Slipper Shells

Live slipper shells (Crepidula fornicata) are often found in stacks of 2-5 individuals with the bottom one attached to a small rock. The stacks tell you much about their life history. The bottom individual is larger than the ones at the top of the stack and is inevitably a female, the top individuals are progressive in size and the very top one is inevitably a male. What is not obvious, is that every individual common slipper shell starts life out as an immature snail, then matures into a male.  He can then lose his male function and mature further into a female! If a new slipper shell comes on top of the first animal in the stack, the bottom slipper will become a female the new animal on top will have male function until another individual comes on top of him. He will then change sex to function as a female.  The sex of each slipper depends on the presence of other individuals in the stack.  They got their name because some scientist's child thought they looked like slippers!

These abandoned shells were posed and painted from my large collection! A little sea lettuce was added for variety.

This piece may be purchased as an original painting, or as a Giclee Print in a variety of  sizes.  For further viewing, purchase and shipping, or illustration commissions, please contact me at:

clgilbane@gmail.com

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