Molluscs can live in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. They have a hollow space inside their body covered by a thick skin called the mantle that houses many organs, such as the excretory organs and the anus which are usually open into the mantle cavity. Most have a shell, 2 hinged shells, or eight shells in a row that are secreted by the mantle. Some molluscs, such as sea slugs, have no shell or only a remnant of a shell. They are bilaterally symmetrical or secondarily asymmetrical and unsegmented.
References:
Brusca, R.C., and Brusca, G.J. (2003). Invertebrates. Library of Congress Catologing-in-Publication-Data: USA.
Kozloff, Eugene N. (2000). Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast. University of Washington Press: Seattle and London.
General Molluscan Links:
Conchologists of America, Inc.
An excellent site for pictures of marine animals native to Puget Sound and British Columbia.
The University of Arizona’s Tree of Life: Mollusca Page
Bivalve Links:
A bivalve research group on the East Coast
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Cephalopod Links:
The Cephalopod Page-a real Must See!
The National Resource Center for Cephalopod Research page
Tree of Life page for Cephlapods
The University of Aberdeen (E.C.) Eurosquid page
Gastropod Links:
Australian Museum online malacology page
Analogy of Shrimp and Snails by UC Berkley
Study on interaction between a limpet and encrusting coralline algae
Polyplacophora (Chitons) Links:
Information on the class Polyplacophora
Phylogenetic analysis of Polyplacophora
This page was created by Brian Kegel in September 2006 and was edited by Lisa Ferrier in May 2006. To view the original version of this page, click here.