I have to first admit that my knowledge of snails is zero. They clean the glass, I'm happy. We have never really needed to know more than that about each other.
So, when I witnessed the scenario in the photos below, I truly thought that the long 'probe' extending from the whelks was a sexual organ, and I had witnessed inter-species snail porn gone bad.
After a tiny amount of research today, I see that I was wildly incorrect in my assumption, and am slightly embarrassed by my sophomoric interpretation of the events. Never the less, below are photos of a pair of whelks killing a limpet. (I think)
This all happened immediately following a water change, the limpet (that is a limpet right?) was up against the glass, and it seemed its shell was farther from the glass than usual. Enough that it caught my eye and I wondered what it was doing, and watched for a minute. While watching, a whelk off to the side of the tank caught my eye as he was hauling snail butt straight for the limpet. When it got to the limpet it climbed right on its back and then that 'probe' emerged, it poked around at the limpet and found an opening, in it went. It stayed with this probe inserted for a minute, then withdrew. While retracting it seemed that this probe was longer than the snail. (again, at this point I thought this was a sexual organ, and may have giggled a bit). Once fully retracted, he simply left, and went on his way. Photos of the FIRST encounter:
Less than a minute later, a SECOND whelk began a b-line to this limpet. From the back wall of the tank, around the side, and straight to it. This whelk was at the front of the limpet, and again the probe emerged and poked around the limpets neck a bit as if looking for an opening but couldn't find one. (again, i may or may not have giggled at this) It then began visibly trying harder, it's entire body rocking and pushing.... and then it happened... it penetrated the neck of the limpet, and extended the probe... :eek2: . It remained penetrated for 20 seconds or so, retracted, and went on its way. Leaving a fleshy hole in the side of the limpets neck. The limpet remained on the glass for 10 minutes or so before falling to the sandbed. I removed it and put it in a separate container to see if it would move again.
I was really quite disturbed all night by what I THOUGHT I witnessed, and called a few friends- "You'll never believe what I just saw happen in my tank!!!!" I was more than relieved when my research revealed that this was a killing, and not a failed attempt at mating by an inexperienced, frustrated whelk, but I couldn't resist sharing my mistake with the snail experts out here, hopefully it brings a laugh.
So, when I witnessed the scenario in the photos below, I truly thought that the long 'probe' extending from the whelks was a sexual organ, and I had witnessed inter-species snail porn gone bad.
After a tiny amount of research today, I see that I was wildly incorrect in my assumption, and am slightly embarrassed by my sophomoric interpretation of the events. Never the less, below are photos of a pair of whelks killing a limpet. (I think)This all happened immediately following a water change, the limpet (that is a limpet right?) was up against the glass, and it seemed its shell was farther from the glass than usual. Enough that it caught my eye and I wondered what it was doing, and watched for a minute. While watching, a whelk off to the side of the tank caught my eye as he was hauling snail butt straight for the limpet. When it got to the limpet it climbed right on its back and then that 'probe' emerged, it poked around at the limpet and found an opening, in it went. It stayed with this probe inserted for a minute, then withdrew. While retracting it seemed that this probe was longer than the snail. (again, at this point I thought this was a sexual organ, and may have giggled a bit). Once fully retracted, he simply left, and went on his way. Photos of the FIRST encounter:
Less than a minute later, a SECOND whelk began a b-line to this limpet. From the back wall of the tank, around the side, and straight to it. This whelk was at the front of the limpet, and again the probe emerged and poked around the limpets neck a bit as if looking for an opening but couldn't find one. (again, i may or may not have giggled at this) It then began visibly trying harder, it's entire body rocking and pushing.... and then it happened... it penetrated the neck of the limpet, and extended the probe... :eek2: . It remained penetrated for 20 seconds or so, retracted, and went on its way. Leaving a fleshy hole in the side of the limpets neck. The limpet remained on the glass for 10 minutes or so before falling to the sandbed. I removed it and put it in a separate container to see if it would move again.
I was really quite disturbed all night by what I THOUGHT I witnessed, and called a few friends- "You'll never believe what I just saw happen in my tank!!!!" I was more than relieved when my research revealed that this was a killing, and not a failed attempt at mating by an inexperienced, frustrated whelk, but I couldn't resist sharing my mistake with the snail experts out here, hopefully it brings a laugh.
