Casstaway Creations
East Coast Collection
Blue Mussel
Mytilus edulis
Blue mussels form dense clusters along North Atlantic shores, creating habitats that support diverse marine life. Each mussel filters up to 25 liters of water daily, removing algae, nutrients, and pollutants, which helps maintain water quality. Resilient and communal, blue mussels symbolize balance and the strength of natural connections.
Moon Snail
Euspira heros
Moon snails, with their distinctive spiral shells, burrow through sandy shores on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts. As predators, they shape coastal ecosystems by feeding on clams and other mollusks. After they die, their empty shells provide homes for hermit crabs and have been cherished as protective talismans in many cultures.
Periwinkle
Littorinidae
Periwinkles are small sea snails essential to intertidal zones, salt marshes, and estuaries. Though introduced from Europe, they’re now the most common marine snail on the Northeast coast. As grazers, they control algae growth and recycle nutrients, while serving as food for birds, fish, and crabs. Their sensitivity to pollution also makes them useful indicators of coastal ecosystem health.
Common Jingle
Anomia simplex
Common jingles, or mermaid’s toenails, are delicate, translucent bivalves along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Named for the soft, bell-like sound they make when shaken, these shells attach to rocks or other shells through a small hole. As filter feeders, they strain plankton from the water. Though their ecological role is modest, they provide habitat and prey and have been used in making glue, chalk, and paint.
Limpet
Patellidae
Limpets cling tightly to rocky shores worldwide with a strong muscular foot. Using teeth tougher than steel, they scrape algae off rocks, helping keep tidal ecosystems balanced. Their habit of returning to the same spot each tide and their ability to accumulate pollutants make them valuable bioindicators and resilient symbols of shoreline health.
