Flamingo Tongue
Cyphoma gibbosum The flamingo tongue snail feeds on toxic sea fan polyps. The snail itself is immune to the toxins, but it's body
absorbs the venoms and the snail becomes toxic to would-be predators looking for a meal. Although shell collectors may be attracted to the colorful snails, the shell itself is just white. It is only the living animal inside the shell that gives the shell it's spotted patterns.
NOTE In 2017 it was determined that each of
the different mantel patterns did not indicate a
separate species because the foot pattern was the
same.
Fingerprint Cyphoma signatum - Was
thought to be a separate species from
the Flamingo Tongue.
