Photo of Daedalochila auriculata, taken by John Slapcinsky

Reproduction and Life History

Differences in sex organs play a major role in mating and determining the difference between two mates is the key to finding out the mating courtship process.  Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no such information of the functions of the sex organs have been gathered about the Polygyrid snails.  The present studies are from when the specimens are put in boiling water to kill them, which in turn may shrink their anatomical parts, ending in not being able to observe those functions (Webb, 1948).  In order to learn more about Daedalochila leporina and it's mating and reproductive ways, I will have to talk about the more ancestral habits of the Class Gastropoda.

Fertilization among gastropods happens externally, and because of developmental structures internal fertilization can occur (Solem, 2012).  Differences in mating and howPhoto Courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Life fertilization occurs depends on habitat, and since Daedalochila leporina is a land snail, this organism would undergo internal fertilization (Solem, 2012). To briefly explain external fertilization, gametes are released into the water and the fertilized egg would then hatch into a trochophore, maturing onto become a veliger and undergoing torsion which is a 180 degree twisting of the body putting the mouth and anus at the same end which is a characteristic of a gastropods (Solem, 2012).  This development is indirect, having larval stages, but internal fertilization is direct having no free-swimming larva but instead a juvenile (Solem, 2012).  Many gastropods are hermaphroditic, and during mating one individual would act as a male, and the other a female (Solem, 2012).  The male would then insert the penis and transfer a gelatinous mass of sperm into the female completing internal fertilization (Solem, 2012).

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