Mollusca
Snails and squids
Mollusca is the phylum of invertebrate animals that includes snails, slugs, clams, oysters, octopuses, and squids.
The group is unified by soft bodies, often protected by a hard shell—though some, like octopuses, have lost the shell entirely.
Mollusks are the second-largest animal phylum after arthropods, found in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments.
Single-shelled soft creature
- bivalveTwo-shelled mollusk
- cephalopodTentacled marine mollusk class
- snailShelled, slow-moving mollusk
- clamSand-dwelling hinged shellfish
octopus · squid · mussel · oyster · slug · nautilus · scallop · chiton
Major classification rank
- invertebrateAnimal sans backbone
- kingdomMonarch's ruled territory
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
- cladeMonophyletic taxonomic group
species · genus · family · order · class · biodiversity · evolution · phylogeny
Edible land snails
- calamariFried squid dish
- sashimiThinly sliced raw fish
- clambakeOutdoor seaside shellfish meal
- oyster barShellfish-focused dining establishment
takoyaki · ceviche · chowder · paella · raw bar · shucking · steamer · littleneck
Of the sea bottom
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
- reefUnderwater rock or coral formation
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
- filter feederAnimal straining waterborne nutrients
grazer · predator · detritivore · biofouling · keystone · ecosystem · habitat · marine
Extinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- belemniteExtinct squid-like mollusk
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
Cretaceous · petrification · nautiloid · Ordovician · brachiopod · stratigraphy · sedimentary · preservation
gastropod
Single-shelled soft creature
- bivalveTwo-shelled mollusk
- cephalopodTentacled marine mollusk class
- snailShelled, slow-moving mollusk
clam · octopus · squid · mussel · oyster · slug · nautilus · scallop · chiton · limpet
mantle
Covering or wrap
siphon · gill · ganglia · tentacle · operculum · nacre · columella · aperture · whorl · valve
phylum
Major classification rank
- invertebrateAnimal sans backbone
- kingdomMonarch's ruled territory
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
clade · species · genus · family · order · class · biodiversity · evolution · phylogeny · systematics
escargot
Edible land snails
oyster bar · takoyaki · ceviche · chowder · paella · raw bar · shucking · steamer · littleneck · cherrystone
benthic
Of the sea bottom
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
- reefUnderwater rock or coral formation
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
filter feeder · grazer · predator · detritivore · biofouling · keystone · ecosystem · habitat · marine · freshwater
ammonite
Extinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- belemniteExtinct squid-like mollusk
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
extinction · Cretaceous · petrification · nautiloid · Ordovician · brachiopod · stratigraphy · sedimentary · preservation · mineralization
MolluscaArthropoda
Jointed-limbed invertebrate phylum
arthropods · vertebrates · insects · crustaceans · arachnids
MolluscaArthropoda
Jointed-limbed invertebrate phylum
- mollusk shellsInvertebrate exoskeletons from sea