Mollusks may burrow under sand to find food or to hide from predators, while others feed elsewhere and use different defenses. Terebras Olives Cones Limpets 10. Some shells almost always look clean and shiny, except when beach-worn. Shell collectors polish them. The animal s burrowing in sand prevents algae from forming on the shell.
Abrasive sand polishes the shell.
The animal s fleshy mantle keeps it clean. Specimen Shell Collectors People Who Eat Clams and Oysters 12. Sometimes even a mollusk must work hard for a meal. Periwinkle Murex Fighting Conch Boring Clam 13. Having a poisonous weapon is a way to capture dinner and keep predators away.