Mollusks, ABA-TUR
Mollusk, also spelled mollusc, any soft-bodied invertebrate of the phylum Mollusca, usually wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate shell secreted by a soft mantle covering the body. Along with the insects and vertebrates, it is one of the most diverse groups in the animal kingdom, with nearly 100,000 (possibly as many as 150,000) described species. Each group includes an ecologically and structurally immense variety of forms: the shell-less Caudofoveata; the narrow-footed gliders (Solenogastres); the serially valved chitons (Placophora or Polyplacophora); the cap-shaped neopilinids (Monoplacophora); the limpets, snails, and slugs (Gastropoda); the clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, shipworms, and cockles (Bivalvia); the tubiform to barrel-shaped tusk shells (Scaphopoda); and the nautiluses, cuttlefishes, squids, and octopuses (Cephalopoda).
Mollusks Encyclopedia Articles By Title
abalone, any of several marine snails, constituting the genus Haliotis and family Haliotidae in the subclass Prosobranchia......
ammonoid, any of a group of extinct cephalopods (of the phylum Mollusca), forms related to the modern pearly nautilus......
Anchura, genus of extinct marine gastropods (snails) found as fossils only in marine deposits of Cretaceous age......
ark shell, any of the species of predominantly marine bivalve mollusks of the family Arcidae. Such clams are characterized......
Aucella, genus of clams characteristically found as fossils in marine rocks of the Jurassic Period (between about......
Bactrites, genus of extinct cephalopods (animals related to the modern squid, octopus, and nautilus) found as fossils......
Baculites, genus of extinct cephalopods (animals related to the modern squid, octopus, and nautilus) found as fossils......
baler, largest living snail, a species of conch...
belemnoid, member of an extinct group of cephalopods (animals related to the modern squid and octopus) that possessed......
Bellerophon, extinct genus of gastropods (snails) found as fossils in rocks from the Ordovician Period (488 million......
bivalve, (class Bivalvia), any of more than 15,000 species of clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, and other members......
bonnet shell, any of certain small marine mollusks of the helmet shell (q.v.)...
bubble shell, any of various marine snails of the order Cephalaspidea (subclass Opisthobranchia of the class Gastropoda).......
Byssonychia, extinct genus of Ordovician pelecypods (clams) that serves as a useful index fossil for the Ordovician......
Cardioceras, genus of ammonite cephalopods, extinct animals related to the modern pearly nautilus and characteristic......
cephalopod, any member of the class Cephalopoda of the phylum Mollusca, a small group of highly advanced and organized,......
Ceratites, extinct genus of cephalopods (whose modern members include the octopus, the squid, and the nautilus)......
chiton, any of numerous flattened, bilaterally symmetrical marine mollusks, worldwide in distribution but most......
clam, in general, any member of the invertebrate class Bivalvia—mollusks with a bivalved shell (i.e., one with......
cockle, any of the approximately 250 species of marine bivalve mollusks, or clams, of the family Cardiidae. Distributed......
colossal squid, (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), a massive, elusive cephalopod species inhabiting cold, deep regions......
conch, marine snail, of the subclass Prosobranchia (class Gastropoda), in which the outer whorl of the shell is......
cone shell, any of several marine snails of the subclass Prosobranchia (class Gastropoda) constituting the genus......
coquina clam, any bivalve mollusk of the genus Donax. These marine invertebrates inhabit sandy beaches along coasts......
cowrie, any of several marine snails of the subclass Prosobranchia (class Gastropoda) comprising the genus Cypraea,......
cuttlefish, any of several marine cephalopods of the order Sepioidea, related to the octopus and squid and characterized......
Daonella, genus of extinct pelecypods (clams) useful as a guide, or index, fossil in Triassic rocks. The shell......
ear shell, any of various marine snails of the subclass Prosobranchia (class Gastropoda) that constitute the genus......
Elysia chlorotica, species of sea slug belonging to the family Elysiidae (order Sacoglossa) and known for its ability......
Euphemites, extinct genus of gastropods (snails) abundant during the Late Carboniferous Period (between 320 and......
Exogyra, extinct molluscan genus common in shallow-water marine deposits of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods......
freshwater snail, any of the approximately 5,000 snail species that live in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.......
gaper clam, (Tresus nuttallii and Tresus capax), either of two species of bivalve mollusks of the family Mactridae.......
Gastrioceras, genus of extinct cephalopods (animals related to the modern squid, octopus, and nautilus), found......
gastropod, any member of more than 65,000 animal species belonging to the class Gastropoda, the largest group in......
geoduck, (species Panopea generosa), marine invertebrate of the class Bivalvia (phylum Mollusca) that inhabits......
giant squid, (genus Architeuthis), any member of a genus of large, elusive cephalopods inhabiting deep regions......
Glans, genus of small pelecypods (clams) especially characteristic of the Miocene Epoch (between 23.7 and 5.3 million......
Goniophora, extinct genus of clams found in Silurian to Devonian rocks (the Silurian Period began 444 million years......
Gryphaea, extinct molluskan genus found as fossils in rocks from the Jurassic Period to the Eocene Epoch (between......
helmet shell, any marine snail of the family Cassidae (subclass Prosobranchia, class Gastropoda), characterized......
Inoceramus, genus of extinct pelecypods (clams) found as fossils in Jurassic to Cretaceous rocks (laid down between......
jingle shell, any of several marine invertebrates of the class Bivalvia belonging to the family Anomiidae. In most......
land snail, any of the approximately 35,000 species of snails (phylum Mollusca) adapted to life away from water.......
Leptodesma, extinct genus of pelecypods (clams) found as fossils in Silurian to Lower Carboniferous rocks (between......
limpet, any of various snails (class Gastropoda, phylum Mollusca) having a flattened shell. Most marine species......
Lituites, genus of extinct cephalopods (primitive animals related to the modern pearly nautilus) found as fossils......
Lophospira, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) found as fossils in marine rocks of Ordovician to Devonian age......
Loxonema, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) found as fossils in rocks of Ordovician to Early Carboniferous age......
lynnhaven, edible variety of oyster...
Maclurites, extinct genus of Ordovician gastropods (snails) found as fossils and useful for stratigraphic correlations......
marennes, popular edible variety of oyster...
mitre shell, any of several marine snails constituting the family Mitridae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class......
Modiolopsis, extinct genus of pelecypods (clams) found as fossils in Ordovician rocks (about 488 million to 444......
mollusk, any soft-bodied invertebrate of the phylum Mollusca, usually wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate......
monoplacophoran, (class Tryblidia), any of a group of primitive marine mollusks characterized by a single, cap-shaped......
Monopleura, genus of extinct and unusual bivalves (clams) found as fossils dated to the Cretaceous Period (145.5......
murex, any of the marine snails constituting the family Muricidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda).......
mussel, any of numerous bivalve mollusks belonging to the marine family Mytilidae and to the freshwater family......
Myalina, extinct genus of clams found in rocks of Early Carboniferous to Late Permian age (dating from 359 million......
Myophoria, genus of extinct clams found as fossils in Triassic rocks. It is readily identified by its distinctive......
nautilus, either of two genera of cephalopod mollusks: the pearly, or chambered, nautilus (Nautilus), to which......
nephridium, unit of the excretory system in many primitive invertebrates and also in the amphioxus; it expels wastes......
Nuculana, very long-lived genus of mollusks (clams) that first appeared during the Silurian Period (443.7 million......
Nuculopsis, extinct genus of clams found as fossils in rocks of the Pennsylvanian Subperiod (318 million to 299......
nudibranch, any of the marine gastropods that constitute the order Nudibranchia (subclass Opisthobranchia of the......
octopus, in general, any eight-armed cephalopod (octopod) mollusk of the order Octopoda. The true octopuses are......
olive shell, any of the marine snails that constitute the family Olividae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class......
opisthobranch, any marine gastropod of the approximately 2,000 species of the subclass Opisthobranchia. These gastropods,......
oyster, any member of the families Ostreidae (true oysters) or Aviculidae (pearl oysters), bivalve mollusks found......
periwinkle, in zoology, any small marine snail belonging to the family Littorinidae (class Gastropoda, phylum Mollusca).......
piddock, any of the marine bivalve mollusks of the family Pholadidae (Adesmoidea). Worldwide in distribution, they......
Platyceras, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) that occurs as fossils in rocks of Silurian to Permian age (about......
Plectoceras, extinct genus of small marine nautiloid cephalopods, forms related to the modern pearly nautilus,......
prosobranch, any snail of the subclass Prosobranchia, class Gastropoda. Most of these roughly 20,000 snail species......
pteropod, small marine gastropods of the subclass Opisthobranchia (phylum Mollusca) characterized by a foot modified......
pulmonate, (subclass Pulmonata), any of various land, freshwater, and marine snails belonging to the class Gastropoda......
quahog, edible species of clam (q.v.), usually referring to the species Mercenaria mercenaria. Small quahogs are......
radula, horny, ribbonlike structure found in the mouths of all mollusks except the bivalves. The radula, part of......
razor clam, any of the species of marine bivalve mollusks of the family Solenidae. In England the species of the......
scallop, any of the marine bivalve mollusks of the family Pectinidae, particularly species of the genus Pecten.......
Scaphites, extinct genus of cephalopods (animals related to the modern octopus, squid, and nautilus) found as fossils......
Schizodus, extinct genus of small mollusks found as fossils in rocks from the Devonian to the Permian Period (416......
sea hare, any marine gastropod of the family Aplysiidae (subclass Opisthobranchia, phylum Mollusca) that is characterized......
shipworm, any of the approximately 65 species of marine bivalve mollusks of the family Teredidae (Teredinidae).......
slipper shell, (genus Crepidula), any marine snail belonging to the family Calyptraeidae (subclass Prosobranchia,......
slug, any mollusk of the class Gastropoda in which the shell is reduced to an internal plate or a series of granules......
snail, a gastropod, especially one having an enclosing shell, into which it may retract completely for protection.......
solenogaster, small, wormlike, marine mollusk of the class Aplacophora (subclass Neomeniomorpha). Unlike most other......
squid, any of more than 300 species of 10-armed cephalopods classified within the order Teuthoidea (or Teuthida)......
top shell, any marine snail of the family Trochidae (subclass Prosobranchia, class Gastropoda), characterized by......
Tornoceras, extinct genus of cephalopods, forms related to the modern pearly nautilus. Tornoceras is a form that......
Trigonia, genus of mollusks that first appeared during the Jurassic period, which began about 208 million years......
triton shell, any of several marine snails constituting the family Cymatiidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class......
Trochonema, genus of extinct gastropods (snails) found as fossils in rocks dating from the Ordovician Period to......
trochophore, small, translucent, free-swimming larva characteristic of marine annelids and most groups of mollusks.......
Tropites, genus of extinct cephalopods (animals similar to the modern squid and octopus but with an external shell)......
trumpet, in zoology, any of certain snail species, including members of the conch (q.v.) and triton groups (see......
turban shell, any marine snail of the family Turbinidae (subclass Prosobranchia of the class Gastropoda) that has......
turritellid, (genus Turritella), any of several species of gastropods (snails) abundantly represented in fossil......