Slugs and snails are the same things, but some slugs have internal shells instead of shells found outside of their body. This is a result of evolution, and it helps the snail move around quicker.
They’re Everywhere, They’re Everywhere!
Snails can be found nearly everywhere on the planet because there are over 150,000 species of gastropods. They can live in the water, in the desert, and in numerous other habitats.
They’ve Helped Things Stick
Snails have slime that helps some of them stick to rocks and other items. From this slime, medical experts have developed an adhesive tape and glue used to repair hearts. So far, it has only been tested on the hearts of pigs, but it shows a lot of promise nonetheless.
How They Breathe
Snails can have either lungs or gills, depending on what they need for survival, and some snails have both of these. Some freshwater snails rely on their lungs to breathe instead of gills, which means they have to swim to the water’s surface to get the air they need to continue. There is even one type of snail that uses a siphon-looking device that allows them to get air from the surface of the water through something that looks like a small tube.
A Killer of Starfish?
Some giant snails get up to over a foot long, and they have been known to kill a starfish. They do this by paralyzing them first with their saliva, which has venom in it, and also because of their keen sense of smell. Giant snails kill and eat starfish quite frequently.
Some Shells Are Different Than Others
Most snails have shells that are smooth, but there are some snails that have hairy shells. Most of these snails are juveniles and come from humid areas, and experts think it is there to help the snails move around when they are in wet areas.
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