Batillaria multiformis

Batillaria multiformis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Batillariidae. They are colloquially known as salt marsh or mudflat snails, due to their benthic nature in intertidal zones and salt marshes. They are endemic to the West Pacific Ocean, but are most commonly observed on the southern coast of Japan. B. multiformis feed on phytoplankton in their larval stage, and various terrestrial and aquatic primary producers once in their benthic adult form. They are intermediate hosts to several Cercaria trematodes. While still highly prevalent in remaining mudflat regions, available suitable habitat has declined with increasing land reclamation in Japan. Since 2020, B. multiformis has been considered a "near-threatened" species by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.