Treasure Hunter
The
carrier snail keeps adding to its disguise.
Inch by inch, wiggle by wiggle, something down there is
moving. It creeps along the sandy ocean floor. It moves
past the swaying seaweed and around the rusty anchor chain.
It’s the carrier snail, and it’s hunting for treasure. Right now, it might be looking for a small shiny shell. Later on, it might choose a smooth speckled stone or a jagged piece of coral. The snail is always searching for the perfect piece to add to its collection.
When
it selects an object, the snail squirts glue from its own
body onto its shell. It leans up against what it has found
and holds very still until the glue has set. The snail might
have to wait a long time, but it doesn’t seem
to mind. Once the piece is stuck tightly to its shell, the
snail is off again in search of more.
Who would ever guess that this is a snail? The things it glues on its back make it look like a tiny pile of rubble. Why does it do it?
Some people think the snail wants to make its shell stronger or prettier. Others think that the extra objects on its back keep the snail from sinking into the mud. Still others think that the treasures keep the snail safe.
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| Carrier
Snail Shell (top view) |
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Carrier
Snail Shell (bottom view) |
Scientists have studied different kinds of animals for many years. Often they have been surprised at the special ways animals have of protecting themselves from enemies.
Some animals use their color to keep them safe. No one has to teach them. It’s one of nature’s built-in protections. The brown sparrow looks like part of the nest it sits upon. The winter coats of some jackrabbits match the color of the snow. The spotted fish blends in with the pebbles of the mountain stream.
Other animals use the things around them to keep them safe. This, too, is one of nature’s built-in protections. A spider may cover itself with a leaf. A caterpillar may stick flowers on its back. A crab may hide in an empty shell.
Camouflage is the special name for these kinds of protection. Camouflage includes all the ways that animals disguise or hide themselves to fool their enemies.
The carrier snail must use camouflage, too. Bigger animals in the ocean know that the snail would taste good. No wonder it keeps adding to its disguise.
So every day, inch by inch, wiggle by wiggle, a tiny pile of rubble creeps along the sandy ocean floor. It moves past the swaying seaweed and around the rusty anchor chain. The carrier snail is hunting for more ocean treasure to add to its disguise.
