Shellfish and Mollusks: English Vocabulary List

a gastropod of warm seas that is edible and contains mother-of-pearl

"Abalone shells have a beautiful iridescent inner lining."

"Abalone shells are prized for their beautiful iridescent inner lining called mother of pearl."

a marine arthropod with an external shell that attaches itself to a surface and feeds on particles that are in the water

"Barnacle on rock."

"The small barnacle attached itself firmly to the submerged rock, filtering tiny food particles from the passing tide."

a marine bivalve which is edible and has ribbed shells, living in sand

"Cockles have ribbed shells."

"The edible cockle, a marine bivalve with distinctive ribbed shells, burrows into the sand on the seabed."

a large marine mollusk with a spiral-shaped shell, often used for decorative purposes and prized for its meat in various cuisines

"The conch has a shell."

"The large conch, a marine mollusk with a beautiful spiral shell, is a delicacy in many island cuisines."

a large nocturnal decapod that lives in fresh waters and resembles a lobster

"Crayfish hide under rocks during the day and come out at night."

"The crayfish lives in freshwater streams and rivers where it hides under rocks during daylight hours."

a small marine decapod that lives in the empty shells of gastropods

"Hermit crabs occupy empty snail shells to protect their soft abdomens."

"The hermit crab protects its soft abdomen by living inside empty snail shells that it carries."

a tiny Antarctic crustacean that resembles a shrimp and is the main food for whales

"Krill form huge swarms and are the main food for many whales."

"Krill are tiny shrimp like crustaceans that form the primary food source for baleen whales."

a small European pinkish orange lobster that is cooked as food

"Langoustines are prized as seafood and fetch high prices."

"The langoustine is a slim pink crustacean similar to lobster but much smaller and more delicate in flavor."

a small marine mollusk of the gastropod family that sticks tightly to the rocks

"Limpets cling so tightly to rocks that waves cannot wash them away."

"The limpet clings tightly to rocks using muscular foot and returns to the same spot after feeding."

a type of bivalve mollusk, living in marine or freshwater environments, often attached to rocks or other surfaces

"The mussel attaches to rocks."

"Mussels attach themselves to rocks using strong threads called byssus and filter feed on plankton."

a marine mollusk with a fan-shaped shell, known for its edible muscle and ability to swim by clapping its shell

"Scallops have fan shells."

"The delicate scallop, a marine mollusk with a fan-shaped shell, can propel itself through the water."

a small, soft creature which carries a hard shell on its back and moves very slowly

"A snail moved slowly."

"The snail moved slowly across the garden path leaving a trail of slime behind that helped it glide smoothly over rough surfaces."

a cephalopod mollusk originally from Pacific and Indian Oceans with a shell that is pearly on the inside

"The nautilus has a spiral shell divided into chambers for buoyancy control."

"The nautilus is a living fossil whose spiral shell contains gas filled chambers for buoyancy control."

a small mollusk that moves very slowly and closely resembles a snail without shell

"The slug has no shell."

"The slow-moving slug, a shell-less mollusk, leaves a glistening trail as it inches across the damp garden soil."