How old are aquatic snails?

Snails’ ancestors, according to experts, are one of the earliest known types of animals in the world. As we have explained, snails are gastropods. There is apparently fossil evidence of primitive gastropods dating back to the late Cambrian period; this means that they lived nearly 500 million years ago.

Present-day snail species can – amazingly – live in many environments, from the desert to the deep sea. Spread among at least six continents are more than 1,000 species of land, sea or freshwater snails. Due to morphology, hermaphroditic reproduction and certain adaptations, snails can originate in many different habitats and environments.

Land snails and aquatic snails

There are many types of snails, but they fundamentally differ because they are either aquatic or terrestrial. The former are adapted to live in the sea or bodies of fresh water, but the latter live exclusively on land, although generally in humid areas. Land snails probably originated from the freshwater species rather than saltwater ones.

Physically, snails are all pretty similar. Each possess a large muscular “foot” that allows for movement. The anterior portion of this organ is the head, which contains important sensory organs.

The head has two tentacles and two eye stalks with an eye at each terminal end. A mouth with a jaw is also part of the head; it has a rough tongue for ripping and tearing at food.

In order  to protect the snail body the calcareous shell forms in the larval stage and grows as it ages, with each successive whorl pushing the apex of the shell outward.

What are aquatic snails like?

The aquatic snail has a thicker shell than its terrestrial relatives for greater protection from any predators. These peaceful snails live for about three or four years evidently, grow to a little over 1½ inch in diameter and are valued for their bright colours and algae eating ability.

Their bodies are usually black or pinkish-orange with neon orange spots around the head area according to experts. Shells also vary in colour – they can be tan or olive with dark stripes, maroon, white, golden yellow or blue.

There are so many interesting facts to find out about aquatic snails. See if you can search for them!