Gastropods (/ˈɡæstrəpɒdz/; previously known as Univalves; class Gastropoda/ɡæsˈtrɒpədə/) are a vast and diverse group of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca, comprising the animals commonly known as snails and slugs. With an estimated 65,000 to 80,000 living species, they form the second-largest animal class after the insects. The fossil record of gastropods extends back to the Late Cambrian. As of 2017[update], 721 families are recognized—476 extant (some with fossil representatives) and 245 extinct known only from fossils.
Gastropods inhabit an extraordinary range of environments, including marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. They occur in gardens, woodlands, deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes, estuaries, mudflats, intertidal zones, the deep sea, hydrothermal vents, and even in parasitic niches.
The term snail generally refers to gastropods with a large external shell into which the body can fully retract, while slugs have no shell or a small internal one, and semislugs can only partially withdraw into their reduced shell. Marine gastropods include familiar forms such as abalones, conches, periwinkles, whelks, and cowries, whose shells are usually coiled in adulthood. In contrast, limpets and related groups coil their shells only in the larval stage, retaining a simple conical form as adults.
Because of their vast diversity, gastropods exhibit remarkable variation in anatomy, behavior, feeding, and reproduction, making broad generalizations difficult. Gastropods remain one of evolution's most successful and adaptable animal lineages. (Full article...)
This species of large land snail is common in the Mediterranean area, where it is found from eastern Spain to the Crimea. It has been introduced into Australia. It lives in a broad variety of habitats, usually in dry vegetation, mainly in the vicinity of the coast, and also in agricultural crops.
In northern Greece, copulation in this species takes place after the first rainfalls in autumn. These snails create and use love darts as part of their mating behavior.
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Photo of an apertural view of Sinotaia aeruginosa... that Sinotaia aeruginosa(shell pictured) is common in restaurants in China?
Drawing of an apertural view of Acmella nana... that Acmella nana(shell pictured) is the smallest known land snail?
Drawing of an apertural view of Semisulcospira libertina... that Semisulcospira libertina(shell pictured) is the most common freshwater snail in Japan?
Drawing of two Carinaria cristata, the upper one without the shell... that the fragile shell of the glassy nautilus Carinaria cristata(pictured) was at one time considered to be worth more than its weight in gold?
Photo of dorsal view of Spurilla neapolitana... that Spurilla neapolitana(pictured) defends itself with stinging cells derived from the sea anemones it eats?
Photo of an apertural view of Pupilla pratensis... that Pupilla pratensis(shell pictured) has long been neglected in the malacological literature?
Map of Lake Skadar... that there are 12 endemic species of freshwater snails in Lake Skadar(map pictured)?
Photo of an apertural view of Balea sarsii ... that the land snail Balea sarsii(shell pictured) has been overlooked for a long time?
Photo of an apertural view of Vertigo ultimathule ... that the land snail Vertigo ultimathule(shell pictured) is endemic to the northernmost part of Scandinavia?
Drawing of an apertural view of Hinea brasiliana ... that flashes of light emitted by the sea snail Hinea brasiliana(shell pictured) may act as a "burglar alarm"?
Photo of an apertural view of Halystina umberlee ... that the sea snail Halystina umberlee(pictured) was named after Umberlee, a fictional evil goddess from the Forgotten Realms role-playing game?
... that Candidula arganica, a snail found in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, lives primarily in meadows?
... that Candidula spadae, a snail native to Central Italy, is at risk in part because of tourist activities?
Drawing of dorsal view of Rathouisia leonina ... that the land slug Rathouisia leonina(pictured) from China is carnivorous?
a shell of Hauffenia sp. from Slovakia... that the subterranean freshwater snail Hauffenia sp. from Slovakia(shell pictured) has been an undescribed species since the 1980s?
a live Oxychilus camelinus... that the land snail Oxychilus camelinus(pictured) was described from Lebanon?
shell of holotype of Abbottella calliotropis... that land snails of the genus Abbottella (Abbottella calliotropis shell pictured) live on the islands of Hispaniola and Cuba?
a live Tonna galea out of water... that the snail Tonna galea(pictured) is one of very few species of prosobranch gastropods that are luminescent?
shell of holotype of Notodiscus hookeri heardensis... that the land snail Notodiscus hookeri (shell pictured) has unique shell structure among all gastropods?
a live Zospeum tholussum... that the microscopic cave snail Zospeum tholussum (pictured) is so slow that in a week's time it may only move a few millimeters or centimeters in circles?
live Omalonyx convexus... that the land snail Omalonyx convexus(pictured) can also be found submerged among macrophytes?
... that the malacologist S. Peter Dance said the shell of Pterynotus loebbeckei, (pictured), was the "most exquisite natural object" he had ever seen?
... that marine biologist Frederick Bayer discovered 170 new species, including a number of sea snails?
shell of Faunus ater... that the only brackish-water pachychilid species, Faunus ater(shell pictured), has a shell that is unique among all the Cerithioidea?
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Drawing of radula of Patella vulgata18 February 2015 - The radular teeth of Patella vulgata are found to have the highest tensile strength among all biomaterials, outperforming even spider silk.
13 February 2013 - The sea slug Goniobranchus reticulatus is the only known animal that autotomizes its penis after mating and it is able to regenerate it subsequently.
17 December 2012 - A new family, Echinichidae, was described.
8 November 2012 - Urotensin-II like peptides were reported from an invertebrate for the first time, specifically from the sea hare Aplysia californica.
A live Leptoxis compacta8 August 2012 - A rediscovery of a freshwater species thought to be extinct, Leptoxis compacta, (pictured).
3 August 2012 - A new family, Epirobiidae, was established.
Elysia clarki on alga 20 July 2011 - Using the sea slug Elysia clarki(pictured) it was demonstrated (for the first time in an animal) that a photosynthetic capability affects foraging behavior under starvation.
shell of Rhodacmea filosa 31 May 2011 - the Wicker ancylidRhodacmea filosa, (shell pictured) listed as extinct by the IUCN Red List, has been rediscovered.
eggs of Pomacea canaliculata 3 December 2010: The first direct evidence (in the animal kingdom) that a proteinase inhibitor from the eggs of Pomacea canaliculata(eggs pictured) interacts as a trypsin inhibitor with the protease of potential predators.
7 November 2010: The Signpost runs a section Good lookin' slugs and snails celebrating three new gastropod-themed Featured pictures.
A list of new Wikipedia articles about gastropods, including those that simply mention the words snail, slug, conch, etc. A bot creates this list, usually every three days.
The pulmonate land snail Cepaea hortensis crawling up a twig. Because the shell is somewhat translucent in this species, the presence of the pallial lung is noticeable as a relatively large light area showing the volume of air within the mantle cavity.
The muscles that pull back the ommatophores (the two upper tentacles, which have eye spots at the ends) are lightly pigmented, and are visible as two parallel lines that reach through the base of the tentacles and back into the body. Part of the tail protrudes below the shell at the end of the animal. Land snails of this size (shell about 2 cm) can climb vertical surfaces and even hang upside down when necessary.
Request to editors: please do not create any more categories of gastropods by country. Instead create list articles, article with a list of the marine or non-marine gastropods of whichever country or area you are interested in. We would also like to empty and delete the two remaining country categories we have, adding that information to list articles instead. Thank you.
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