Malacology is the branch of invertebrate zoology that deals with the study of the Mollusca, the second-largest phylum of animals in terms of described species after the arthropods.

Australia has a Malacology Society. Follow this link for information about Australian Molluscs or to join your local group.

 

Snails are Molluscs and in the class Gastropoda. Australia has about 3000 species of native land snails occurring in a wide range of environments from saltbush plains to tropical rainforests.

We have 3 types:

SNAILS: Terrestrial or land snails with a well developed external shell into which the animal can fully retreat have evolved from marine snails about 350 millions years ago

 

 

 

SEMI-SLUGS: These are snails with a partly reduced shell which is too small for the snail to retreat into fully

 

 

 

 

SLUGS which are land snails that have evolved to live without their shell. They often have a rudimentary shell internally

 

 

 

 

Land snails and slugs all have a similar external gastropod body plan subject to variation. Most have a shell of some sort whether it be external, internal or somewhere between the two.

 

Australian land snails are almost always dextral i.e. they have a right hand opening. A few rare species are sinistral [left hand opening]

Common form with right hand opening:

Eastern Trumpetsnail

Gyliotrachela australis

 

 

 

Rarer left hand opening:

Border Ranges Staircase-snail

Velepalaina strangei