What gastropods are present in the seagrasses of SAB?
A Gastropod is any mollusk of the class Gastropoda, which includes snails and slugs. Gastropoda comes from the Greek work gaster meaning stomach and pod meaning, foot. An asymmetric body and their single shell (which is taken over by hermit crabs once vacated) generally characterize them. Estimates have been made of the number of species; the most recent is 37,500. Gastropoda are the second largest class in the animal kingdom (insects are the largest). Gastropods are divided into three subclasses, which are the Prosobranchia, the Opisthobranchia, and the Pulmonata. They vary greatly in terms of structure and way of life. They also vary greatly in their size. The smallest species are barely visible and the largest (California Black Sea hare) weighs as much as 30 pounds. Lower gastropods have separate sexes and reproduce by spawning eggs into the water. In advanced gastropods fertilization takes place internally, and coverings are produced that protect the young. Yet in the more modified
