This Sea Snails Change Sex In A Very Weird Way

Plants and Animals





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Slipper limpets are one of many species of sea snail which change sex after reaching maturity. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

It might sound like an unfortunate and inconvenient superpower, but a species of sea snail known as the slipper limpet appears to change sex from male to female as a result of touching other males. Naturally, this transformation isn’t instant and doesn’t occur with each contact, although it does provide a clue as to how, when, and why these intriguing aquatic snails switch sex – something that has fascinated marine biologists for many years.