Learning

It's a saying that for some reason has always bothered me in it's obviousness but "You learn something every day!" really applies to the following post for me!


I went for a walk on my local beach and found a shell I'd never seen before. I pondered picking it up and taking it home to identify but on closer inspection found it still had an inhabitant! I left it where it was but took this picture of it......

It was about the size of a golf ball (it's hard to tell in a photo with out a scale I know!) and had some amazing coloured patterns all over it. I couldn't find a similar one in any of the books I've got so I ummed and ahhed and eventually decided to try and find someone who could help me find out what it was. 


After a rummage about on the internet I came across The Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. I sent an email to their President (who happens to live in my part of the country which was cool) and he emailed me back very quickly with a great explanation of what it was. I can highly recommend their website if you're trying to identify a shell or species of mollusc :)


Apparently it's a large species of Top Shell called Gibbula Magus. It usually lives just below the tidal zone, but is sometimes found low down on the tidal shore (however I found mine right near the top of the shore!). They are often washed up dead (mine was alive) and it is found round Southern and Western England. It is a grazer, living on algae.


I'm hugely thankful to the President of the society for being so helpful and it's really spurred an interest in what other species might be living on the beach that is only ten minutes walk from my house.....time to get my bucket and spade out methinks!