how do snails breathe?

[alexd]

So I am watching this small snail hoovering along the bottom of a tidal pool, and every so often the water level would drop and expose him to the air for a while. Then the water level would rise and he would be covered up with water again.

Was he like taking big deep breaths before going under again? Or was he breathing under water and holding his breath when exposed to air?

Do snails have noses or gills? I have been wondering this all day...

 

[patri©k]

i think they are called 'comb' gills.


not sure though.


patrick

 

[daddyiwantchocolate]

There are fresh water snails, that breathe by gills. Time ago they were counted to the prosobranch snails, as their gill apparatus shows forward. Gill breathing snails for example are the mud snails (Vivipariidae) and the Bithyniidae snails.

On the other hand there are snails that have developed another breathing organ. It is a network of thin-walled blood vessels on the inner wall of the mantle cavity. It is called a lung, though it is build in another way as vertebrate lungs. The effect, however, is the same.

Together with terrestrial lung breathing snails the water living lung breathing snails make the group of pulmonate snails (Pulmonata). Pulmonate water snails have to surface regularly to breathe. They are able to breathe through their skin, but in the long run that is not effective enough to supply the snail with enough oxygen.

 

[Balzz]

Exhaust gases.

 

[Balzz]

Originally posted by daddyiwantchocolate
There are fresh water snails, that breathe by gills. Time ago they were counted to the prosobranch snails, as their gill apparatus shows forward. Gill breathing snails for example are the mud snails (Vivipariidae) and the Bithyniidae snails.

On the other hand there are snails that have developed another breathing organ. It is a network of thin-walled blood vessels on the inner wall of the mantle cavity. It is called a lung, though it is build in another way as vertebrate lungs. The effect, however, is the same.

Together with terrestrial lung breathing snails the water living lung breathing snails make the group of pulmonate snails (Pulmonata). Pulmonate water snails have to surface regularly to breathe. They are able to breathe through their skin, but in the long run that is not effective enough to supply the snail with enough oxygen.

Go team discovery channel!

 

[alexd]

snails are cool.

 

[daddyiwantchocolate]

Suzanne agrees with you.

 

[Liquidity]

Originally posted by daddyiwantchocolate
Suzanne agrees with you.

since childhood I've always enjoyed collecting creepy crawlies, tadpoles, caterpillars, snails, etc. (But NOT slugs - They're horrible).

 

[quantumize]

i wish i knew the answer to this


i have at least a dozen small underwater snails in my aquarium and i always wonder about their biology


they are very mysterious animals