Endemic to Arizona, the Phoenix talussnail (Sonorella allynsmithi) lives on rocky slopes in Maricopa County. During dry seasons, the snail draws from its rocky environment to seal its shell aperture with solid rock to prevent it from drying out. Characterized by its grayish to brownish-white shell, the talussnail is, interestingly, hermaphroditic. And the snail’s eggs contain calcite crystals, which can be used to form a shell around the egg. Bruce D. Taubert photographed this snail at Thunderbird Conservation Park in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix.
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