Chapter 9.2 Gastropods (AKA Univalves)
Gastropods Traits Gastropods = “stomach foot” Univalve = “one-shelled” Includes the snails, whelks, abalone, slipper shells, limpets, sea slugs (no shell) Glides over the bottom of the ocean on a large, muscular foot Mouth one-way digestive systemanus
Gastropod Traits Open circulatory system – one chambered heart and tiny blood vessels, colorless blood Has excretory system – kidneys Shell opening covered by operculum Has siphon Anterior and posterior tentacles Radula – toothed structure used to scrape algae
Snails Some snails are predatory (moon snail and the cone snail – which is very poisonous with a harpoon-like spear) and actively hunt food. Others just scrape algae and are herbivores Some have separate sexes, others are hermaphrodites – internal fertilization and external development Egg hatches and forms a swimming, ciliated larva called a veliger - zooplankton
Gastropod Diversity Biggest is the abalone Very common types is the slipper shell Flat-shelled limpet Sea slug or nudibranch
Periwinkle
Moon snail
Cone Snail
Whelk
Abalone
Slipper Shells
Limpet