Nerita?
Family Name: Neritidea
Common Name: Narites
Common Name: Narites
The family Neritidae Rafinesque, 1815, commonly called nerites, with approximately 19 genera, 31 subgenera, and over 150 species of Neritidae. They are often small, brightly colored and intricately patterned shells found in tide pools, on logs, on trees, and on rock rubble along the shore.
About the Name
But since there are so many species of Nerites with numerous colors and patterns found in the same species, no two shells are identical, it posts as a problem in identifing them correctly.
Body, Mind and Soul?
Nerites are prosobranch gastropods (one gill in front of the heart), while wetted by water, are capable of breathing air, thus enabling it to live high up the shore, out of reach of its predators. They are typically small (the vast majority are less than 25mm) with semi-globose shells. This shape offers least resistance to waves and moving debris like sand and rocks. They are well represented in the fossil record and are probably identifiable as far back as the Ordovician period (440-500 million years ago) and were flourishing by the Devonian period (350-400 million years ago). At present, they are numerous and widespread, most (not all) are inhabiting in tropical and subtropical intertidal rocky areas and shallow waters, a harsh habitat with great fluctuations in temperature and low tidal periods with no water. Many are at home in brackish and even fresh water, and there are records of species living in forested areas quite a distance from water. There's species that are found in deep waters too!Defence
The aperture of the nerite is half-moon shaped and may have teeth on both the outer and inner lips, or one or both may be smooth. Most nerites can be completely closed by a thick and calcareous operculum. The color of the operculum varies from almost white to beige or dark gray and it is usually granulate, although some are smooth.
Eating Habits
Sex
Neritas are often found huddling together in moist recesses, usually facing away from the sun. In this manner they can withstand large waves, while being close enough to exchange spawn. This behaviour also traps more moisture in between them. The sexes are separate, and fertilization is internal, which is unusual among the Archaeogastropoda. The female lays many small, dome-shaped egg capsules (like sesame seeds) on any nearby surface, including rocks, logs, and other nerites, living and dead (Fig. 2). Each capsule can contain up to 100 eggs. In most species, the eggs hatch into a typical free-swimming, four-lobed veliger. A few species apparently have direct development, with the eggs hatching crawling larvae.
Most information is taken from http://www.molluscan.com/
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