I love animals - Reading, information and questions for small kids - Part 44 Snails

You can find them in your garden, under the sea and in rivers or dams.  

They sail slowly with their chubby bodies and carries their house on their back.. Lets have a closer look at snails.

The snails can be split into 3 groups - garden snails, sea snails and freshwater snails, but they all belong to the group 'gastropod molluscs'.  Depending on where they live, they will either have gills or lungs to breathe with.  Most snails that live outside the water will have lungs, but there are some that may have gills, depending on the species.

• Find some pictures of different types of snails.

Although most of the snails do have a shell that they carry with them, you will also find ones without shells and they are usually called slugs.

Most of the snails have a very special tongue - it is called a 'radula'.  On the tongue it has 'teeth' which can only be seen under a microscope.  These little sharp objects will be used to 'cut' pieces off the plant or grass that the snail can eat it.  

The radula works like a file, ripping food up into tiny pieces. 

Most of the snails live off plants, but some of the bigger species can be carnivorous. (meat eater)

• Do research and find pictures or videos of very big snails. (You can have a look at the African land snail that can weigh up to 1 kg and 38 cm long)

The largest living sea snail species is the Syrinx aruanus who's shell can reach 90 cm (35 in) in length and the snail can weigh up to 18 kg (40lbs)!  

Snails are very slow and they are one of the slowest animals on Earth.  Can you find out which other animals are also very slow?

The snail do not have feet so it has to move on its body.  To help it not to get stuck or cause too much friction on the body, it leaves a trail of mucus (slime) behind.  This can also help the snail to walk on surfaces where it is upside down.  Almost like a glue...

Depending on the species snails can live 5 - 25 years. 

But most snails are eaten or killed before they live out their live expectancy.  The common garden snail is not welcome in gardener's gardens, because they destroy the leaves and the stems of the plant.  A lot of people enjoy eating snails.

The snail is a delicacy in French cuisine called escargot. The snail is also eaten in many other countries of the world, often as a fried meal. 

In English, the expression "a snail's pace" is a term used to describe a slow, inefficient process and "snail mail" is now commonly used when referring to sending regular mail rather than that sent by email. 

• Do you like to eat snails?
• Watch the video, listen carefully and answer the questions.

1. What is the same between a snail and a slug?
2. What is the 'foot' of the snail and what is its function.
3. Where will you find the eyes of these animals.
4. What is mucus and what is the function of this?
5. To which group do the snail and slug belong?
6. What is a difference between the snail and a slug?
7. How many kinds of gastropods are there?
8. Which snail is the biggest on Earth?

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