Snails and slugs are a type of mollusk with soft, moist bodies and a single, coiled shell. They crawl using a muscular foot and feed on plants and other organic matter. Snails and slugs can be found in a variety of habitats and have adaptations that help them survive in their environment. Some species are beneficial to humans, while others are pests that cause damage to crops and transmit diseases.
Snails and slugs are a type of mollusk that belongs to the class Gastropoda. There are over 50,000 known species of snails and slugs, which are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, deserts, and aquatic environments. Snails and slugs are characterized by their soft, moist bodies and their ability to crawl using a muscular foot. They have a single, coiled shell that protects their body and helps to reduce water loss.
Snails and slugs are typically slow-moving animals that feed on plants, algae, and other organic matter. Some species are herbivores, while others are omnivores. Snails and slugs have a variety of adaptations that help them to survive in their environment. For example, some species secrete a slime trail as they crawl, which helps to reduce friction and makes it easier for them to move across rough or uneven surfaces. Other species have sharp, retractable claws that they use to defend themselves from predators.
Snails and slugs have a complex life cycle that involves four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The larval stage, also known as a veliger, is the feeding stage of the snail or slug's life cycle. Veligers are small, planktonic organisms that are found in aquatic environments. They have a pair of cilia, or tiny hair-like structures, that they use to move through the water and a shell that protects their body.
As snails and slugs mature, they go through the pupal stage, during which time they transform into the adult form. Adult snails and slugs have a soft, moist body and a single,
