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Inside a Snail’s Shell
A
snail has many of the same body parts as humans, but they are in
different places. A snail’s teeth are on its tongue. A snail’s toothy
tongue is called a radula. Did you know a snail’s mouth is on its
foot? And its breathing hole is next to where it excretes waste!
A snail has several tentacles on its head. Its eyes are at the ends of the
two longer tentacles. A snail doesn’t have very good eyesight, but it can
sense light from dark.
A snail also uses its tentacles to feel its way around. Scent detectors
on the tentacles help the snail find food. The tentacles also tell the snail
when other animals are close by.
A snail’s foot is covered with tiny stiff hairs called cilia. These help the
foot grip the ground. A gland in the snail’s foot produces a thick trail of
slime to help the snail slide along.
A snail’s hard shell protects it from predators. It also gives the snail a
safe place to stay when it is hot and dry outside. The shell becomes thicker
and harder as the snail grows. It coils around the snail’s body as it grows.
Snail shells have a variety of designs.
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