Mollusks have soft bodies (mollis = soft) with no internal skeleton. They hold their shape by internal water pressure (a hydrostatic skeleton). A muscular skin-like structure called the mantle covers the back of a mollusk, protecting its mass of internal body organs (viscera). Most mollusks also have a hard shell or at least some hard plates over the mantle. Shells are made of a protein matrix holding together crystals of calcium carbonate. Under those layers is a calcium-containing third layer that in some species is shiny mother-of-pearl. This layered structure makes for a strong shell that protects the soft parts from predators and provides a site for muscle attachment. Most mollusks move their bodies slowly using a muscular structure called the foot to creep along, stick to, or burrow into surfaces, although some mollusks (e.g. squid and scallops) swim.
- Catalog Number:
- 30795
- Specimen Count:
- 3
- Locality:
- US Southeast (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, TN, KY)
- Collecting Locality:
- North America, United States, Florida, Monroe County, Florida Keys
- Cabinet:
- 09
- Drawer/Shelf:
- 06
- Upper Level Taxonomy:
- Animalia, Mollusca, Cephalopoda, Coleoidea, Spirulida, Spirulidae