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...

Juergen Freund / Bivalve mollusc lives in crevices in colonies of living hard corals. Only the the shell opening and mantle are visible, along with the minute eyes along its margin, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Details of Thorny oyster (Spondylus varius) with "eyes" in its mantle edge near the shell, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea

David Shale / View inside the mantle of the deepsea Octopod {Grimpoteuthis discoveryi} Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

David Shale / Deepsea octopus (Benthoctopus sp) mantle showing suckers, deep sea Atlantic oceandeep sea

Michael Pitts / Giant clam mantle {Tridacna gigas} and siphon, Palau, Micronesia

Pete Oxford / Male Golden mantle saddleback tamarin with young. Yasuni NP {Saguinus tripartitus} Ecuador

Adrian Davies / Alpine lady's mantle (Alchemilla alpina), Picos de Europa, Spain, June.

Adrian Davies / Alpine lady's mantle (Alchemilla alpina), Picos de Europa, Spain, June.

Alex Mustard / Common reef / day octopuses (Octopus cyanea) mating. The male, on the right, it passing his sperm to the female, on the left, by placing it under her mantle. His arm is visible on her body next to her...

Alex Mustard / A pair of mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) mating. The male, behind, has grabbed the female and grasps her as he tries to place his sperm sac inside her mantle with his arm. Lembeh Strait, Molucca...

Alex Mustard / A pair of mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus) mating/courtship. The smaller male, right, is riding on top of the female as he tries to place his sperm sac inside her mantle with his arm. Lembeh Strai...

Brent Stephenson / Close-up of Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) plumage of mantle, wing, and flanks. Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland, New Zealand, September.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Alpine lady's mantle (Alchemilla alpina) flowers covered in dew, Iceland, June

Ernie Janes / Meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense) Lady's mantle (Alchemilla sp) and Clover (Trifolium sp) flowering, Norfolk, UK, July

Ernie Janes / Ladies mantle (alchemilla) and Meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense) flowering, Norfolk, UK, June

Juergen Freund / Details of shell, eyes and mantle of Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) Batangas, Philippines

Juergen Freund / Thorny oyster (Spondylus sp) camouflaged on coral reef, Komodo NP, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Thorny oyster (Spondylus sp) close up mantle and eyes, Bali, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Details of a thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) with "eyes" in its mantle edge near the shell, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea

Birgitte Wilms / Oyster (Spondylus varians) with closed mantle, Solomon Islands

Birgitte Wilms / Oyster (Spondylus varians) with partially open mantle, Solomon Islands

Juergen Freund / Close up of mantle of a Giant clam (Tridacna sp) Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Opening in mantle of a giant clam (Tridacna sp.) Color patterns are from symbiotic algae. Malapascua Island. Visayan Sea, Philippines

Tim Laman / Opening in mantle of a giant clam (Tridacna sp.) Color patterns are from symbiotic algae. Malapascua Island. Visayan Sea, Philippines

Tim Laman / Close up view of the mantle of a giant clam (Tridacna sp.) These colour patterns are from symbiotic algae. Malapascua Island. Visayan Sea, Philippines

Sue Daly / Close up of mantle of Flame file shell (Lima sp) Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Sue Daly / Giant scallop (Pecten maximus) on seabed, feeding, showing mantle, Channel Isles, UK, June

Juergen Freund / Detail of mantle of Giant clam {Tridacna gigas} Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Chambered nautilus {Nautilus pompilius} showing mantle, syphon and tentacles, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Chambered nautilus {Nautilus pompilius} showing mantle, syphon and tentacles, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Chambered nautilus {Nautilus pompilius} showing mantle, syphon and tentacles, Indo-pacific

Robert Thompson / Giant scallop {Pecten maximus} close up of mantle, Northern Ireland, April

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Lady's mantle (Alchemilla nitida) Liechtenstein, June 2009

David Shale / View inside the mantle of the deepsea Octopod {Grimpoteuthis discoveryi} Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

Adrian Davies / Alpine Lady's Mantle {Alchemilla alpina} Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, UK

Scott Leslie / The Tablelands region, unique mountains formed of exposed earth's mantle, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada

Eric Baccega / Hauteville House, where Victor Hugo stayed while he was in exile. View of the Dinning room with Victor Hugo's initials on the mantlepiece, made of ceramic tiles. St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islan...

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Close up of mantle of Giant clam (Tridacna gigas) Colours come from symbiotic zooxanthellae in tissue, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Crocus giant clam (Tridacna crocea) colours come from symbiotic zooxanthellae in tissue, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Cowrie {Cypraecea} with fleshy mantle covering the shell, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Cowrie {Cypraecea} with fleshy mantle covering the shell, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Cowrie {Cypraecea} with fleshy mantle covering the shell, Indo-pacific

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Close up of mantle of Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) Solomon Islands

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians) covered with a red sponge. Solomon Islands.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Giant clam (Tridacna gigas) Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Fred Bavendam / Chestnut Cowry (Cypraea spadicea) with extended mantle, Channel Islands, California

Chris Newbert / Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) mantle detail, Indonesia

Chris Newbert / Horse's Hoof Clam (Hippopus hippopus) mantle detail, Indonesia

Norbert Wu / Chestnut Cowry (Cypraea spadicea) with extended mantle, Monterey, California

Juergen Freund / Mantle of Giant clam {Tridacna gigas} on seabed, Indo-pacific

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) Andaman Sea, Thailand

Georgette Douwma / Mantle of Crocus giant clam (Tridacna crocea) Rinca, Indonesia

Chris Newbert / Elongated Egg Cowry (Volva volva) mantle, Papua New Guinea

David Shale / Deep sea Glass squid {Cranchia sp} in defensive posture with head and tentacles withdrawn into the mantle, from Mid-Atlantic Ridge

David Shale / Deep sea Glass squid {Cranchia sp} in defensive posture with head and tentacles withdrawn into the mantle, from Mid-Atlantic Ridge

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Magnificent sea anemone (Heteractis magnifica) with Anemone fish within tentacles, Indonesia. Indo-Pacific.

Norbert Wu / Spiny Scallop (Chlamys hastata) swimming with multiple eyes visible along the mantle, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Norbert Wu / Spiny Scallop (Chlamys hastata) swimming with multiple eyes visible along the mantle, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Norbert Wu / Spiny Scallop (Chlamys hastata) swimming with multiple eyes visible along the mantle, Alaska

David Shale / Deepsea Glass squid {Cranchia sp} in defensive posture with head and tentacles withdrawn into mantle, Atlantic

Doug Perrine / Horned helmet shell (Cassis cornuta) probes a Collector urchin or hawa e maoli (Tripneustes gratilla) and rises up to pounce on it, Honokohau, Kona, Big Island, Hawaii, Central Pacific Ocean

Steven David Miller / Looking down into the mantle of a Giant clam {Tridacna sp} Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Jeff Rotman / Scallop (Chlamys sp.) portrait with eyes peering out of white mantle fringes. Puget Sound, Canada, Pacific Ocean.

Chris Newbert / Oyster (Spondylus varians) mantle, 60 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Nature Production / Eggs of Oily shiner fish {Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus} in the mantle of a bivalve mollusc, captive

Nature Production / Eyespots on mantle of Noble Scallop {Mimachlamys nobilis} captive, Japan

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Thorny oyster {Spondulus aurantius} Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

Chris Newbert / Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) mantle detail, world's largest and heaviest mollusk, 20 feet deep off of Solomon Islands

Chris Newbert / Spotted Anemone Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) on Anemone mantle (Stichodactyla sp) feeding on plankton with feather net arms, 70 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Chris Newbert / Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) mantle detail, 40 feet deep, Papua New Guinea

Mark Raycroft / Great Dane (Canis familiaris) with mantle coloration sitting by front door

Fred Bavendam / Doughboy Scallop (Chlamys Asperrima) with bright blue eyes on the edge of their mantles and their shells encusted with various species of sponges, Edithburgh, Australia

Doug Perrine / Mantle of Coral clam / scallop {Pedum spondyloideum} visible in coral, Flinders sea, Coral sea, Australia

Willem Kolvoort / Swan mussel {Anodonta cygnaea} Close up of mantle showing tentacles that sift out debris during feeding, Holland

Doug Perrine / Tiger cowrie on seabed {Cypraea tigris} with mantle partially extended, Vitu Island, Papua New Guinea.

Doug Perrine / Giant clam, close up of mantle {Tridacna sp} Micronesia

David Shale / Deepsea squid (Histioteuthis sp) close up of mantle showing photophores, deep sea Atlantic ocean,

David Shale / Deepsea squid (Histioteuthis sp) close up of mantle showing photophores, deep sea Atlantic ocean

Hans Christoph Kappel / Close-up of a Queen scallop mantle and eyes. Europe.

Mark Taylor / Leaf of Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) with dew, UK

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a snag, adult mantles fish and eats it, spring, south central Alaska

Birgitte Wilms / Giant Clam (Tridacna sp) mantle detail, 20 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Norbert Wu / Giant Clam (Tridacna sp) has symbiotic algae within mantle for photosynthesis, Sangalakki Island, Borneo

Norbert Wu / Scallop (Nodipecten magnificus) colorful mantle containing blue eyes, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Chris Newbert / Thorny Oyster (Spondylus varius) detail of mantle, 60 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Chris Newbert / Small Giant Clam (Tridacna maxima) detail of mantle, Coral Sea

Chris Newbert / Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) detail of mantle, Palau

Norbert Wu / Giant Clam (Tridacna sp) that has algae within mantle for photosynthesis and diver, Sangalakki Island, Borneo

Norbert Wu / Limpet (Diodora aspera) escapes sucking arms of Starfish (Pisaster giganteus) by exuding slippery mantle, Monterey, California, sequence 3 of 3

Norbert Wu / Scallop (Nodipecten magnificus) colorful mantle contains blue eyes, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Norbert Wu / Limpet (Diodora aspera) escapes sucking arms of Starfish (Pisaster giganteus) by exuding slippery mantle, Monterey, California, sequence 2 of 3

Norbert Wu / Limpet (Diodora aspera) escapes sucking arms of Starfish (Pisaster giganteus) by exuding slippery mantle, Monterey, California, sequence 1 of 3

Norbert Wu / Red Abalone (Haliotis rufescens) with mantle extended, eats algae, southern California

Norbert Wu / Chocolate Banded Cowry (Cypraea talpa) with mantle which covers its smooth shell, valued by shell collectors, Red Sea

Fred Bavendam / Small Giant Clam (Tridacna maxima) mantle, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia