Flamingo Tongue Snail

Flamingo Tongue Snail
Common on many Caribbean and Atlantic coral reefs, the flamingo tongue snail feeds on toxic sea fans and not only suffers no harm, it incorporates the fans' venom and becomes toxic itself. Shell collectors are often attracted to the colorful snails, but in fact the shell itself is white—it’s only the living animal inside that produces the striking color pattern.

The Flamingo Tongue Snail, Cyphoma gibbosum, is a member of the phylum Mollusca, which also contains octopus, oysters and chitons. 

Source:
http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/wallpaper/ocean/photos/unique-sea-creatures/unique06-flamingo-tongue-snail/

Reference:
http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/MarineInvertebrateZoology/Cyphomagibbosum1.html

Images via Wikipedia Commons

#biodiversity   #snails   #marinelife