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What are snails shells made of?

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Mostly calcium carbonate. When the shell grows, a lattice or framework of a hard protein is laid down onto which calcium carbonate crystals are deposited, usually in the form of aragonite (crystals can come in different forms). read more

Typically, especially in sea-snails, there are three layers to the shell: an inner nacreous layer with a high polish that is often used for ornaments (think of the inside of an abalone shell). then there is the lamellar layer, which makes up most of the shell's weight and strength; this is where the calcium carbonate is laid down on the protein matrix, often in sub-layers with different orientations for added strength. read more

Seashells are the exoskeletons of mollusks such as snails, clams, oysters and many others. Such shells have three distinct layers and are composed mostly of calcium carbonate with only a small quantity of protein--no more than 2 percent. These shells, unlike typical animal structures, are not made up of cells. read more

The gastropod shell is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, a kind of mollusc. The shell is an exoskeleton, which protection from predators, mechanical damage, and dehydration, but also serves for muscle attachment and calcium storage. read more

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