What are the four classes in the Phylum Mollusca about which you are responsible for learning?
The four classes in the Phylum Mollusca are the Class Gastropoda (the snails), the Class Bivalvia (the clams), the Class Cephalopoda (the squid and octopuses), and the Class Polyplacophora (the chitons). 46. Generally describe the Class Gastropoda, including the general body plan of its members and their life styles. The Class Gastropoda includes the familiar snails as well as some organisms that may not be as familiar, such as the nudibranchs or sea slugs, limpets, and abalone. This class is the largest, most common, and most varied group of molluscs. A typical gastropod has a coiled mass of vital organs enclosed by a dorsal, coiled shell. The shell rests on a central creeping foot. Most gastropods use their radula to scrape algae from rocks—they are herbivores; that is they are heterotrophs that feed on photosynthetic organisms. However, many gastropods are predators, often feeding on other molluscs. Most are benthic, but some are planktonic. 47. Review: What is benthic? Benthic is a
