13th March, 2024
SOUMI MITRA
● Indian Ocean: Found only in a few hydrothermal vent sites. ● Deep & Dark: They live in depths of over 8,000 feet, in complete darkness. ● Hot & Toxic: Vents spew superheated water laden with toxic chemicals.
● Iron Sulfide Armor: The ONLY animal to use iron in its skeleton like this. ● 3-Layer Shell: Built-in protection from heat, chemicals, and predators. ● Specialized Bacteria: Symbiotic bacteria in the snail's gut are thought to help make the armor.
● Bacteria are the Base: They harness energy from vent chemicals, NOT sunlight, like plants. ● Snails Graze: Specialized mouthparts (radula) let them scrape up bacterial mats.
● Toxic Tolerance: Built to handle chemicals that are lethal to most life. ● Heat Sensing: Their soft foot may detect temperature changes to avoid scalding. ● Magnetic Shell?: Iron sulfide can be magnetic, which might help with navigation.
● Limited Habitat: Only a few known populations, easily destroyed. ● Deep-sea Mining: Vent sites are targets for harvesting rare metals. ● Slow to Recover: These snails likely grow and reproduce slowly, making them vulnerable.
Scaly-foot snails are a testament to life's adaptability. They offer insights into bio-inspired armor and medicine and remind us of the wonders hidden in the deep.