Snail

Slow-moving but always fascinating, the snail is one of the most ecologically diverse animals on the planet.

Belonging to the phylum of Mollusca, it’s found almost everywhere in the world, from high mountains to simple botanical gardens to deep undersea rocks. The shell is the defining feature of the snail. This is the one thing that separates them from the closely related slugs and sea slugs (although many slugs still have internal shell plates within their bodies). Since the shells contain most of the internal organs, snails cannot survive without shells.

5 Incredible Snail Facts!

• These animals contain only rudimentary eyes and no ears at all. Instead, they interact with the environment around them through their sense of touch and their ability to detect vibrations.
• One of the more unusual facts is that many species are hermaphroditic, meaning that they possess both male and female reproductive organs. After mating, snails bury their eggs below the ground. Depending on the climate conditions, these eggs will hatch a few weeks later. The young snails are so eager for food that they may consume the unhatched eggs from the same parents. During development, they undergo a process called torsion in which its mass is rotated to one side, meaning the anus is actually located close to the head.
• Snails can survive the harsh winter by living off their fat reserves. They have multiple lines of defense to protect their soft bodies as they hibernate: first, they dig a small hole in the ground, then they retreat into their shell, and finally, they seal off the entrance of the shell from potential predators.
• Some aquatic snails (like the nerites) have gills to breathe underwater; others retain both lungs and gills. The apple snail has a breathing tube that reaches to the surface of the water.
• The sea snail has a natural adhesive that allows them to stick on rocks without being carried away by the surf. This has inspired some researchers to develop a kind of experimental medical glue for use in repairing heart defects.

Snail Species, Types, and Scientific Name

The scientific name of the snail is Gastropoda. This is derived from two Greek words meaning “stomach” and “foot.” The scientific name refers to the position of the foot below the gut. Gastropods belong to the phylum of Mollusca. In terms of the number of species, they are the largest class within the phylum. About 24,000 species have so far been subject to classification, but there may be 85,000 or more species of gastropods in the world. These can be divided into a few general classifications:

• Land Snails – These are the most well-known and the most likely to interact with people. The majority of land snails fall within the sub-class of Heterobranchia, along with the slugs.
• Freshwater Snails – Represented by thousands of different species, including the apple snails and nerites, freshwater species primarily occupy rivers, lakes, and streams.
• Sea Snails – Elusive and rarely seen, most gastropods actually inhabit the deep seas and near coasts, an entire underwater world secluded from people. Sea snails are divided into a few different classifications such as the Vetigastropoda and Caenogastropoda.

Appearance: How to Identify Snails

While most people are familiar with the basic garden snail, the entire gastropod class contains an immense diversity of different appearances and forms. Apple snails, nerites, ramshorn snails, etc all have their unique characteristics. In terms of their diversity, the gastropods are second only to the insect class. Most snails possess a soft, tube-shaped body, a muscular foot for locomotion, one or more pairs of tentacles emerging from the head, and small eyes at the top or the base of the main stalks.

The most conspicuous feature that all species share is the spiral shell. It is attached directly to the body and cannot be removed without killing the snail, since it contains most of the internal organs. The slugs are the only gastropods that live without shells at all.

The shell consists of three different layers attached to the mantle. The hypostracum is the innermost layer, situated directly against the body. The ostracum, which consists of calcium carbonate crystals and organic material, is the middle layer. The periostracum, which consists of several organic compounds, is the top layer and also gives the shell its color. Shells come in many different shapes, including cones, ears, spindles, and even completely unique patterns found nowhere else.

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The largest known species is the Giant African Snail, which grows up to a foot long. The smallest ever species identified, which comes from southern China, is no more than a millimeter. Most species measure a few inches in size between these two extremes.

Habitat: Where to Find Snails

These animals are found almost everywhere on the planet, including oceans, rivers, lakes, forests, mountains, deserts, and even botanical gardens. The thickness of the shell is directly related to the local climate conditions. In drier regions, snails have thicker shells to help them retain moisture. In wetter regions, they tend to have thinner shells.

Diet: What Do Snails Eat?

One of the most interesting facts about the animal is the sheer diversity of different feeding strategies. Depending on the species, they run the gamut between an herbivorous, carnivorous, or even a parasitic lifestyle. Marine species are more likely to be carnivorous or omnivorous, while land snails tend to feast exclusively on plant matter. Most species have rows of small teeth and a rough tongue called a radula to consume food.

What eats the snail?

The animal provides a stable food source for all kinds of hungry birds and mammals. It is also raised and eaten by humans across many different cultures and places. In France, for instance, the edible snail is considered to be a delicacy called escargot.

What does the snail eat?

Most of these animals are herbivorous; they feed on leaves, stems, bark, fruits, and even algae. Carnivorous snails (mostly of the marine variety) also consume worms, fish, and even other snails. These animals obtain calcium from dirt and rocks to build their impressive shells.

Prevention: How to Get Rid of Snails

For most people, these animals are simply an intrinsic part of the environment, easy to ignore. But anyone who’s ever tried to maintain a botanical lawn or garden knows that they sometimes cause immense damage to plants. Short of calling a professional, there are several things you can do to get rid of them.

The most humane solution is to put up a copper mesh barrier to repel them or try to remove them by hand. You should also try to eliminate any dark, shaded area which might attract snails. If you’re not invested in a specific type of plant, then you might want to consider using snail-resistant plants like lavender, rosemary, and sage. Salt is another effective method to get rid of snails, but it also might increase the salinity of the soil, which can damage plants.

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