Concept in Definition ABC

Snail is the term through which gastropod mollusks are called, whether land, freshwater or sea, which have a spiral shell.

Terrestrial or aquatic mollusk that has a fleshy foot with which it moves and a spiral-shaped shell that protects its body

This class of mollusks are distinguished by having a fleshy foot through which they move by crawling; have a head shaped like cylinder, the mouth located at the anterior end, and between one or two pairs of tentacles in a dorsal location. The body is protected by a shell, as we have already pointed out, in one piece, which is normally wound in a spiral.

Physical characteristics of mollusks and essential features of the snail

The species to which the snails belong, the mollusks, has a special characteristic that is the soft body, for example, the name is not whimsical or capricious but is closely linked with this condition since the word comes from the Latin term mollis that precisely refers soft.

The body of mollusks is soft and not segmented and has a division into: head, feet, dorsal visceral mass enveloped by a mantle of a complex membrane that secretes a shell protective.

There are different types of snails, according to habitat in which they develop and live: marine snails, also popularly known as conches, freshwater snails, and terrestrial snails, which obviously live on the surface of the earth.

The displacement of snails is like that of worms, that is, they alternate contractions and elongations of their body, which are very slow, in addition, they are generators of mucus to help them in their movements, since in this way they greatly reduce the traditional friction that their movements entail.

But in addition to the aforementioned function, mucus contributes to many other important issues: thermal regulation, reduces the risk of injury, or external aggressions, such as fungal and bacterial and keeps them away from insects that are very dangerous for their subsistence, such as the ants.

On the other hand, when the snail retracts into its secret shell, it secretes a special type of mucus that has the function of covering the entrance to the shell.

Regarding the manner of reproduction They are hermaphrodites, that is, they produce both sperm and eggs and must mate because they cannot self-fertilize.

Snails are a species found in danger permanent, not only because of the varied number of predators that pursue them, such as beetles, snakes, turtles, toad, caterpillar, birds, cats, among others, but also by the action of man, who can step on them or develop some type of action that culminates in the contamination of water and the earth, and in this way they destroy their maximum protection, which is the shell.

Collection element and gastronomic use

The snail is greatly appreciated by man, either for the curious physical characteristics they present, thus becoming collectibles, and on the other hand for its gastronomic purposes, that is, the snail is a food This precious ingredient is served in many restaurants and is in high demand by some diners.

Now, it is worth highlighting in this last point that it is not a hyper popular food as it can be The pizza that everyone likes, but actually the snail is intended for special palates.

Snails have a prominent presence in the art culinary, for example, the land snail constitutes a fundamental leg of Mediterranean cuisine, especially French and Spanish. A popular French recipe bakes them with plenty of butter and parsley.

The life expectancy of a snail is between 5 and 7 years.

Other uses of the term

On the other hand, the shell of this mollusk is called a snail.

In some Spanish-speaking places the term designates curly or curly hair.

In anatomy we also find a reference for this concept since it designates one of the cavities of the inner ear of vertebrate animals and that has a spiral shape, hence its particular denomination.
It is also referred to as a cochlea and has a spiral wound tube structure. Inside it is the organ of Corti that allows hearing.

And in the world of horsemanship it also has a reference since it is called a snail to that turn that the rider makes in round on board his horse.

Themes in Caracol