Nutrition

       Not much of the E. alderi diet is known, however, most land snails are herbivores, fungivores, and detrivores. More specifically, the super order Stylommataphora in which E. alderi belong to are most commonly detrivores or herbivores. However, some are found to be a grazing carnivore or an active predator occasionally. The best assumption is that E. alderi are herbivores or detrivores, meaning they eat plants and decomposing matter (Silva 2009).

 

       E. alderi feed using a radula which is a rasping organ that scraps or tears its food. To do this the radula works as a conveyor belt to break off food and carry it to the mouth of the snail (Hickman 2009).

 

   

       Fig. 1 © bumblebee.org on the left shows the mouth of a terrestrial snail and where the radula they use to pick up their food is located.

       

 

   

Fig. 2 © bumblebee.org  on the right is a close up of the radula which shows the teeth and how they are shaped which plays a role in how they scoop up the food and bring it into the snail's mouth. It works much like a conveyer belt.

 

 

 

For more information on Mullusca radulas visit: Bumblebee.org