Phylum Mollusca: The Incredible-Edible (?) World of Molluscs

Nautilus Class Cephaloda The shell is coiled, calcareous, nacreous (iridescent) and pressure resistant (imploding at a depth of about 800 m). The last fully open chamber, also the largest one, is used as the living chamber. The shell coloration keeps the animal cryptic in the water. When seen from the top, the shell is darker in color and marked with irregular stripes, which makes it blend into the darkness of the water below. the underside is almost completely white, making the animal indistinguishable from brighter waters near the ocean surface. This mode of camouflage is named countershading. OK, I don’t believe you can eat this one.

Octopus Class Cephalopoda Octopuses are probably the most intelligent invertebrates. They are known to build "forts" and "traps" in the wild, and for rearranging tanks and burying other animals alive in domestication. Octopuses have a relatively short life expectancy, and some species live for as little as six months. Larger species, such as the North Pacific Giant Octopus, may live for up to five years under suitable circumstances. However, reproduction is a cause of death: males can only live for a few months after mating, and females die shortly after their eggs hatch.

Bivalves Included in the above picture are razor clams, bay scallops, littlenecks, cherrystones, and quahogs. Geoduck clam is shown below. The shell ranges in size from 5.9 in-7.9 in (length); the neck (siphon) can be up to 3.3 ft long. All can be eaten raw or cooked.

Mussels Class Bivalvia Different varieties live in either saltwater or freshwater habitats. Marine variety live on exposed shores in the intertidal zone (area between high & low tides). Freshwater mussel species inhabit lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, canals, and similar habitats. While most of these are consumed while small, some of these mussels get quite large!

Scallops Class Bivalvia The adductor muscle of scallops is larger and more developed than that of oysters, because they are active swimmers. Scallops are in fact the only migratory bivalve. Size depends on location: sea scallops are larger than bay scallops. In this country we only eat the muscle, in others the entire organism is consumed. Bay scallops are smaller, while bay scallops are larger.

Oysters Class Bivalvia An oyster produces a pearl when foreign material becomes trapped inside the shell. The oyster responds to the irritation by producing nacre, a combination of calcium and protein. The nacre coats the foreign material and over time produces a pearl. Oysters attach themselves to rocks or lie on the sea bottom. The entire organism is either cooked or eaten raw.

Slugs Class Gastropoda Protective coating of slime Distinct head region with eyes at end of tentacles Eat dead animal matter and plants; others eat other slugs, snails, and earthworms Hermaphroditic; can possibly self fertilize themselves Can live up to 3 years OK, these are not actually not edible, but probably slightly poisonous due to not having a protective shell.

Abalone Class Gastropoda The shells of abalones have a low and open spiral structure, and are characterized by several respiratory holes in a row near the shell's outer edge. The flesh (the adductor muscle) of abalones is widely considered to be a desirable food. Typically the muscle is fried. The highly iridescent inner nacre layer of the shell of abalone has traditionally been used as a decorative item in jewelry, buttons, and as inlay in furniture and in musical instruments such as guitars, etc.

Conch Class Gastropoda The name "conch" however, is often quite loosely applied in English-speaking countries to several kinds of very large snail-like shells of salt-water molluscs that are pointed at both ends. True conchs grow a flared lip on their shells only upon reaching sexual maturity. Consumer either cooked or raw; considered a delicacy.