Phylum Mollusca

Polyplacophora Gastropoda Bivalvia Scaphopoda Cephalopoda

Phylum Mollusca

Molluscs

Have adapted to a wide variety of habitats

Terrestrial, marine, benthic, and accomplished swimmers.

Phylum Mollusca

The Molluscan Body Plan

The body plan is similar and distinct from all other phyla
The Mollusca body plan includes:

A large muscular foot A radula Mantle and mantle cavity Usually a small head Soft unsegmented body A hard non-living calcareous shell
Phylum Mollusca

The Foot

Phylum Mollusca

The Radula

Radula

Some molluscs have a rod of digestive enzymes (crystalline style) in the stomach

Phylum Mollusca

The Mantle

The mantle is the body wall that enclose the body cavity

Phylum Mollusca

The Mantle Cavity

Houses the viscera and comb-like molluscan gills

Ctenidia are respiratory in function and can collect food particles

Mantle cavity also is the site for reproductive, excretory, and digestive systems

Phylum Mollusca

Taxonomic Summary

Phylum Mollusca

Class Polyplacophora Class Gastropoda

Subclass Prosobranchia Subclass Opisthobranchia

Class Bivalvia Class Scaphopoda Class Cephalopoda

Phylum Mollusca

Class Polyplacophora

Defining characteristics

Shell forms as a series of 7 to 8 separate plates

Chitons

Phylum Mollusca

Chiton Lifestyles

Found close to shore mainly in the intertidal where they live on hard substrates

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Phylum Mollusca

Chiton Anatomy

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Phylum Mollusca

Ingestion and Digestion

Radula is used to scrape algae from the rocks Mouth is anterior and anus is posterior; linear digestive tract

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Phylum Mollusca

Reproduction

Reproduction

Sexes are separate with fertilization occurring in the water column Trochophore larvae
Free

swimming which settles and metamorphoses into an adult

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Phylum Mollusca

Local Representative

Eastern Beaded Chiton (Chaetopleura apiculata)

Occurs subtidally on old shells

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Phylum Mollusca