Snails (many species)

A snail is a soft-bodied animal that lives within a spiraled shell that it builds with secretions. Snails are related to oysters and clams. However, many snails can live above water in moist environments. Some snails can breathe air, and some snails have gills that allow them to breathe underwater. In the estuary, snails spend most of their time crawling along Spartina stalks. They graze on small bits of detritus, algae, and other tiny organisms clinging to the grass. Snails have many predators in the estuary, including birds, snakes, turtles, and frogs.

Snails are "hermaphrodites". This means that they are both male and female, in that they produce both sperm and eggs. In order to fertilize their eggs, snails must exchange sperm with other snails; they cannot fertilize their own eggs.