Snails

Snail parts

Snail facts

• There are thousands of species of snails, including land snails, sea snails, and fresh water snails.• The Giant Tiger Land Snail, or the Giant Ghana Snail is the largest

land snail in the world and can be up to 12 inches long!• Land snails secrete mucus to help them move and reduce the friction

against the ground. • Snails try to get a diet that is full of calcium to keep their shells

strong and healthy.• Land snails have microscopic teeth that are contained in rows in a

mouth-like structure called the radula.• The sea snails breathe with gills and the land snails breathe with

lungs, while some species of freshwater snails breathe with lungs and others with gills.

Snail facts

• Snails are gastropods. Gastro- means stomach and –pod means foot, so the snail’s name means “stomach-foot,” because its stomach is located in its foot!• Snails are mollusks. They are invertebrates (no bones) and some

mollusks have an exoskeleton (the spiral shell).• Snails have two sets of tentacles. One long pair on top of the head

contains eye-like structures on the ends. The short pair, located closer to the ground, help the snail feel its way around. These tentacles are retractable – the snail can pull them in when it senses danger.• A snail cannot leave its shell. It carries its shell wherever it goes.

Snail vocabulary

Watch these snail videos!(Please preview ahead of time. Sometimes ads not suitable for children precede these videos.)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4QAnCFd4iw

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KjNH2_QDVs

Thank you for visiting the Ruth Patrick

Science Education Center!