Phyla Mullusca

1 From Giant Squids to Garden Snails: An Introduction to Phylum Mollusca

2 Giolo Albarillo, Kim Anchovas, Andrea Mae Bañes, Ryan Basilio and Raquel Cabangon
3 Group 1 - Section 1, Department of Biology, Institute of Arts and Sciences, Far Eastern University,
4 Manila, Philippines
5 Corresponding author e-mail: canbangonraquel@gmail.com
6
7 ABSTRACT
8 The phylum Mollusca is a large and remarkably diverse collection of animals that includes clams, mussels, scallops,
9 oysters, snails, slugs, octopuses, squids and the chambered nautilus. The aim of this experiment is to understand the
10 taxonomic relationship and major features of different classes of Mollusk. Three classes were observed by
11 dissection. Different structure and parts were distinguished externally and internally from each samples. Due to their
12 differences in lifestyle and environment, Mollusks have acquired variety of characteristics.
13
14 Keywords: Bivalve, Cephalopod, Gastropod, Mussel
15
16
17 INTRODUCTION 48 organs of the mollusks (Dunkan Seraphin et al., 2019).
49 Between the mantle tissue and the shell, mantle cavity
18 Mollusks (also spelled molluscs) have been 50 formed. It serves as water pumping station for filter
19 important to human for thousands of years. They have 51 feeding and contain gills that is used for respiration and
20 been used until now as food, tools, musical instruments 52 exit pores for the digestive, excretory, and reproductive
21 and decorations. Mollusk is derived from a Latin word 53 systems. Radula is a feeding organ with teeth made of
22 molluscus, which means ‘soft’. The mollusks first 54 carbohydrate (chitin) substance. It is located in the
23 appeared during the Cambrian period or sometimes 55 head region in front of the mouth. According to Wilkin
24 called “Cambrian Explosion” (500 million years ago); 56 and Blanchette (2017) herbivorous mollusk (e.g., chitin
25 it is the time when the most group of animals appear in 57 and snail) use the radula to scrape food, such as algae
26 the fossil record. According to Parkhaev (2017), 58 off rocks while the predatory mollusks use to drill
27 mollusks is one of the largest Metazoan phylum. There 59 holes in the shell of their prey.
28 are 100,000 known species and 80 percent of it are 60 Mollusks have a coelom and complete digestive
29 gastropods that makes them second to the Arthropods 61 system. Their excretory system consists of tube-shaped
30 in invertebrates (Haszprunar & Wanninger, 2012). It 62 organs that filter waste from internal organ called
31 includes most familiar organisms such as snails, clams, 63 nephridia (also act as gonoduct) that release the waste
32 mussels, squid and octopods. Mollusks found in nearly 64 into the coelom. The respiratory system of aquatic
33 all fresh water, marine environments and terrestrial 65 mollusk centers around their folded ciliated gills
34 land. 66 (ctenidia) that made up of thin filaments of tissue. It
35 In general, the mollusks have three (3) body regions: a 67 absorbs oxygen from water and also received carbon
36 head that contain the sense organs and the brain, a 68 dioxide from the blood and release into the
37 muscular foot and visceral mass. The head contains 69 surroundings. Terrestrial mollusk has primitive lungs
38 sense organs and brain and may have tentacles for 70 that directly absorbs oxygen from the air from their
39 grasping their foods. The muscular foot is use for 71 environment. Mollusk have an open circulatory system
40 locomotion, digging, attachment and prey capture. The 72 (except from cephalopods), blood is not entirely within
41 visceral mass contains internal organs namely the 73 the vessels. The heart pumps blood through blood
42 organs of digestive excretory and reproductive systems. 74 vessels into boy cavities called hemocoels (Wilkin &
43 There are two (2) unusual organs that are found in 75 Blanchette, 2017). The mollusks reproduce sexually.
44 exclusively in mollusks; the mantle and the radula. The 76 Most of the species separate male and female sexes,
45 mantle is a soft tissue layer that covers the visceral 77 hermaphroditic (forms exchange bundles of sperm to
46 mass and it secretes calcium carbonate that form a 78 avoid self-fertilization), some change sex, most have
47 shell. Shell encloses, support and protects the internal 79 internal fertilization, copulation between males and

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80 females (except in bivalves). The fertilized egg136 last class is cephalopoda (e.g., Nautilus, cuttlefish,
81 developed to a larvae. There may be one or more larval137 squids and octopuses). According to Salvini-Plawen
82 stages and each one is different from adult stage.138 (2019), cephalopoda are midventral fused mantle and
83 Mollusks are same with annelids in terms of larval139 tubiform to barrel-shaped shell. They are remarkable
84 form called trochophore that develops from unhatched140 group of mollusks and approximately 800 living
85 egg. 141 species that includes the largest invertebrate: the
86 There are seven (7) classes of Mollusks:142 colossal squid (10 meters long and weighed over 1000
87 Monoplacophora, Polyplacophora, Aplacophora,143 pounds). Cephalopoda have highly developed nervous
88 Gastropoda, Scaphapoda, Bivalvia and Cephalopoda.144 system with a complex brain allows them to remember
89 According to Myers and Burch, (2001)145 and learn information and eyes that have a capability to
90 Monoplacophora is the smallest mollusk class with146 form an images. These unusual characteristics made
91 only 11 species are known. It was believed that it has147 them considered the most intelligent invertebrates.
92 been extinct for over 350 million years. It has a single,148 They are the only mollusks with a closed circulatory
93 caplike-shell giving them a limpet-like appearance. The149 system. Some species are reduced internal shell (snail
94 class Polyplacophora (lit. means ‘many plates’) are150 and cuttlefish) while the other are not (nautili) while
95 commonly known as ‘chitons’ and include 600 extant151 octopi have lost the shell entirely. Octopus, squid and
96 species. Chiton shells are made up of eight (8)152 cuttlefish have a unique feature that enable them to
97 overlapping plates called girdle. The shell has three (3)153 change color to camouflage with their surroundings.
98 layers and, at least in young individuals, small tubes154 They contain pigment cell called chromatophores that
99 called aesthetes that bear photoreceptors pierce the155 induced these color changes (Myers & Burch, 2001).
100 plates. They are marine mollusk that inhabit hard156
101 bottom and rocky coast (Campbell & Fautin, 2001).157 MATERIALS AND METHODS
102 The Class Aplacophora is small worm-like that is158
103 composed of tiny spicules made of calcium.159 The specimens used in this activity were
104 Approximately 320 species, however there are many160 decollate snail (Rumina decollata), greenshell mussel
105 species that have not been describe. Class Gastropoda161 (Perna canaliculus) and squid (Decapodiformes).
106 (e.g., snails, whelks, slugs, and limpets) is the largest162 Different procedures of dissecting were done on each
107 class of mollusks that make up of 80% of all living163 specimen.
108 mollusk species. They are well-known for their shell164 First, in dissecting decollate snail (R. decollata),
109 structure. Most of the gastropods are single and often165 the animal was removed from its shell by carefully
110 coiled shell. The slugs are contrast to snails were the166 breaking it into pieces using a hammer borrowed from
111 shells are lost or reduced during the course evolution167 the school’s stockroom. The specimen was placed in a
112 (Wilkin & Blanchette, 2017). They are characterized168 dissecting pan. Since a decollate snail is very small,
113 by “torsion”, a process that results of rotation of the169 internal body parts were slightly difficult to determine.
114 visceral mass and mantle of the foot. This results in the170 Thus, three more samples were used for dissection.
115 anus being oriented above just the mouth, and the gut171 Identification and labelling of the body parts was done.
116 and nervous system twisted. Gastropods are well-172 Pins with attached masking tape were used to label the
117 developed head with 1 to 2 tentacles and eyes that are173 parts, then the specimen was documented.(See figure
118 capable sensing light (Myers & Burch, 2001). Class174 1A.)
119 Scaphopoda are referred to as the tusk shells because of175 For the greenshell mussel (P. canaliculus)
120 the shaped like elephant tusks. Class Scaphopoda (e.g.,176 dissection, a scalpel was used to open the mussel by
121 Rhabdus rectius) are small and about two (2)177 inserting it in the hinge. The mussel was held firmly
122 centimeters long. They have a primitive circulatory178 since it was rigid while opening, then the knife moved
123 system but lack both heart and blood vessels. They feed179 slowly but with a little pressure applied. It moved
124 using over 100 tentacles (capatucula) and they have a180 around the upper edge of the right valve until the
125 sticky surface traps a microscopic food and delivers181 muscle is felt then the right valve was placed off of the
126 them to mouth. Scaphopoda includes 350 species182 side. Again, the specimen was observed, and parts were
127 (Salvini-Plawen, 2019). Class Bivalvia (e.g., mussels183 identified. They were finally labelled and taken photos
128 and clams) are important components of the human diet184 for documentation.
129 (e., clams, oyster and scallops) and there are185 Lastly, the procedures of dissecting the squid
130 approximately 8,000 species. Bivalves are two half-186 (Decapodiformes) started by washing the specimen for
131 shells called vales they lack specialized feeding187 assuring that the inner body parts will be observed
132 structures present in most of the mollusk. Their188 clearly. After washing, it was turned up to its ventral
133 adductors allow them to close the vales very tightly to189 side, then it was cut open using the scissors from the
134 keep the predators and some of them are move slowly190 water jet to the fins. Structures were exposed and were
135 unlike the other bivalves (Myers & Burch, 2001). The

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191 then labelled using the pins. The specimen was also192 documented.
193

194
195 Figure 1. Disssected Collate snail (Rumina decollata) with labelled parts
196
197

198
199 Figure 2. Disssected Greenshell mussel (Perna canaliculus) with labelled parts
200

201
202 Figure 3. Disssected Squid (Decapodiformes) with labelled parts

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203
204
205
206 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 242
243
207 Taxonomic classification is defined as a system244
208 bound in The arranging of organisms in a hierarchical245
209 level. It varies from the broad classification being the246
210 domain and kingdom; to the more specific, genus and247
211 species. Organisms are named based on their248
212 taxonomical classification by binomial nomenclature.249
213 Mollusks is a large phylum consisting of snails, slugs,250
214 clams, and octopuses. They are have unsegmented251
215 bodies for adaptability and locomotion. Mollusks have252
216 defining characteristics such as the foot, used for253
217 locomotion, digging, attachment, and for capturing 254 a particles and food. The food is moved to the digestive
218 prey, the mantle, regarded as the epidermis, it covers255
219 the soft body of the organism, and the visceral mass256
220 encapsulates the organs. 257
221 The squid and mussel anatomy were examined258
222 thoroughly by means of dissection. The parts where259
223 then labeled in order to distinguish one form the other.260
224 Exoskeletons are the foreground of mollusks. It261
225 allows for complex articulations when it comes to262
226 movement. It acts as the main protection of the263
227 organism. Being that as it may, it limits the growth of264
228 an organism resulting to it being minuscule in size.265
229 Also, due to its nature of not being expandable it266
230 sufferers drastically to regulate the organism’s body267
231 temperature. A hydrostatic skeleton is defined as a268
232 skeleton that has a fluid-filled compartment within the269
233 body, called the coelom. Movement in a hydrostatic270
234 skeleton is provided through the muscles that surround271
235 the coelom. The muscles in a hydrostatic skeleton272
236 contract thereby allowing the organism to change the273
237 shape of the coelom; earthworms move by lengthening274
238 themselves. An endoskeleton is a skeleton that consists275
239 of hard, mineralized structures. It is located in the soft276
240 tissue of an organism. It is rigid however it is not by277
241 any means flexible as a hydrostatic skeleton or as
278 293
294
279 CONCLUSIONS 295
280 The objectives are met at the end of the experiment. 296
281 The taxonomic relationships and major features of
282 different classes of Mollusks were examined by 297
283 means of dissection. Different procedures of 298
284 dissecting were done on each samples. Upon 299
285 observing the external and internal anatomy of 300
286 greenshell mussel, snail and squid, it shows that each 301
287 species have defining characteristics and variations in 302
288 structures. Their basic body parts are modified in 303
289 different ways because they have adapted to a certain 304
290 feature of their habitat, locomotive strategy, feeding 305
291 strategy, or metabolic strategy. This shows that
292 differences of the major Molluscan characteristics
articulate as a exoskeleton. It objectifies structure and
strength overall.
The tooth -like projection that can be seen at the
dorsal side of the oyster is the beak. The beak for
bivalves are a part of the shell two umbo, the highest
part of the valve meet at the hinge.(Hatterlie & Abbott,
1980) Beaks can be used to identify and differentiate
species from each other. It is also the oldest part of the
shell, where in the bivalve’s post-larval stage shell.
Mussels are considered as filter feeders. Water is
then extracted from the outside and to the inhalant
siphon. It then goes through the gills to filter out
system through labial palps that use ciliated movement.
After going throught he oesophagus it reaches the
stomach, where it can be digested. Remaining material
after digestion will then be excreted thorugh the
exhalant siphon(Gendron et. al., 2019).
According to Johnson et. al.(1972) the squid
(Decapodiformes) uses the funnel of the siphon as a
mode of locomotion. This can be done by rapidly
propelling themselves through water by drawing water
through the siphon and into the mantle cavity passing
through a valve. In this type of movement, it helps the
squid to escape or hunt for prey with precision.
The terms, tentacles and arms, used to be
interchangeable, but today their is a distinct difference
between the two. Tentacles are thin, long, retractable
and have a flattened tip. The ends of tentacles consists
of suckers. Suckers are circular or bowl-shaped, they
are similar to a plunger, wherein its function is for
suction to the surfaces of objects and prey (von Byern
& Klepal, 2005). Distinguishable with tentacles, arms
generally shorter than tentacles and have suckers all
throughout its length, while tentacles have most of ts
sucker at the spade-shaped tip(Walla, 2007).
among classes is related to their differences in
lifestyle.
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