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  1. Gastropod shell - Wikipedia

    The gastropod shell is part of the body of many gastropods, including snails, a kind of mollusc. The shell is an exoskeleton, which protects from predators, mechanical damage, and …

  2. How Do Snails Get Their Shells? - HowStuffWorks

    It's during the gestation period that a snail's shell begins to form. The mantle is a crucial organ possessed by mollusks such as snails. Its function? Making and developing shells. Calcium …

  3. The Structure of Snail Shells Explained | Britannica

    NARRATOR: Snail shells were originally developed to protect the snails' internal organs, which are located in a visceral hump. At birth, the visceral hump turns along its lineal axis, eventually …

  4. How Are Snail Shells Formed and What Are They Made Of?

    Aug 19, 2025 · Understand the biological and chemical processes behind snail shell formation. Explore what they’re made of and how they grow.

  5. Are Snails Born With Shells? - Sciencing

    Aug 19, 2025 · Unlike opportunist shell-residents like hermit crabs, snails grow their own shells. As a snail's body grows in size, it adds new material to the opening of the shell. That's why the …

  6. How Do Snails (And Other Molluscs) Create Their Shells?

    Nov 15, 2023 · Snails and other molluscs create shells through a process called biomineralization. Through a shell gland, they secrete an organic matrix of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids that …

  7. Gastropod - Shell Structure, Anatomy, Diversity | Britannica

    The typical snail has a calcareous shell coiled in a spiral pattern around a central axis called the columella. Generally, the coils, or whorls, added later in life are larger than those added when …

  8. IndySnails - Snail Structure

    When you see a live snail, you are missing most of the body - it is inside. You can see the muscular gliding foot and the head with its two pairs of tentacles. The upper pair contain the …

  9. Seashell - Wikipedia

    A seashell (or sea shell), also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal or organism that lives in the sea [1]. Most seashells are made by …

  10. What Are Snail Shells Made Of? A Scientific Breakdown

    Aug 14, 2025 · Snail shells are intricately formed biological structures serving a range of functions. More than simple coverings, they are a sophisticated feat of biological engineering. …