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THE VARIED ROLES OF SNAILS - National Universities Commission

THE VARIED ROLES OF SNAILS - National Universities Commission

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Gastropods I: Terrestrial or Garden Snails:<br />

Fig .1 Achitina achatina ( African Land Snail)<br />

Terrestrial gastropods often have a shell to protect their soft<br />

body. Some like slugs have no shells.<br />

The body of the snail is usually moist and often slimy.<br />

Snails have tentacles with eyes on the ends. They have a<br />

very developed sense of smell, but do not feel much<br />

sensation/touch-wise. They do not hear or taste food like<br />

we do and their behavior is instinctive.<br />

The eye is on the tip of the tentacles. The snail has two<br />

pairs of tentacles on its head. One pair is longer than the<br />

other pair. The eyes are on the longer pair. The shorter pair<br />

is used for smelling and feeling its way around. The<br />

tentacles are very important to a snail.<br />

Many gastropods are autonomous, meaning they can re -<br />

grow lost body parts.<br />

9

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