On this page you’ll discover all our Molluscs, but first…
Interesting Facts about Molluscs
Some animals, like mammals, are vertebrates and have their skeletons inside their bodies. Some animals have exoskeletons like insects and crustaceans. And then there are some animals that don’t have any skeletons at all!
These animals include mollusks, which are a type of invertebrate that can be found on land (like snails and slugs) but also make up nearly a quarter of marine life! That means that there’s a lot to learn and a lot to see and draw when it comes to mollusks.
- Mollusks are pretty diverse but they have some things in common. Most often this means that they have a mantle or fold and orifices for breathing and secretion as well as an organized central nervous system. That’s about it!
- Next time you draw an squid or other mollusk, think about what’s on the inside too. You can even make your own x-ray image showing the nerve cords that make up its nervous system!
- The word mollusk means soft, so it might be fun for your next day at home project to be more than just a simple drawing or sketch. Pick out your favorites colors and materials and make your own stuffed animal. Plus, you don’t really need to worry about your craft experience. Mollusks are a great place to start given their many amorphous features!
- Mollusks are divided into three main groups: snails, bivalvia, and cephalopod. Even within these groups there are many different species and types. Cephalopods like octopus only live in salt water and are comparatively larger than many other mollusks. Clams and oysters are bivalvia, meaning that they have shells that they can close up tight in. And snails are mollusks that have developed the ability to live on land. They have a protective shell as well.
- Even though they are known for their soft bodies, many mollusks also have hard protective shells. In addition to your mollusk drawings and doodles, don’t forget about all the fun things that you can do with shells!
