Elephant Snail

Scientific Name: Scutus antipodes

Description: Elephant Snails are easy to distinguish by their size and black colouration. The large body of this animal has an inadequately small white shell, making it very vulnerable to exposure. Large tentacles at the front of the head help this snail when moving out from under rocks at night to feed on drift algae. Elephant Snails are most numerous where there are large loose boulders or crevices in the rock where they can hide when the tide is out to avoid dehydration. Like many other species on the rock platform, these animals depend on their immediate environment for their survival and should always be left where they are found.

Type: Gastropod (Grazers)
Where to find: Intertidal Reefs
Size: 100mm