Adaptation

Fumonelix archeri is from the class Gastropoda. Gastropods are asymmetrical and typically have coiled shells (Ghiselin, 1966). Gastropods body undergoes "torsion", a 180-degree twist of their internal organ so that the anus and the mantle cavity lie above the head (Ghiselin, 1966). This twisting is an adaptation to eliminate a second opening in the shell (in the back for the anus), potentially for better protection against predators and from drying out. There are many hypotheses for why these particular mollusks undergo torsion and coiling, but there is no proven reason and no evidence for which developed first (Ghiselin, 1966).

This picture shows how a Gastropod uses it's radula to obtain food. Accessed from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Radula_diagram3.png




The major feeding organ in class Gastropoda is the radula (Padilla, 1998).This feature is present in most mollusks but the number and size of teeth differ in different species to adapt to their specific diets (Padilla, 1998).The radula is an adaptive feeding device used for scraping, cutting and chewing food (Hickman et al, 2009).









It is also part of the subclass Pulmonata. Pulmonates usually lack gills and their mantle cavity evolves into a functional lung for breathing (Hickman et al, 2009). Pulmonates can also be distinguished from other Gastropods by lacking a operculum (a hard cover for the shell opening for when the body hides within the shell)(Hickman et al, 2009).




 With the knowledge of the habitat and specific adaptations this snail has for eating, check out what it eats and other fun facts about its nutrition by clicking here.

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