GASTROPODA Cuvier, 1795
(slugs and snails)

Subtaxon Example images Rank Featured
subtaxa
No of
images
No of
ID refs
Family 1 subtaxa 2 images 3 ident. refs
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Genus 1 subtaxa 2 images
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Family 4 subtaxa 97 images 5 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 3 ident. refs
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Subclass 42 subtaxa 552 images 31 ident. refs
Family 3 subtaxa 17 images 2 ident. refs
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Genus 3 subtaxa 17 images
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Family 1 subtaxa 12 images
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Family 4 subtaxa 71 images 1 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 9 images
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Genus 1 subtaxa 9 images
Family 2 subtaxa 6 images 2 ident. refs
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Genus 2 subtaxa 6 images 2 ident. refs
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Family 1 subtaxa 34 images
Family 2 subtaxa 2 ident. refs
Genus 2 subtaxa 2 ident. refs
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Family 7 subtaxa 108 images
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Subclass 53 subtaxa 584 images 36 ident. refs
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Family 5 subtaxa 27 images
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Genus 1 subtaxa 5 images
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Family 6 subtaxa 78 images 4 ident. refs
Superfamily 1 subtaxa 20 images
Family 1 subtaxa 20 images
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Genus 1 subtaxa 20 images
Family 3 ident. refs
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Order 1 subtaxa 6 images 5 ident. refs
Order 2 subtaxa 8 ident. refs
Order 1 ident. refs
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Superfamily 4 subtaxa 46 images 1 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 2 images
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Genus 1 subtaxa 2 images
Subclass 13 ident. refs
Subclass 7 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 19 images
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Genus 1 subtaxa 19 images
Family 2 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 6 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 1 ident. refs
Genus 1 subtaxa 1 ident. refs
Family 1 subtaxa 5 images
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Genus 1 subtaxa 5 images
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Subclass 8 subtaxa 105 images 6 ident. refs
Family 2 subtaxa 2 ident. refs
Taxonomic hierarchy:
ClassGASTROPODA (slugs and snails)
PhylumMOLLUSCA (slugs, snails, bivalves, octopus, sea slugs)
SuperphylumLOPHOTROCHOZOA (molluscs and relatives)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
() Cameron, R.A.D. & Redfern, M. 1976 British Land Snails Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series), 6, 64pp, The Linnean Society of London
() Macan, T.T. & Cooper, R.D. 1960 A Key to the British Fresh- and Brackish-Water Gastropods Scientific Publication, 13, 46pp, Freshwater Biological Association
Morton, J.E. & Machin, J. 1959 A key to the Land snails of the Flatford Area, Suffolk Field Studies 1(1): 57-71.
() Wardhaugh, A.A. 1989 Land Snails of the British Isles Shire Natural History, 45, 24pp, Shire Publications Ltd.
Wuilbaut, J.J. Cercle de Mycologie de Mons (Belgique): (Page perso de JJ. Wuilbaut) users.skynet.be/jjw.myco.mons

Freshwater

() Janus, H. 1965 The Young Specialist looks at Molluscs Young Specialist, 180pp, Burke
Killeen, I. 2009 Module 10: identification of Molluscs (Gastropoda and Bivalvia) https://www.fba.org.uk/identification-freshwater-invertebrates-species-level-distance-learning-course

Marine

Fisher, J. Fishers Collection www.fisherscollection.com
Longrigg, S.J. UK Seashells www.fredandsarah.plus.com/ukseashells

Marine/Plankton

() Newell, G.E. & Newell, R.C. 1973 Marine Plankton - a practical guide 4th edition edition, 244pp, Hutchinson Educational Ltd.

Planktonic Larvae

Apstein, C. & Brandt, K.A.H. (eds) 1901 *** Tunicata, Mollusca ***(Superseded) Nordisches Plankton, 116+55pp, H. G. Bohn, London

Terrestrial

() Janus, H. 1965 The Young Specialist looks at Molluscs Young Specialist, 180pp, Burke

GASTROPODA (slugs and snails) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for GASTROPODA (slugs and snails)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 155 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for GASTROPODA (slugs and snails)

To prepare microscope slides of the radula:

1. Gently cut off or extract the head region of the dead snail.
2. Macerate in 5% KOH in a hot waterbath until the tissues disintegrate, (about 10 mins for a small snail)
3. Find the radula (not always easy! Even adding Safranin to the alkali doesn’t help)
4. Stain in Safranin
5. Wash
6. Make a temporary mount in lactophenol (but this tends to dissolve out the stain: need to experiment with other stains eg Lignin Pink)

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