Color, sculpture, and shape are functional and adaptive characteristics. Bright colors can ward off predators or camouflage the snail in its surroundings. Structures such as ribs and spines , often a characteristic of arid environment snails, are believed to help radiate heat away from the snail. The dentition provides protection for the snail against insect predators. Some of the snails have evolved such elaborate dentition that it is hard to imagine that a snail can withdraw itself back into the shell.
Land snails are calciphiles, thriving in limestone environments.
Relatively few land snails are found to inhabit areas of igneous rock and shale. Land snails are quite habitat specific. Ground dwelling species often prefer leaf litter where moisture is retained, or in scree which affords a great deal of protection from predators and desiccation. Arboreal or tree dwelling snails tend to prefer living on specific botanical species. The Achatinella is so habitat specific that if removed from the Ohia tree that the snail was born on and transplanted to another, its chances of survival are slim to none.