EXERCISE 7 MOLLUSCA: OBSERVATION

AND CLASSIFICATION OF
SPECIMENS
Structure
7.1 Introduction
Objectives
7.2 Materials Required
7.3 General Characters and Classification
7.4 Observation of Specimens
Chiton
Dentalium
Pila
Unio
Octopus
Sepia
Loligo
7.5 Terminal Questions

7.1 INTRODUCTION
Mollusca is one of the largest phylum which you have studied in Unit 9, Block
2 of Animal Diversity course, after Arthropoda. It has more than 80,000 living
species. In Latin “Mollis” means soft. The bodies of molluscs are soft but
covered by hard, protective shells. This increased the chances of their
preservation, which resulted in a rich fossil record; there are more than 35,000
known fossil species of phylum Mollusca. The study of Mollusca is termed as
malacology and that of their shells conchology.

Molluscs are widely distributed. The phylum includes slugs, snails, chitons,
oysters, clams, squids and octopuses and they greatly vary in form, structure,
habits and habitats. They are highly adaptive and are found in all possible
habitats, aquatic and terrestrial, except aerial. They generally inhabit shallow
waters, but some are also found deep inside the sea (12,000 meters).In this
exercise you will study some preserved representatives of molluscs and learn
to classify them. Before you begin your study it would be helpful to read Unit
9, Block 2, of Animal Diversity course again.

Objectives
After performing this exercise you should be able to:

• identify the specimens of Chiton, Pila, Unio, Dentalium, Loligo, Octopus

and Sepia belonging to phylum Mollusca and give their scientific and
common names,

• draw labelled diagrams of the identified genera,

• classify each of the identified mollusc up to the level of class,

 Mollusca: Observation
• list characters justifying their classification and mention special features,
and Classification of
if any, Specimens

• mention the habit and habitat, and geographical location of each of the
identified genera and

• mention economic importance, if any, of each of the identified genera.

7.2 MATERIALS REQUIRED

1. Preserved specimens of Chiton, Unio, Pila, Dentalium, Loligo, Octopus
and Sepia.

2. Note book and pencil, eraser, etc.

7.3 GENERAL CHARACTERS AND

CLASSIFICATION
General Characters

i) Molluscs are generally aquatic animals, found mostly in sea water, some
are freshwater forms and a few are terrestrial.

ii) Triploblastic, coelomate, body not metamerically segmented.

iii) Body is fundamentally bilaterally symmetrical; members of class

Gastropoda undergo torsion and hence become asymmetrical (see Fig.
7.1).

iv) These animals have soft body, which can be divided into three parts: i)
Head – foot. ii) Visceral mass and iii) Mantle.

v) The mantle or pallium is a membrane (not very thin) that covers the
soft body.

vi) The space between mantle and body is called mantle cavity, into which
lie the gills and openings of the digestive, excretory, and reproductive
systems.

vii) The outer side of the mantle secretes a hard calcareous shell forming a
protective covering all around the body.

viii) The shells may be bivalved (two pieces) or univalved (single piece),
spiral or cone like, internal or reduced or even absent in some.

ix) The alimentary canal is simple, coiled and complete. In some buccal
cavity has a cutting organ radula bearing rows of teeth.

x) Respiration is generally by gills or body wall and in some, also by

pulmonary sac.

xi) The circulatory system is open except in cephalopods where it is closed

and the blood is confined to vessels. Respiratory pigments are carried in
solution in the blood rather than confined to blood cells.

xii) Excretion is by kidneys that open in the pericardial cavity.

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 Animal Diversity: xiii) Nervous system consists of paired cerebral, pleural, pedal and visceral
Laboratory ganglia, joined by commissures and connectives.

xiv) Sense organs are simple eyes, tentacles and osphradia.

xv) The sexes are separate; fertilisation may be internal or external. Asexual
reproduction not found.

xvi) During the embryonic development cleavage is spiral, determinate and

unequal.

xvii) The development may be direct or indirect through larval stages like
trochophore, glochidium and veliger.

Fig. 7.1: Generalised mollusc. Though this is a hypothetical plan, none the less
it is useful in visualing a general body plan.

Classification

Phylum Mollusca has been divided into seven classes, the distinction is based
largely on what kind of foot and shell the animal has. In this exercise you will
study examples from only four classes namely, Polyplacophora (Chiton),
Scaphopda (Dentalium), Gastropoda (Pila), Bivalvia (Unio) and Cephalopoda
(Loligo, Sepia and Octopus) out of the total seven. But it is useful to know
characters of all other classes too. Table 7.1 gives a comparative account of
the seven classes.

Table 7.1: Classes of Phylum Mollusca.

Aplacophora Monoplacophora Polyplacophora Scaphopoda Gastropoda Bivalvia Cephalopoda

(e.g. (e.g. Neopilina) (e.g. Chiton) (e.g. (e.g. Pila) (e.g. Unio) (e.g Octopus
Neomania) Dentalium) Loligo and
Sepia)

1. Worm like 1. Elongated with 1. Elongated, 1. Conical, 1. Body 1. Elongated 1. Body

broad foot dorsoventrally elongated twisted elongated
flattened body

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 Mollusca: Observation
and Classification of
Specimens

2. Shell 2. Univalve, 2. Shell made 2. One piece 2. Coiled 2. Bivalve (two 2. Shell
absent, limpet like up of eight tubular shell shell pieces) shell reduced and
calcareous shell dorsal plates present present present internal in
scales present octopus and
present well
developed
only in
Nautilus

3. Bilaterally 3. Bilaterally 3. Bilaterally 3. Bilaterally 3. Asymmetri 3. Bilaterally 3. Bilaterally

symmetrical symmetrical symmetrical symmetrical cal due to symmetrical symmetrical
torsion

4. Head 4. Head 4. Reduced 4. Head 4. Distinct 4. Head 4. Very well

absent, absent, head, radula absent, head absent, developed
radula radula present radula present, radula head
present or present present radula absent present,
absent present radula
present

5. Foot not 5. Foot small, 5. Foot, broad 5. Foot 5. Foot broad 5. Foot 5. Foot
much six pairs of sole-like elongated sole like elongated modified into
developed gills tongue-like tongue like oral arms

6. Gills absent, 6. Respiration 6. Respiration 6. Gills absent, 6. Aquatic 6. Respiration 6. Respiration

respiration by six pairs by many gills exchange of respiration by pairs of by two
by of gills gases by gills gills elongated
secondary through and aerial gills
respiratory mantle respiration
structures by
pulmonary
sac

7. Poorly 7. Poorly 7. Moderately 7. Moderately 7. Well 7. Well 7. Very highly

developed developed developed developed developed developed developed
nervous nervous nervous nervous nervous nervous nervous
system system system system system system system

8. No larval 8. No larval 8. Development 8. Developed 8. Developed 8. Developed 8. No larval

stage stage through through through through stage
trochophore trochophore veliger glochidium
larva larva larva larva

7.4 OBSERVATION OF SPECIMENS

You will be given preserved specimens of molluscs. Observe them carefully
and note their distinctive features and classify them accordingly.

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 Animal Diversity: 7.4.1 Chiton
Laboratory
Special Characters

i) They are commonly known as “coat-of-nail shells”.

ii) They have flat, sole-like foot, they remain attached to surface and move
very slowly.

iii) They are about 2-8 cm long and 3 to 5 cm wide and have a dull
turquoise or blue coloured appearance.

iv) The shell covers dorsal side and is made up of eight transverse
movable, overlapping plates. The mantle forms a girdle around the
plates (Fig. 7.2 a).

v) Head flattened with a slit-like mouth, on both sides of the body are gills
(Fig. 7.2 b).

vi) Genital, excretory openings and anus are on ventral side towards the
posterior end (Fig. 7.2 b).

vii) The alimentary canal is simple. The radula bears many rows of teeth,
and each row has about 17 teeth.

viii) Open circulatory system with a respiratory pigment called haemocyanin.

ix) Specialised sensory organs absent. They have light and touch sensitive
points called aesthetes.

x) Sexes are separate, no sexual dimorphism.

(a) (b)

Fig. 7.2: Chiton. (a) Dorsal view; (b) Ventral view.

Habit and Habitat

Marine. Mostly littoral or sub-littoral, occurring in shallow tidal areas. In India

they are most commonly seen on the sea side rocks in Bombay and
Rameshwaram.

They are nocturnal and herbivorous and feed on diatoms and seaweeds.

Geographical Distribution: Chitons are found in all seas except polar seas.
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 Mollusca: Observation
Economic Importance
and Classification of
Specimens
Chitons are eaten by Red Indians in USA therefore, sometimes also called as
“Sea beef”.

Classification and its Justification

Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular organisms with

cells that lack a cell wall, many capable
of movement or movement of some of
their body parts or capable of movement
at some time of their life cycle;
heterotrophic nutrition.

Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic, coelomate, body divided

into head-foot, visceral mass, and the
mantle which secretes the shell; radula
present in most.

Class Polyplacophora Elongated dorsoventrally flattened

body with reduced head; bilaterally
symmetrical; radula present; shell of
eight dorsal plates; foot broad and
flat; gills multiple.

Genus Chaetoplura/Chiton

Common Chiton
Name

7.4.2 Dentalium
Special Characters

i) Commonly known as “Elephant tooth” or “The tooth” or “Tusk shell”

because it looks like a miniature elephant tusk.

(a) (b)
Fig. 7.3: Dentalium. a) External view. b) Internal view.
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 Animal Diversity: ii) Dentalium is about 25 cm long and 2-5 cm in diameter.
Laboratory
iii) The body is completely enveloped in a tubular mantle and shell.

iv) From the broader end of shell (which remains in the deeper side of
burrow) projects out foot, mouth and small tentacles called captacula
(Fig. 7.3).

v) Captacula are sensory, prehensile and tactile, their tips are sticky so
they also help in food collection.

vi) Gills are absent; exchange of gases takes place through the thin,
vascular mantle.

vii) Sexes are separate. Development includes veliger larva.

Habit and Habitat

Dentalium is burrowing and marine and it lives in single tubular shell open at
both ends. Feeds on protozoa and detritus from the substrate.

Geographical Distribution: Widely distributed except for the cold polar

waters. The common species found in Indian
seas is Dentalium octogonum.

Economic Importance

Red Indians of USA use the empty shells to make ornaments.

Classification and its Justification

Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular organisms with

cells that lack a cell wall, many capable
of movement or movement of some of
their body parts or capable of movement
at some time of their life cycle;
heterotrophic nutrition.

Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic, coelomate, unsegmented

body divided in to head-foot, visceral
mass, and the mantle which secretes the
shell; radula present in most.

Class Scaphopoda Body enclosed in a one piece shell open

at both ends; conical foot; mouth with
radula and tentacles; head absent;
mantle for respiration.

Genus Dentalium

Species Octogonum

Common Elephant tusk shell

Name

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 Mollusca: Observation
7.4.3 Pila and Classification of
Special Characters Specimens

i) The body undergoes torsion and is protected by a spiral univalved shell

(Fig. 7.4).
ii) The largest part of shell is called body whorl. The shell is coiled
clockwise around an imaginary column and is thus called dextral.
iii) The soft visceral hump remains projected inside the shell, whereas head
and foot are exposed. At the time of danger these two are also
withdrawn in the safe environment of shell.
iv) The head bears tentacles, eyes and mouth, bordered with left and right
nuchal lobes (siphons to draw and drive water).
v) Alimentary canal very well developed with radula.
vi) A large well-developed digestive gland present. Respiration by one pair
of gills for aquatic condition and by pulmonary sac when on land.
vii) Excretion by kidneys, circulatory system open, nervous system well
developed and forms the figure of 8 due to torsion.
viii) Sense organs are osphradium, eyes, statocyst and tentacles.
ix) Males and females separate, breed in rainy season. Development
through veliger larva.

Fig. 7.4: Pila globosa.

Habit and Habitat

Pila has undergone extensive adaptive radiation and has invaded two habitats
i.e. water and land. Food consists chiefly of succulent aquatic vegetation.

Geographical Distribution: Very widely distributed in fresh water and moist

land around the Oriental (in India, Myanmar, Sri
Lanka, Vietnam, Phillipines) and Ethopian (in
Africa, Arabia and Madagascar) regions.

Economic Importance

Used as food, shell is used for decoration. It is a favorite item for dissection in
biology laboratories.
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 Animal Diversity: Classification and its Justification
Laboratory
Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular organisms with
cells that lack a cell wall, many capable
of movement or movement of some of
their body parts or capable of movement
at some time of their life cycle;
heterotrophic nutrition.

Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic, coelomate, unsegmented

body divided into head-foot, visceral
mass, and the mantle which secretes the
shell; radula present in most.

Class Gastropoda Body asymmetrical; usually in univalve

coiled shell; head well developed with
radula; foot large and flat; shows torsion;
gills present; operculum present; mostly
marine; only a few freshwater species

Genus Pila

Species globosa

Common Apple snail

Name

7.4.4 Unio
Special Characters

i) Unio (Fig. 7.5) is commonly known as freshwater mussel.

ii) Animal’s body is soft, unsegmented bilaterlly symmetrical and flattened.

Size of the body ranges about 5-10 cm in length and enclosed in a
calcareous shell.

iii) Shell comprises two separate equal pieces or valves covering the right
and left sides of the body.

iv) Two valves of the shell are joined together by a hinge ligament with their
dorsal side.

v) Umbo forms the anterior end of the dorsal side.

vi) Mantle has two lobes corresponding to the two vales of the shell.

vii) Anterior and posterior abductor muscles are found to be well developed
and are responsible for closing and opening of the valves.

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 Mollusca: Observation
and Classification of
Specimens

Fig. 7.5: Unio.

viii) Muscular foot is large and wedge-shaped used for burrowing.

ix) Both inhalant and exhalant siphons are present at the posterior end of
the mantle.

x) Sexes are separate but male and female shells are alike.

Habit and Habitat

It is found at the bottom in ponds, lakes, streams and rivers buried in the sand
or mud.

Geographical Distribution: Commonly found in India, Europe, Atlantic slope

and USA.

Classification and its justification

Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular organisms with

cells that lack a cell wall, many capable of
movement or movement of some of their body
parts or capable of movement at some time of
their life cycle; heterotrophic nutrition.

Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic, coelomate, unsegmented

body divided into head-foot, visceral
mass, and the mantle which secretes the
shell; radula present in most.

Class Bivalvia Two pieces of shell (Bivalve) present. Body

elongated and bilaterally compressed.

Genus Unio

Common Freshwater
Name Mussel

7.4.5 Octopus
Special Characters

i) The body (Fig. 7.6) contains visceral mass but to a lay person it looks
like a head, though the head is present but it is small.

ii) The muscular foot modifies and gives rise to 8 long arms (Fig. 7.6).
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 Animal Diversity: iii) Each arm has double rows of suckers.
Laboratory
iv) Arms are used for locomotion, food capturing and ingestion also in
offense and defense.

v) In males tip of 3rd right arm is broad spoon like called hectocotyl, it is
used to transfer spermatophores into the mantle cavity of female.

vi) The typical molluscan shell is absent; it is actually reduced and found
embedded into the body wall, therefore, not visible.

vii) Octopus has a very well developed “ink gland”, it releases a dark
coloured fluid from it at the time of danger blinding the predator and
making a fast escape from that area.

viii) This animal makes its movements using undulating arms but in
emergency situations, it squirts out a lot of water through the funnel (Fig.
7.6 a) with a force and dashes away in the opposite direction (based on
the law of equal and opposite reaction) through “jet propulsion”.

ix) The food is captured by arms, the mouth has powerful beak-like jaws to
ingest it into small pieces and then further grinding is done by radula.

(a) (b)

Fig. 7.6: Octopus. a) In its natural habitat. b) Diagrammatic view.

Habit and Habitat and Distribution

Octopuses are marine, bottom dwelling, nocturnal animals. Their food is crab,
bivalves, snails, fish, etc. Experiments in labs have identified them as
intelligent learners.

Geographical Distribution: Octopuses are very widely distributed; found in

Europe, India, and Atlantic and Pacific coasts –
Alaska to lower California and Cape Cod.

Economic Importance

In many countries its meat is considered a delicacy.

Classification and its Justification

96 Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular organisms with

 Mollusca: Observation
cells that lack a cell wall, many capable of
and Classification of
movement or movement of some of their body Specimens
parts or capable of movement at some time of
their life cycle; heterotrophic nutrition.

Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic, coelomate, unsegmented

body divided into head-foot, visceral mass
and the mantle which secretes the shell;
radula present in most.

Class Cephalopoda Shell often reduced or absent; head well

developed with radula; head with arms or
tentacles; foot modified in the form of a
funnel; nervous system of well developed
ganglia, centralised to form a brain;
sexes separate; development direct.

Genus Octopus

Species punctatus

Common Devil fish

Name

7.4.6 Sepia
Special characters

i) The mollusc is commonly known as cuttle fish (Fig. 7.7).

ii) Body of Sepia is bilaterally symmetrical, dorso-ventrally flattened and is

divisible into head, collar (neck) and trunk.

iii) Sepia’s head bears a pair of large eyes and five pairs of arms
surrounding the mouth.

iv) There are altogether 5 pairs of arms of which four pairs are short and
stout bearing four longitudinal rows of suckers on the inner flat surface.

v) Fifth pair of arms is known as tentacles that are comparatively long and
narrow and provided with suckers only at their free ends.

vi) A constricted collar (neck) connects the head with trunk.

vii) Trunk is long shield-shaped bordered by narrow lateral fin on either side
of the body.

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 Animal Diversity:
Laboratory

Fig. 7.7: Sepia.

viii) Sepia has a thick and muscular mantle enclosing a large mantle cavity
on ventral side with viscera.

ix) Tubular funnel opening into the mantle cavity.

x) A pear shaped
shap ink-sac lies over the posterior ventral surface.

xi) Sexes are separate and males are usually smaller.

xii) In male, the left fourth arm is hectocatylised serving as int

intromittent
organ.

Habit and Habitat

Mollusc is a marine animal found in shallow waters. Good swimmer and

swims at night and rests flat on the bottom during day time. Carnivorous,
feeds on small fishes, crustaceans and other animals.

Geographical Distribution: Cosmopolitan in distribution. Commonly found in

Indian Sea,
ea, Europe and Mediterranean region.

Classification and its Justification

Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular

cellular organisms with
cells that lack a cell wall, many capable of
movement or movement of some of their body
parts or capable of movement at some time of
their life cycle; heterotrophic nutrition.
Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic, coelomate, unsegmented
body divided into head-foot,
foot, visceral mass
and the mantle which secretes the shell;
radula present in most.
Class Cephalopoda Shell
hell often reduced or absent; head well
developed with radula; head with arms or
tentacles; foot modified in the form of a
funnel; nervous system of well developed
ganglia, centralised to form a brain;
98 sexes separate; development direct.
 Mollusca: Observation
Genus Sepia
and Classification of
Specimens
Common Cuttle fish
Name

7.4.7 Loligo
Special Characters

i) Commonly known as squid (Fig. 7.8).

ii) The body is spindle or torpedo shaped and is differentiated into head,
foot and visceral hump.

iii) Short head bears a pair of large eyes and a central mouth surrounded
by ten arms.

iv) Foot is modified into the funnel and ten arms.

v) Eight arms are short, stumpy, and non retractable whereas other two
long slender, and retractable tentacles used for capturing the prey.

vi) Inner surface of both arms and tentacles is provided with two rows of
suckers.

vii) Funnel is like a muscular tube extending out beyond the edge of the
collar below the head.

viii) Long and pointed visceral hump bears two dorso-lateral triangular lateral
fins.

ix) Mantle happens to be thick and muscular enclosing the visceral mass
and mantle cavity.

x) Shell becomes internal, a feather-shaped plate concealed beneath the

mantle on the anterior surface.

xi) Presence of ink sac is used as defense.

xii) Sexes are separate.

Fig. 7.8: Loligo.

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 Animal Diversity: Economic Importance
Laboratory
Used as food by Chinese and Italians and as bait for marine fishing.

Habit and Habitat

It is a marine form found in warm seas and coastal shallow or deep water.
Loligo is a fast swimmer in an open sea water.

Geographical Distribution: Cosmopolitan in distribution; found along the

entire Pacific and Atlantic Coast, India, China
and USA.

Classification and its Justification

Kingdom Animalia Animals, multi-cellular organisms with

cells that lack a cell wall, many capable of
movement or movement of some of their body
parts or capable of movement at some time of
their life cycle; heterotrophic nutrition.

Phylum Mollusca Triploblastic coelomate, unsegmented

body divided into head-foot, visceral mass
and the mantle which secretes the shell;
radula present in most.

Class Cephalopoda Shell often reduced or absent; head well

developed with radula;head with arms or
tentacles; foot modified in the form of a
funnel; nervous system of well developed
ganglia, centralised to form a brain;
sexes separate; development direct.

Genus Loligo

Common Squid
Name

7.5 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. What are the three regions of the body of a molluscs?

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2. How would you characterise members of class Gastropoda?

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 Mollusca: Observation
3. What is the function of osphradia?
and Classification of
Specimens
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4. How do cephalopods differ from other molluscs?

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