earth-20 8 months ago

Earth 2.0 | The Insane Biology Of The Volcano Snail

The scaly-foot snail is the only animal in the world known to incorporate iron into its exoskeleton. It builds its shell out of the stuff, and even its soft, fleshy foot is covered in thick iron plates like a medieval knight.

The scaly-foot snail (Chrysomallon squamiferum) is found in the Indian Ocean in hydrothermal vents – fissures in the seafloor, often found near volcanically active places, that eject warm water that’s been heated by molten rock deep below the ocean crust. It lives between depths of 2,400 to 2,900 metres and can withstand temperatures of up to 400 degrees Celsius. 


00:00 - Introduction

00:25 - Scientific Name and Classification

01:26 - Evolution and History

02:40 - Appearance

03:06 - Their Shell

03:56 - Their Foot

04:33 - Their Internal Organs

05:17 - Behavior

06:06 - Diet

06:51 - Habitat and Population

07:43 - Reproduction and Lifespan

08:48 - Predators and Threats