Mollusca
E17151
Mollusca is a large and diverse phylum of invertebrate animals that includes snails, clams, squids, and octopuses, typically characterized by soft bodies often protected by a hard shell.
Statements (60)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
phylum
→
taxonomic rank → |
| belongsToClade |
Lophotrochozoa
→
|
| development |
many species have a trochophore larval stage
→
many species have a veliger larval stage → |
| ecologicalRole |
important filter feeders in aquatic systems
→
important herbivores in many ecosystems → prey for many marine and terrestrial predators → some species are top predators (cephalopods) → |
| economicImportance |
source of human food
→
source of pearls → source of shells for ornament and trade → |
| fossilRecord |
extends back to the Cambrian period
→
|
| habitat |
freshwater environments
→
marine environments → terrestrial environments → |
| hasApproximateSpeciesCount |
hundreds of thousands of fossil species
→
over 80000 described living species → |
| hasCharacteristic |
body typically divided into head, visceral mass, and muscular foot
→
cephalopods have a closed circulatory system → coelomate body plan → many forms have a mantle that secretes the shell → many species exhibit torsion during development (in gastropods) → many species have a radula for feeding → many species have complex sensory organs → many species have gills for respiration → most species have a complete digestive tract → most species have a nervous system with paired nerve cords → most species have an open circulatory system → often protected by a calcareous shell → protostome development → soft-bodied animals → some species respire through lungs or body surface → usually unsegmented body → |
| hasCommonName |
molluscs
→
mollusks → |
| includesClass |
Bivalvia
→
Cephalopoda → Gastropoda → Monoplacophora → Polyplacophora → Scaphopoda → |
| includesRepresentative |
chitons
→
clams → cuttlefish → mussels → octopuses → oysters → slugs → snails → squids → |
| isA |
bilaterian animal group
→
invertebrate group → |
| isOneOf |
largest phyla of animals
→
|
| kingdom |
Animalia
→
|
| notableFeature |
cephalopods exhibit advanced nervous systems and complex behavior
→
|
| reproduction |
many species have separate sexes
→
mostly sexual reproduction → some species are hermaphroditic → |
| taxonRank |
phylum
→
|
Referenced by (6)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Bivalvia
→
Cephalopoda → Gastropoda → Monoplacophora → |
phylum |
|
Animalia
→
|
includesPhylum |
|
Lophotrochozoa
→
|
includesTaxon |