Everyone loves walking along the beach collecting seashells. But do you know what these small treasures really are? Do you ever wonder where the diverse shapes and colors that make up your beach shell collection come from?
The majority of shells found on the shore are hard, protective outer layers created or once inhabited by animals that live in the sea. When someone uses the term "seashell," they're usually referring to the exoskeleton of an invertebrate.
Invertebrates, or animals without backbones, use the hard shells as protection for their soft bodies. A lot of the shells people pick up from the beach are the shells of marine mollusks, barnacles, horseshoe crabs, or brachiopods.
See our collection dedicated to the ocean's unique range of sea shells (from art and jewelry to home decor) here: http://www.wildlifewonders.com/sea-shell-gift-dec...