[4] Gastropoda

• Gastropod shells are always univalve, but can either be coiled or uncoiled
• Tough covering gastropods used to close their aperture

  Operculum
• Opening of the gastropod shell

  Aperture
• Two spiral directions for gastropod shells

  1. Dextral (clockwise)
  2. Sinistral (counterclockwise)
• Most marine gastropods scrape algae from rocks using their radula
• Conus species have a harpoon-like radula coated in toxin
• Carnivorous gastropods locate prey by following chemical trails in the water
• The bulb gland in cone snails coats their radula in toxins
• Nudibranch means "naked gill"

  • They have surface-area increasing projections called the cerata
• The cerata in nudibranchs function in gas exchange, increasing surface area

  
• Shell-less gastropod groups:

  1. Nudibranchia
  2. Sacoglossa
  3. Aeolidida
  4. Chromodorididae
  5. Phylliroe
• Shell-less gastropods that integrate chloroplasts into their body

  Sacoglossa
• Sacoglossans exhibit kleptoplasty, stealing chloroplasts from the algae they eat
• Group that feed on hydroids and Cnidarians, steal cnidocytes

  Aeolidida
• Aeolidida exhibit kleptocnidae, "stealing" cnidocytes from the cnidarians they eat
• Gills found in the posterior

  Gill ring
• Name meaning color gift, get their color from sponge toxins

  Chromodorididae
• Spongivorous gastropods

  Chromodorididae
• Specialized chemosensory structures used by Chromodoridids

  Rhinophores
• Genus of highly transparent nudibranchs, feed on jellies

  Phylliroe