Lucilla inermis - Oldfield Coil

 
Mating Lifestyle of L. inermis

In the Class Gastropoda snails can be either dioecious, which is two separate male and female sexes, or hermaphroditic (monoecious), which is male and female sex organs located in the same organism (Hickman, 2009). Lucilla snails are typically hermaphroditic. They fertilize internally with sperm and an egg. The sperm of one snail is put into the female's hermaphroditic duct of another snail. The hermaphroditic duct is not twisted, and it is located behind the right tentacle in the anterior region of the head (Pilsbry, 1939-48). To avoid self-fertilization by the hermaphrodites, gastropods exchange spermatophores. Spermatophores are bundles of sperm that are injected into the female snail (Hickman, 2009).

Interestingly, the order Stylommatophora is known to have calcium carbonate egg shells. It has been classified as a primitive land snail trait, and the function of the calcium carbonate is to allow the developing snail to be able to produce a calcified shell. This development helps make sure the snail has enough material to create a shell (Tompa, 1976).

Specific reproduction stages of the species L. inermis have not been identified. I was unable to find information currently on this subject. The reproduction of the species will most likely be very similar to other land snails in the genus Lucilla.

 

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