Why do animals need shells?

Although we think of the animal shell as a mobile home, it is more than that. Shells serve several purposes. Dandruff can help an animal:

• Hide from predators.
• protect its internal organs.
• Get shelter from rain, wind, and sun.
• Navigate safely in its environment.

How do animals use shells?

Each animal species uses shells differently.

The armadillos need their thick armor to burrow into the depths of the sand, where they build their nests and hide from predators.

The shells of these mollusks completely cover the animals to protect their soft-bodies as they flip around the ocean floor. Crabs and lobsters allow plants and algae to form on their covers for camouflage.

Scales are not shells

Some animals have scaly skin. They include fish, crocodiles, and snakes. While the scales are also protective, they are not like shells. Its main function is to keep water inside the animal’s body. The scales also help animals move smoothly through water or on land.

What are the best animals that have shells? We searched both land and sea to find the most interesting creatures that depend on their shells to survive. Here are the top 10.

No. 10: Sea Urchin

Sea urchins (  Echonoidea  ) are marine animals that live in intertidal areas and in the depths of the ocean. They have a characteristic round shape surrounded by a serrated shell. Sea urchins use their tiny feet to travel.

There are more than 900 species of sea urchins, but most fall into one of two species. Ordinary hedgehogs have a rounded body shape, and irregular hedgehogs have a flat shape with short spines. Irregular hedgehogs are also known as sand dollars.

The shells of these unusual animals are dark with red, purple and green spots, and their bodies are dark orange in color. The sharp spines of the sea urchin act as a deterrent to most predators. However, they are a delicacy in Asian and other cuisines.

No. 9: Wood Tick

Like other insect such as the mosquito, this tiny parasite is a dangerous vampire. Wood ticks carry diseases and spread in forests and fields around the world. Almost any wooded or grassy area where mammals live has a lot of ticks.

Ticks live on the blood of live mammals, which they obtain by attaching themselves to the skin of warm, fur-bearing animals, including humans. If you’ve ever tried to expel a tick from yourself or a pet, you know how hard it can be to shell out. Often, you can’t even kill a tick by stepping on it.

The best way to remove a tick is to pull it out with thin or narrow-tipped tweezers. Put the tick in an alcohol jar or flush it down the toilet.

No. 8: Texas Ironclad Beetle

The name should be your first clue that this insect has a very tough outer shell. The armadillo beetle (  Zoperus haldemani  ) is native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Because they mostly live in the desert, they need that hard shell to help them retain water.

This attractive beetle is about an inch long. It has a white body with black spots and thick black legs.

Iron beetles are nocturnal beetles. They feed on fungi and lichens that they find on trees and shrubs. When threatened, they can put on their antennae and play dead. They can remain in this position for several days if necessary.

How difficult is this error? Scientists say that you cannot kill a person by stepping on him. It also takes longer to die with pesticides than with any other insect.

#7: King Crab

King crabs (  Paralithodes californiensis  ) thrive in the cold, harsh waters of the North Atlantic. These are among the most popular types of crabs that are caught for food. Its gigantic size and juicy, sweet-tasting meat make it a prized ingredient.

There are more than 120 species of king crabs, but the red crabs are the most common targets for food and fishing. With an average leg length of 6 feet and an average weight of 12 pounds, these desirable crabs live mostly in the Bering Sea. Red king crabs make up more than 90% of commercial lobster catches.

The blue king crab, which can weigh over 18 pounds, is the largest member of the king crab family. They live mainly in the waters of Alaska, Japan, and Russia.

No. 6: Longhorn of a cow

This odd-looking member of the Boxfish family has a bright yellow body and long horns that protrude from its head.

Cowfish have a box-like body completely covered with a hard bony shell. Its tail and fins protrude from the shell or trunk.

The long-horned bovine fish (  Lactoria cornuta  ) lives in the warmest regions of the Red Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Like other box fish, it can secrete a poison that keeps predators away.

You can see the Longhorn Cowfish at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

No. 5: The Nautilus Room

 Regarded as a living fossil because it has been around for centuries, the  Nautilus (  Nautilus pompilius ) is known for its gorgeous, intricate shell  that can range in color from white to deep pink. Unfortunately, that beautiful shell has also made it a target for businesses that sell shells to collectors.

The nautilus is a water cephalopod that lives mostly in the Pacific Ocean and coastal areas of the Indian Ocean. These animals can live up to 20 years in the wild, but they reach maturity at a late age of 10 to 15 years.

The chambered nautilus is endangered in its full range and protected by most laws. The primary threat to these animals is the market for their shells, but they have also been affected by habitat destruction, slow reproduction, and poaching.

You can see these ejaculate beauties at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, or the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii.

No. 4: Bond Slider

The pond slider (  Trachemys scripta  ) is a medium-sized land turtle that lives in most of North America. Slider’s favorite habitats are lakes, ponds, swamps, and lazy rivers.

Many people imagine a pond slide when they think of a classic tortoise. In fact, the pond slider is one of the most popular pet turtle breeds. Pond slides do not do well in captivity, and most pets end up in the wild after people are tired of them.

This turtle has a round shell with bright yellow and green markings. With age, the tortoise’s shell gets darker, and some old pond slides can look almost black in color. In the wild, they can live up to 30 years.

Pond slides live on a mixed diet that includes snails, tadpoles, locusts and worms. They also feed on water lilies, algae and algae. You can see pool slides in most US state parks. Although they have experienced habitat destruction, the former pets have established new nesting sites in the pond.

#3: Roman Snail

 This snail (  Helix pomatia )  is  distinguished by its elegant, rounded shell  . Although native to Europe, the Roman snail is adaptable to many different climates, and now lives all over the world.

Also called burgundy snail or edible snail, it is the type commonly used to make snails. Like other garden snails, the Roman snail uses its lungs to breathe. Sea snails use gills, or a combination of lungs and gills.

The Roman snail has two pairs of tentacles on its head. It uses the upper tentacles to see and the lower ones as small sensors.

No. 2: armadillo

The armadillo (  Dasipodidae  ) is the only mammal that contains a shell. This unusual beast is native to the southwest of America and Mexico. Its name comes from the Spanish word meaning “little armadillo,” which is a good name for these well-protected creatures.

The armadillo’s skin begins to soften when the armadillo is a baby. As the animal grows, the shell becomes thicker and stiffer. The shell is made of keratin and fossilized bone. Although it offers strong protection, the armadillo’s shell does not cover the animal’s underside.

If you’ve ever watched nature shows, you’ve probably seen a menacing armadillo rolled into a ball of body armor. In fact, only a three-banded armadillo can do this. The nine-banded armadillo must fight or make its way to a safe place underground.

The nine-banded armadillo is a land mammal of Texas. You can see these small tanks at the Fort Worth Zoo and the Dallas Zoo. At Bristol Zoo in the UK. The armadillo has six bands.

No. 1: Radiant Turtle

One of the rarest turtles in the world, the Radiant Tortoise is famous for its amazingly beautiful shell. Its bright yellow markings form a sharp pattern on the dark background. As the tortoise gets older, the bright colors get paler but never lose their unique pattern.

The habitat of the radiant turtle is Madagascar, but it has been introduced to the islands of Mauritius and Reunion. It lives in forests and dry forests.

The radioactive turtle mostly eats grass, leaves, flowers and fruits. During the dry season, it lives on dried leaves.
These turtles are famous for their “rain dance” when they shake themselves to get rid of wetness and debris from their shells. They can live from 40 to 100 years in the wild, and one tortoise lives in captivity until the year 188.

Like many turtles, radioactive tortoises are endangered by habitat loss, hunting, and the illegal pet trade.

The Radiant tortoise is a primate or bedrock species, which means that conservation of the species benefits many other species. Radioactive turtles are protected in Madagascar and under international law.

You can see these rare, beautiful turtles at the National Zoo in Washington, DC., the Knoxville Zoo, and other zoos. Zoo Atlanta is working with the Turtle Survival Alliance to bring rescued and hunted turtles back to the wild. The Turtle Conservation Area at the St. Louis Zoo is home to more than 9,000 rescued radioactive tortoises.