Nerita plicata

Nerita plicata is a species of tropical sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Neritidae, the nerites. This species is found throughout the Indo-West Pacific.

Nerita plicata
Five views of a shell of Nerita plicata Linnaeus, 1758
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Neritimorpha
Order:	Cycloneritida
Family:	Neritidae
Genus:	Nerita
Species:	N. plicata
Binomial name
Nerita plicata Linnaeus, 1758

Characteristics

The Nerita plicata is characterized by its 30 mm shell height with its width being about the same. Their exterior is generally dull white or pink with ribs sometimes being black.^[1]

A cluster of Nerita plicata at low tide at Turtle Island, Fiji.

Habitat

This species lives high up in the intertidal zone, on rocks. N. plicata has ridges on its shell that helps it stay cool when exposed at low tide by radiating heat away.

Reproduction

The Nerita plicata reproduces through copulation between male and female. After mating, females will deposit egg capsules which will eventually hatch into larvae.^[2]