Knowra Gastropod Gastropod A mollusk in the class Gastropoda, typically characterized by a muscular foot and, in many species, a single coiled shell. Gastropods include snails, slugs, limpets, and sea butterflies.
Mollusca : A diverse animal phylum that includes gastropods, bivalves, cephalopods, and chitons. Gastropoda is one of the major classes within this phylum.
Gastropod locomotion : Movement in gastropods, commonly produced by muscular waves along the foot. Mucus and foot contractions let many species travel over rough surfaces.
Snail : A common name for gastropods that typically possess an external shell large enough to retract into. Snails exemplify the familiar shelled gastropod body form.
Biological control : The use of living organisms to reduce populations of pests or unwanted species. Some predatory gastropods are introduced to control agricultural pests, sometimes with ecological risks.
Bivalvia : A mollusk class characterized by two hinged shell valves and a body lacking a distinct head. Bivalves contrast with the usually single-shell, head-bearing gastropod body plan.
Torsion (biology) : A developmental rotation of the visceral mass and mantle cavity in most gastropods. This distinctive rearrangement helps explain gastropod body asymmetry.
Gastropod feeding : The diverse ways gastropods obtain food, including grazing, predation, and suspension feeding. The radula and other adaptations support markedly different diets.
Slug : A common name for gastropods with a reduced internal shell or no visible shell. Slugs show that a conspicuous external shell is not required for gastropod identity.
Schistosomiasis : A parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Freshwater snails host the parasite's larval stages and sustain transmission.
Cephalopod : A mollusk class including octopuses, squids, and nautiluses, with arms or tentacles around the head. Cephalopods show a different molluscan body plan and a more centralized nervous system.
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