Creeper snails (Family Certhiidae)

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Family: Certhiidae

Creeper snails are commonly found on Singapore's shores, but often overlooked due to being well-camouflauged shells. They can be found on sandy shores, coral rubble and many coral reefs, and usually in groups or individually. They feed on algae and detritus of sea bottom, usually near reefs.

Creeper snails are small in length, around 2.5cm in length. They have narrow and long spiraled shell, with an upturned siphonal canal at the opening. The snail hides just beneath the sand, protecting the siphon. Horny materials, usually brown, makes the operculum of the shell.

Their tiny shell is usually used by young hermit crabs (once the snails die) as hermit crab's first home, as the shell would be hollow and just nice for new hermit crabs. Their shells have also been collected by hobbyists or for shell trade, as some of them may be rather attractive.

Some species of creeper snails, such as the Cerithium trailli, is listed "Endangered" on the red list of animals threatened of Singapore. The shores they used to be found has been lost from reclamation. Many creeper snails are in danger from being endangered due to human activities like reclamation and pollution. They have also been trampled on by careless visitors on shores, and extreme collection would reduce their numbers greatly too.