Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How does the snail Natica drill through a clam shell?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Feeding behaviour
Wild horses graze in the Badlands of North Dakota.
Snails such as Natica drill through the shells of their prey using a specialized, ribbonlike structure in their mouths called the radula.
The radula is supported by a cartilage-like mass known as the odontophore and is covered with rows of small, chitinous teeth called denticles. By protruding this structure, the snail can scrape or drill holes into the shells of its prey to feed. As the teeth at the front of the radula wear away, the snail constantly produces new sections to replace them, ensuring the tool remains effective for predation.12