MOLLUSKS -soft bodied buddies-

TYPES OF MOLLUSKS Gastropods – snails and slugs Gastropods – snails and slugs Bivalves – oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops Bivalves – oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops Cephalopods – Octopus, squids, and chambered nautilus Cephalopods – Octopus, squids, and chambered nautilus

All Mollusks have 3 body parts: 1. Head- contains mouth, brain, stomach, and eyes 1. Head- contains mouth, brain, stomach, and eyes 2. Body- contains heart and other digestive organs as well as the mantle- a fleshy organ that produces the animal’s shell 2. Body- contains heart and other digestive organs as well as the mantle- a fleshy organ that produces the animal’s shell 3. Foot- helps the animal get around (swimming, crawling, digging) 3. Foot- helps the animal get around (swimming, crawling, digging)

CLAMS –have two shells that are hinged.

Clams get their food by filtering it from the water. It has a tube like part that is used for feeding.

Mussels are a type of bivalve

Scallops are also bivalve! They have dozens of eyes and can swim around by squirting water as a jet!

Another two shelled mollusk is the oyster.

A BRIGHT BLUE CLAM

SNAILS

SNAILS HAVE ONE SHELL AND A HARD TRAP DOOR WHICH COVERS THE OPENING OF THE SHELL.

Snails come in many shapes and sizes…

Another cool snail, check out that foot!

THIS MIGHT BE A SNAIL YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH!

A slug- I have no shell!

A well camouflaged slug

Why do you think they call this one a lettuce slug?

Some slugs (called nudibranchs) are pretty wild!

SQUID-their foot is divided into 8 tentacles We call them cephalopods.

SQUIDS – Do not have shells covering the outside of their body. The squid has a small thin shell inside the body.

The cuttlefish is a type of squid.

A Southern Reef squid…

A bobtail squid!

ANOTHER TYPE OF SQUID

The OCTOPUS is also a cephalopod!

The octopus does not have a shell covering the outside of the body. Check out the row of suckers!

Can you see the octopus?

Their skin color is light sensitive and can change color rapidly to blend in with its surroundings.

The chambered nautilus (another cephalopod) has a snail like shell but tentacles like a squid.

A collection of shells

Interesting bivalve shells

FUN MOLLUSK FACTS Mollusks have been around for over 500 million years! Mollusks have been around for over 500 million years! Some oysters change from male to female every other year! Some oysters change from male to female every other year! 99% of snail species have shell whorls that coil in a clockwise direction. 99% of snail species have shell whorls that coil in a clockwise direction. Many bivalves can make pearls when a foreign substance enters their shells, they coat the object with a shell like material until it is round. This can take 2 years! Many bivalves can make pearls when a foreign substance enters their shells, they coat the object with a shell like material until it is round. This can take 2 years!

THE END!! BYE BYE!! BYE BYE!! By Marta Howard and Julie Hunt, Degan Elementary