburg, Germany

Duncan Usher / Turbinate Monodont (Monodonta turbinata) shells collected from North Sea seen in ultraviolet light, Spain. Sequence 2 of 2

Duncan Usher / Turbinate Monodont (Monodonta turbinata) shells collected from North Sea, Spain. Sequence 1 of 2

D. Parer & E. Parer-Cook / Atlantic Trumpet Triton (Charonia tritonis) feeding on Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

Doug Perrine / Marble cone shell (Conus marmoreus) Restorf Island, Kimbe Bay, New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Bismarck Sea / Western Pacific Ocean (Non-ex).

Sue Daly / Arctic Cowrie (Trivia artica) with sea anemone, English Channel, off the coast of Sark, Channel Islands, July

Nick Upton / Netted dog whelks (Nassarius reticulatus) scavenging on rocks among Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca) and Irish moss / Carrageen (Chondrus crispus) seaweeds exposed on a low spring tide, Rhossili, The Gower...

Alex Hyde / Selection of gastropods commonly found in rockpools, clockwise from top left: Periwinkle (Littorina compressa / nigrolineata), Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus / Thaius lapillus), Common Flat Periwinkle (Li...

Nick Upton / Beadlet anemone (Actinia equina) and Common limpets (Patella vulgata) in small rockpool, high on the shore at Crail, Scotland, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dense gathering of Common periwinkles (Littorina liitorea) of all ages in a rockpool lined with Coralweed (Corallina officinalis) and Irish moss (Chondrus crispus), North Berwick, East Lothian, July

Nick Upton / Dense aggregation of Common periwinkles (Littorina littorea) in a rockpool, North Berwick, East Lothian, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dense aggregation of adult and young Common periwinkles (Littorina littorea) in a rockpool, North Berwick, East Lothian, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Dense aggregation of Common periwinkles (Littorina littorea) in a rockpool alongside a variety of red algae, Crail, Fife, UK, July

Nick Upton / Two Common periwinkles (Littorina littorea) crawling over a boulder in a rockpool, Crail, Fife, Lothian, UK, July

Nick Upton / Common periwinkle (Littorina littorea) crawling over rockpool floor, North Berwick, East Lothian, UK, July

Nick Upton / Flat periwinkle (Littorina littoralis) crawling over Toothed wrack (Fucus serratus) exposed at low tide, Crail, Scotland, UK, July

Nick Upton / Common periwinkle (Littorina littorea) grazing on Kelp frond in a rockpool, North Berwick, East Lothian, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dense cluster of Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), predators of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July

Nick Upton / Four Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), predators of barnacles, on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, some with barnacles growing on their shells, North Be...

Nick Upton / Young Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) on a boulder exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July

Nick Upton / Young Dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) crawling over a boulder exposed at low tide, St. Bees, Cumbria, UK, July

Nick Upton / Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) dense cluster on rocks encrusted with Common barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) exposed at low tide, some with barnacles growing on their shells, with sand flats and the...

Nick Upton / Common periwinkles (Littorina liitorea) alongside yellow and brown Rough periwinkles (Littorina saxatilis) nestled in a crevice in sandstone rocks at low tide, Crail, Fife, July

Nick Upton / Common periwinkles (Littorina liitorea) alongside yellow and brown Rough periwinkles (Littorina saxatilis) nestled in a crevice in sandstone rocks at low tide, Crail, Fife, July

David Shale / Gastropod shell. Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Gastropod sea snail showing opening operculum ('lid'). Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Gastropod shell. Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Gastropod (Fusitriton) head detail. Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Gastropod (Fusitriton) sea snail with epiphytes. Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Trochid gastropod - Otukaia (Calliostomatidae). Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

David Shale / Trochid gastropod - Otukaia (Calliostomatidae). Collected from coral sea mount near Dragon vent field on SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean.

Solvin Zankl / Veliger snail larvae, Trondheimsfjord, North Atlantic Ocean.

Chris Newbert / True Conch (Strombus aurisdianae) eyes, Indonesia

Norbert Wu / Sea Snail (Nacella concinna) on Brown Algae (Cystosphaera jacquinotii) blade, Palmer Station, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Alex Mustard / Queen conch (Strombus gigas) crawling over the seabed, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

David Shale / Deepsea gastropod (Gastropoda) from Dragon Vent field, Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea gastropod (Gastropoda) from Dragon Vent field, Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Gastropod mollusc from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Grey topshell (Gibbula cineraria) snail on a kelp frond with small periwinkle in foresgroung, on the wreck of the MV Lunokhods, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June.

Ernie Janes / Fisherman havesting Winkles, Blakeney Harbour, Norfolk, UK, September

Christian Ziegler / Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata), Bastimentos Marine National Park, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Pete Oxford / Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata), Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean

Juergen Freund / Details of skin of Blue sea star (Linckia laevigata) with commensal snails hanging on to it, Bali, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Starry moon snail (Natica stellata) Komodo NP, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Vermitid worm shell (Dendropoma maxima). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia,

Juergen Freund / Spindle cowry (Pellasimnia sp) camouflaged on gorgonian coral host, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Allied cowry (Aclyvolva lamyi) camouflaged on red whip coral, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Vermetid worm / Worm snail (Dendropoma maxima). Vermetid gastropods are unusual snails in that they secrete the calcareous tube in which they live. This one has a operculum. They feed by trapping part...

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Hairy triton (Cymatium parthenopeum) feeding on a Spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis) Faial, Azores, Portugal, July 2009

Robert Thompson / Flat periwinkle {Littorina fabalis} on seaweed, Ballyhenry Point, Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland, August

Robert Thompson / Sea snail {Osilinus lineatus} on shoreline at Killough, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, December

Robert Thompson / Sea snails {Osilinus lineatus} on shoreline at Killough, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, December

Robert Thompson / Dogwhelk {Nucella lapillus} and barnacles, Ballyhenry Point, Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland, September

Robert Thompson / Common periwinkle {Littorina littorea} and Barnacles on rock, Ballyhenry Point, Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, September

Robert Thompson / Periwinkles {Littorina compressa} Ballyhenry Point, Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, September

Robert Thompson / Sea snails {Osilinus lineatus} on shoreline at Killough, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK, December

Robert Thompson / Shells of Sea snails {Llamellaria latens} on shoreline, Killough, County Down, Northern Ireland, December

Robert Thompson / Smooth / Flat periwinkle {Littorina littoralis} shells, UK

Robert Thompson / Smooth / Flat periwinkle {Littorina littoralis} shells, UK

Robert Thompson / Smooth / Flat periwinkle {Littorina littoralis} shells, UK

Claudio Contreras / Flamingo tongue shell (Cyphoma gibbosum) on Sea fan (Gorgonia sp) Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, Caribbean Sea, Mexico, May

Claudio Contreras / Flamingo tongue shell (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeding on Venus sea fan (Gorgonia flabellum) Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, Caribbean Sea, Mexico, May

Claudio Contreras / Nerita shells (Nerita sp) Isabel Island National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) Mexico, April

David Shale / Close up of shell covering the viscera and gills of deepsea heteropod mollusc (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Deepsea heteropod mollusc (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Heteropod mollusc (Atlanta peroni) from between 195-498m / 640-1634ft, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Deepsea heteropod mollusc (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Heteropod mollusc (Atlanta peroni) from between 195-498m / 640-1634ft, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Deepsea heteropod mollusc (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Deepsea heteropod molluscs (Carinaria lamarcki) from between 188m and 74m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean