I found several octopus drill holes in moon snail shells. The octopus were
likely attacking hermit crabs occupying the shells, rather than the snail
itself. The shell was acting as a crab trap.

Rick Harbo
Nanaimo, B.C.
Canada



----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Grebneff" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 9:19 PM
Subject: Re: a variety of drill holes in shells - octopod borings


> Octopod borings tend to be irregular, with "points" at the outer
> edges and grooved sides; the opening is very small and you can often
> see faint scratches around the boring, probably produced by the
> radula. I have seen these in Miocene fossils from Europe.
>
> The heteromorphic gastropod Babylonia perforata seems to be a
> favorite octopus food these days.
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> Dunedin
> New Zealand
> Fossil preparator
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
>
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