Garden Snail Research Paper

Cornu aspersum, commonly known as the garden snail (Helix aspersa) is a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the Helicidae family. These snails are native to the Mediterranean area and Western Europe, but they now have been spread everywhere around the world, except Antarctica. They also happen to reside in various parts of the world, where they are an agricultural pest.
The garden snails have a muscular ventral foot that makes wave-shaped motions made by muscular contraction to make the snail glide. The foot also releases a slippery mucus that lessens the friction on the ground in which the snail moves on. This mucus is the mark or evidence that shows where the snail has moved. Additionally, the muscular ventral foot is used as a

A garden snail attains sexual maturity at the age of 1 to 2 years old and begins to breed. The process of reproducing happens when two hermaphrodite snail insert a special weapon covered in mucus called the ‘love darts’, and the love dart shoots up sperm into the egg and is stored until the eggs are mature enough to be fertilized. And once it it ready, the mating process begins. During the mating process, both snails will usually self-fertilize or will sometimes want help from the other snail. After fertilization is complete, the eggs will continue to develop until the eggs are ready to be laid out. A garden snail will usually produce 80-86 eggs and about six batches of eggs in 1

The snail inhales oxygen by lowering the cavity floor, letting in oxygen flow to the cavity and the air will then spread into the bloodstream, due to the thin tissues. The snail will later on shut the pneumostome and raise its cavity floor, letting more oxygen go into the bloodstream. For the snail to exhale, it will have to raise both its pneumostome and its cavity floor, forcing the oxygen to come out of the snail. Since garden snails are terrestrial species, they have nocturnal habits. This means it usually does its daily activities at night or early in the morning. However, if it ever rains, the snails will usually come out. During the hot days or dry season, the snails will go inside its shell and coat the opening with a sheet of mucus called epiphragm. This mucus helps moisture the interior and help keep away predators (lizards, frogs, worms, some birds, mainly