Nutrition

     The vast majority of pulmonates are herbivorous; however, some have been known to eat earthworms and other snails (Hickman et al. 2012).  It has been found that Triodopsis albolabris alleni is herbivorous (Strum et al., 2006). Due to their environment this particular species generally feeds on lichens, tree sap, fungi, and various other types of vegetation; however, when in captivation the snails will eat things such as lettuce, carrots, spinach, and etc. (Strum et al., 2006). Snails in general also have to feed on foods that contain lots of calcium in order to keep their shell in its hard protective state (Snail-world, 2012). It is not uncommon for sails to eat empty snail shells, sap, animal droppings, etc. (Welcome Wildlife.com, 2012). 

 

    

 This photo is of the buccal cavity of a gastropod. 

 It shows the radula and how it is used.
     Key:
     Body of snail: green
     Blue: food
     Muscle that controls radula: brown
     Radula ribbon: Zig-zag line

 

 

 

    

     For the process of eating, the snail uses its radula which is a structure that contains numerous chitinous teeth (Hickman et al., 2012).  The radula is a rasping organ that is used for scraping and cutting food (Hickman et al., 2012).  Digestion then occurs extracellularly (Hickman et al., 2012).  Enzymes break down food for absorption in the digestive gland, and then the leftover wastes are removed by a pair of nephridia (Hickman et al., 2012).  Nephridia are comparable to the kidney in how they function (Hickman et al., 2012).  Instead of filtering blood, they filter coelomic fluid (Hickman et al., 2012).  Finally, waste exists the snail body through the anal pore (Hickman et al., 2012).
     Land snails generally tend to only be active at night and when the humidity is high which is also discussed on the Habitat page (Snail-world, 2012). Triodopsis albolabris alleni, due to its habitat, is often exposed to some unsuitable conditions such as winter weather. When the snails are exposed to such extreme weather, it is able to go into hibernation (Welcome Wildlife.com, 2012).  When this occurs the snail seals its aperture with dried mucus which is known as epiphragm (Welcome Wildlife.com, 2012).
     Triodopsis albolabris alleni have an open circulatory system.  In an open circulatory system hemolymph is pumped into a series of cavities and sinuses for the exchange of gases for respiration (Hickman et al., 2012).  This occurs because the snail’s mantle is modified to serve as a lung (Hickman et al., 2012). Air enters through the pneumonstome, which is an opening in the mantle (Hickman et al., 2012).  The heart is located in the pericardium, which is a cavity.   Due to the fact that the snail has an open circulatory system, they move extremely slowly (Hickman et al., 2012).  Due to their inability to move quickly, Triodoposis albolabris alleni faces the threat of predators. Some things that prey on the snails are beetles and small mammals such as mice and rats (Welcome Wildlife, 2012).

                                

This photo is of tracks which terrestrial gastropods have made inside a greenhouse by the use of their radulas.

Click HERE to learn more about Neohelix alleni reproduction.

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