The Scaly-foot Snail (Chrysomallon squamiferum) is a fascinating and rare deep-sea hydrothermal vent mollusk, known for its unique iron-plated shell and armor-like scales. Here are the key features and facts about this extraordinary species:


🐌 General Overview

  • Scientific Name: Chrysomallon squamiferum
  • Common Name: Scaly-foot Snail or Scaly-foot Gastropod
  • Discovered: 2001
  • Habitat: Hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean, typically at depths of 2,400–2,900 meters (7,900–9,500 feet)

🔩 Unique Features

  1. Iron Armor:
    • Its shell is made up of three layers:
      • Outer layer: Iron sulfide (pyrite and greigite)
      • Middle layer: Organic material
      • Inner layer: Aragonite (a form of calcium carbonate)
    • This makes it the only known animal to incorporate iron into its skeleton for protection.
  2. Sclerites (Scales):
    • The snail’s foot is covered with iron-mineralized scales, known as sclerites.
    • These are thought to provide protection against predators like vent-dwelling crabs.
  3. Symbiosis:
    • It hosts chemosynthetic bacteria in a specialized esophageal gland.
    • These bacteria convert toxic chemicals from hydrothermal vents into energy for the snail — similar to how corals rely on algae.

🧬 Conservation Status

  • IUCN Red List:Endangered (2019)
    • Threatened by deep-sea mining due to its limited habitat range and specialization.

🧪 Scientific Significance

  • The Scaly-foot Snail is of great interest to:
    • Biomimicry: Its shell structure inspires advanced materials and armor designs.
    • Astrobiology: Its extreme-environment adaptation helps scientists understand life’s potential on other planets.

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