Meet the Philippine entry for International Mollusc of the Year! Lithoredo abatanica, also locally known as “antingaw” in Bohol, is the first known shipworm that lives within and eats through rock.

Not all red seaweeds are red, but they all have a special ability to store sugars in their cells that other seaweeds can’t. One example of a red seaweed is Kappaphycus alvarezii: a major source of carrageenan, a polysaccharide that is used in a variety of commercial products.

Halimeda species are remarkable green seaweeds easily identified by their compressed or cylindrical segments that contain a very high percentage of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), often ranging from 40% to 90% of their entire bodies.

The Family Portunidae is no stranger to Filipinos as some of them are already familiar to us, including alimasag (blue swimming crabs) and alimango (mangrove crabs)!

Toxopneustes pileolus, also called the flower urchin, is known as the most venomous sea urchin in the world. Its common name comes from the flower-like appearance of its pedicellariae: the tiny circles and triangles around its body, with a reddish dot in the center.

The Conus rolani (cone snails) may look small, but don’t underestimate them—they’re members of the Conus genus, the largest group of marine invertebrates with over 800 known species. Typically found in deep-water habitats (60 – 250m), these snails use venom packed with hundreds of peptides to hunt and defend themselves. However, C. rolani and the Asprella group remain understudied.