We live in one of the canals of Amsterdam. Like most people, we have a small boat in front of our house, to sail around the city. During Winter times we bring it away to protect from damages, if exposed to harsh temperatures at frozen canals.
We moor the boat to wooden polls, which we also remove from the water and place at the deck. This time we noticed some freshwater shells on the polls.
I shot these photos of the shells yesterday with an iphone5.
We are used to seeing sea shells but there are shells found in freshwater habitats, which are mussels shells, snails shells and land snails shells. I am not a conchologist, so I cannot identify which one is this but I suspect that it may be a mussel shell, as there are many in our waters.
Fresh water shells are members of two major classes i.e. Gastropoda (gastropods) and Bivalvia (bivalves). They occur in both calmer waters (e.g. ponds, small lakes, still waters near river and stream banks) and running waters (brooks, small and larger rivers, in breaker zones of lakes).
The extent of a habitat is less important than the quality of preferred feeding area. Bivalves for example prefer a habitat with mud. Larger waters are richer in species, as smaller ones don’t always survive for a long time.
A shell is a protective outer layer created by an animal and is part of the body of the animal. The shells are empty because the animal has died and the soft parts have been eaten by another animal or have rotted out.
I was happy to find them as this is a sign of clean waters.
I hope you liked to know more about shells.
I am submitting this post to Lens and Pens by Sally, who hosts each Monday the Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Devices Photo Challenge. Following the link you will learn all you need to participate. Give it a go.
The scheduled theme for this week’s challenge is: Nature.
Lucile, thanks for the fascinating post, especially like that you can move through your city by boat. Thanks for the connection between your images and nature’s ability to reinvigorate herself. The shells certainly have their own duty. Happy Photo Challenge.
I’m grateful you liked it. It’s a lot of water over here so we enjoy the possibility to go through the city. Bikes and boats are widely used and together are more numerous than cars.
Cheers!
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I would love to see photos of the canals of Amsterdam. I have no concept of where you live. I love the shells and think it is amazing that even in winter they survive by hanging onto the piers. ❤
I’ll make sure to include more canals when making the Changing Seasons post of this month, so that you get a glimpse of the main ones.
We didn’t have a very cold winter this year; plants and animals (including humans) are enjoying a fair season.
xx
That is fabulous! 💖
Informative post and photos, Lucile. At first I thought the shells were a fungi of some kind. How true of nature that one thing gives up its life for another.
Thanks, Angeline. Nature is a great teacher!
Lucile, I very much enjoyed both photos and narrative. I hope your mussels are a sign of clean water. In the Great Lakes of the US, the zebra mussels are a deadly danger: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel, not a sign of anything good!
janet
Janet, thank you so much. Also for sharing the link about the zebra mussels. What a story!
I think the ones we have here are harmless. It doesn’t look like the zebra’s. I’ll ask around to find this out.
Lucile
They’re probably different ones, at least I hope so.
How amazing to live on the water. My only concept of this is to live by the sea, with waves coming in and going out, with sand between me and the water. I can’t wait to see the canals! Perhaps mussels for dinner? 😉
You’re going to enjoy here. I know what you mean as I lived by the sea for many years. The main difference is the proximity to the water and the constant contact with animals. Swans, goose, ducks and many birds are a regular view.
Mussels’s dinner is noted!
xxx
We need to start planning! Xx
What interesting shells! I must admit that I didn’t think these shelled creatures lived in the canals… Your photo is cool… Poor little critters though who died or got eaten by something bigger!
Thanks Lia. These are the types that live in fresh waters. My guess is that they are snack food for fishes.
True, I suppose they’re part of the food chain… Very interesting: )
Thanks for the great post on shells and the interesting natural photos. There is so much texture in the photos and some of these shells look paper thin. The background to the story added to the phoneographs as well.
Thank you for dropping by.
I am grateful for your comments and happy that you enjoyed it.
Such an interesting post Lucile, I love the shells. The canals sound like a great place to live.
Thanks, Debbie. Next time you come to Europe, include Amsterdam in the plans.
Where you live sounds amazing, just like Venice but not crumbling. Plus I learned more about shells now hehe! Xxx
I do like here. No comparison with Venice’s boat jams. The only day we have overcrowded canals is during the celebration of the King’s birthday.
Xxx
but that sounds really exciting x
Ps just sent you WhatsApp msg xx
Done!
yay
living at the canals is amazing! with water around ´life never gets boring
Indeed. There is always something to watch. All sort of animals…ducks, swans, goose, and tourists! Lol