This is the bizarre moment a female snail laid dozens of tiny eggs - while defying gravity and hanging upside down from a fish tank.

The quirky gastropod - known as a 'mystery snail' - which generally lives underwater is seen attaching itself to the top of the tank with its slimey foot.

Dozens of little snail eggs then pop out of its shell as it hangs above the top of the water.

The unusual behaviour was filmed by snail lover Jana Lovely-Saylor at her home in Tacoma, Washington, earlier this month.

She said: " This is an uncommon practice as they are usually laid on the sides.

"Her name is Persephone and she is what is known as a mystery snail.

"They live in water and cannot survive on land for long."

"It takes a few weeks from mating until they are ready to lay a group of eggs called a clutch.

"They will hatch in 2 to 4 weeks.

"The babies will emerge from the clutch and fall down into the gravel.

"They are about the size of a pinhead and you will not see them for weeks. "

Jana added: "When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she will rise above the water.

"This is sometimes dangerous because they will escape and fall on their shells causing breakage.

"This particular female decided to lay on the lid, absolutely defying gravity even more than the ones who lay on the side.

"It’s amazing to watch as the female positions her foot just so when she gets above the waterline.

"Then she stretches her foot out and it becomes translucent.

"This is the first sign that she is about to make a clutch. The sex organs are located right next to the snails head.

"The eggs begin to emerge going straight up!

It’s absolutely stunning to watch how they can move the muscles on their foot to manipulate the egg into the next space on the clutch."