APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.

Common or Garden Snail
Cornu aspersum
- shell side view 1

Common or Garden Snail
Cornu aspersum
- shell underside 1

Synonym Helix aspersa.

This is not a marine snail species at all, it is a land snail, more commonly seen in gardens. However, shells can be found above and below the high tide mark on beaches, which is why the species is included here.

The images were taken at Hayle Towans, Cornwall. It appears that the shell may have come from the area, as the species frequents the dune system behind the beach.

Animals in the area are feeding on calcium rich vegetation on the dunes (dunes often being derived from shell sand, which is rich in calcium), this has probably given the snail a thicker shell and one that can survive longer in the sea, which is why it has been found washed up on the shore.

The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help

people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.

E-mail for Advice or Feedback