The biology of North American Garden Snails

In this entry, I will dive into the biology and requirements of North American garden snails. We will explore their diet, ways of mineral and oxygen intake, anatomy, lifespan and other interesting topics.

Overview: North American garden snails are temperate snails. Other examples of temperate snails include the brown and white lipped snails, the banded wood snail and various other species of garden snails. Their requirements are shaped by their environment, which being temperate changes their life cycles, diet and other requirements.

Diet: Being a primarily herbivorous species, North American garden snails eat the leaves, stems, fruits and flowers of a plant. They also may eat dead flesh or even one another. The latter usually happens if the snails have a bad environment, such as during times of drought. North American garden snails may have a special crop of bacteria that aids in digestion, mainly in breaking down polysaccharide cellulose into simple sugars.

Ways of drinking water: North American garden snails can suck water from puddles or leaves like most other snails.

Oxygen intake: North American garden snails have a special lung for breathing. It is located where these snails excrete waste products. The oxygen is carried through hemocyanin, a blood pigment. It can be diffused in and out of blood through the capillaries. A valve opens and shuts the opening of the lung. This reduces water loss and prevents drowning.

Mineral intake: At birth, North American garden snails consume their own shell. Afterwards, vitamin D is required for their shell. They can also absorb minerals from the soil but do not always do this as minerals are not readily available. Also, if their shells are damaged, they can repair it in two steps:

1. The mantle secretes a substance called Calcium Carbonate.

2. The substance hardens repairing the shell.

Preferred temperature range: North American garden snails prefer temperatures of between 20-25 degrees Celsius but can take variations.

Anatomy: North American garden snails' anatomy can be divided into three main areas.

1. Shell: The shell is the outermost part of North American garden snails and is made of calcium carbonate. It acts as a home and also a shield. The shell of a North American garden snail has a spiral pattern.

2. Body: The body consists of many parts. The mantle is one of the most interesting parts of any snail. All mollusks have a mantle, a layer of tissue that sticks out in flaps. The mantle is attached to the shell and also makes the shell. Near the mantle is the radula. The radula contains rows of tiny teeth used to tear food while eating. For locomotion, North American garden snails have a muscular foot that is located on the underside. The visceral acts as an underside shield and protects all the vital organs such as the snail's specialized lung. The last part of the body we will delve into is the brain, the most important part of any snail. The brain has four sections that are relatively simple. However, snails are still capable of associative learning.

Head: The head contains two sets of tentacles. The upper set is for the eyes and the lower set is used for touching and smelling things.

Lifespan: In the wild, North American garden snails typically live for 2-5 years. In captivity, they can live for much longer - up to 25 years.

Growth: As a North American garden snail grows, it excretes calcium carbonate for the growth of its shell. When it becomes an adult, it may build a thick lip around the shell opening. At this point, the snail stops growing and is ready to reproduce.

Reproduction: North American garden snail are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive parts and can reproduce without a partner. Afterwards, the eggs are buried and left alone. The eggs will hatch after 2-4 weeks if the weather is favorable.

Hibernation and estivation: The last thing I want to cover is the North American garden snails' cycles of hibernation and estivation. North American garden snails hibernate in winter and will estivate if there is drought. To stay moist, they cover the opening of the shell with a layer of mucus.

Conclusion: All snails are interesting animals with many intricate adaptations. In this entry, I have covered the biology of North American garden snails. I have explored topics such as the anatomy of a North American garden snail, its diet, its way of repairing its shell and many other fascinating topics. These snails are still poorly understood by the public. This entry attempts to cover some of the topics regarding North American garden snails to better understand them.