cc licensed flickr photo shared by zenera
Marine snails are salt-water snails. They are the largest group of snails. There are over 50,000 different kinds. Many marine snails live on the sea-shore, but others survive in the deepest waters of the oceans.
Most marine snails have gills. They also have a kind of lid made of shell, called an operculum. When the snails pull themselves all the way into their shells, the operculum seals them in.
The shells of marine snails are often brightly coloured and make good finds for shell collectors. The colours probably help the snails identify members of the same species when it is time to mate.