LIFE SCIENCE 9-5 What are mollusks?

OBJ: Describe the features of mollusks.

Give examples of the different classes of mollusks.

I. MOLLUSKS = soft bodied organism.

- classified in the phyla MOLLUSCA.
- divided into 8 classes.
- most are covered with a hard shell.
- have a head, foot, and mass of tissue that contains
well-developed organ systems.
- excretory, reproductive, heart
- live on land or in water.
MANTLE = thin membrane that covers a mollusk’s organs.
- in some mollusks, the mantle forms the shell.

II. SNAILS & SLUGS - class GASTROPODA

- foot is used for movement.
RADULA = rough, tongue-like organ of the snail.
- used to scrape food from plants and rocks.

III. TWO-SHELLED - in the class BIVALVIA

MOLLUSKS - have two-part shells
Example - clams, oysters, and mussels
- strong muscles hold the shells closed.
FILTER FEEDING - feed by taking in water through special tubes.
- organisms come in, are trapped, and digested.

IV. MOLLUSKS with - from the class CEPHALOPODA.

TENTACLES - very complex brains.
- excellent eyesight.
- tentacles are used for movement and feeding.
- each tentacle has suction cups capturing prey.
Jet propulsion - taking in water and squirting it back out, causes the
cephalopod to move quickly.
Example - squids and octopuses