Adaptation
Fossils of early snails and mollusks have been found dating back to the Cambrian time period, about 570 million years ago (Hickman, 2009). Over time, these organisms have adapted to different environments. Aquatic snails have retained their ancestral gills. Terrestrial snails, like Webbhelix multilineata, evolved a lung from their ancestral gills in the mantle cavity of their shell (Hickman, 2009). This allows them to respirate and function on land.
Most terrestrial land snails, like the Striped Whitelip, have adapted to be most active at night. The cooler nighttime temperatures reduce the chance of drying out, and allows for easier, smoother locomotion on a moist layer of mucus (Hotopp, 2006).
The Striped Whitelip has two pair of tentacles. One pair has eyes, and the other has chemoreceptors for taste and smell (Hickman, 2009). These are used to search its habitat for food and predators. When it senses disturbances in it's vicinity, the snail will drop from low vegetation to escape any predation (Hotopp, 2006).