The evolution of a creature is the real fascination that drives my blog. Each creature has quirky traits that are entirely evolved around habitat and it's life cycle. I think perhaps people can take a lesson from this- to be more connected to nature to make the "best" version of us that we can. The Slipper Shell is extremely popular in Delaware, easily found latched to the back of a horseshoe crab shell. This gastropod, sea snail dwells in shallow bay areas, Cape Henlopen's bayside or Lewes are common places that you will find them.
The most interesting aspect of the slipper shell: These shells are often piled together on top of one another, the largest shell is on the bottom and is female, the smallest shells latch on top and are male. As the females die, the males turn into females and replace them, strange I know.
The shell has a ledge underneath where the gastropods' organs latch into like a cave, making it easier to suction like slugs or snails to objects. Their coloring varies and I thoroughly enjoy comparing one from another, on a good day you may find one that is vibrant in it's coloring more than usual.
Slipper Snails are suspension feeders, scooping-up plankton and other materials in suspension from the water that flows through their gills. You should get pretty lucky finding a plethora of these in Delaware and you may even come across an old fisherman that enjoys popping them into spaghetti.
