Crazy snails that can apparently live in extreme conditions and have a partly metal exoskeleton

[Rocky998]

The scaly-foot snail’s shell is made of actual iron – and it’s magnetic

This is the only animal in the world known to incorporate iron into its exoskeleton. It builds its shell out of the stuff, and even its soft, fleshy foot is covered in thick iron plates like a medieval knight.

www.australiangeographic.com.au

 

[GaryE]

Life finds a way, doesn't it. That is pretty incredible, and can lead to a lot of bad "metal' jokes. When males from that snail species group clash, they usually manage to iron out their differences.

 

[Uberhoust]

I wonder if the iron helps the snails out or if it is a way of the animal removing iron from its tissues because they live with high concentration of iron in the water.

 

[StevenF]

Hydrothermal vent are often a result ofcubsurfce volcanoes. The water they release is full of slfuric acid. These would destry the calcium carbonate shell of most animals. The animal can protect the sehell with with an organic layer. The color of Nerve snails is from a hard organic coating. This snail incorporates iron which will eventually turn into iron oxide which is a littlemore resistant to acids.

 

[emeraldking]

Wow... the wonders of nature...
It was also a nice piece of reading...