What is the radula?
The other uniquely snail organ is the radula. This is essentially a ‘toothed tongue.’ There are from a few to a quarter of a million teeth mounted on this flexible membrane. This structure is partly extruded from the mouth and licked or scraped across the surface on which the snail is feeding. Worn or dull teeth are discarded at the anterior end of the radula. New replacement teeth are formed at the posterior end. The tooth bearing membrane gradually grows forward, moving new teeth into the feeding position and worn teeth to the area where the membrane can be reabsorbed by the animal. The teeth fall off and may be swallowed with the mollusk’s food. Naturally surrounding and operating the radula are a complex mass of muscles.
