Walden:
Good day, Snail, may I call you snail?
Snail:
Yes, of course, if I told you my real name, you could not pronounce it. We
don’t hear like you do, but have statocysts, which help us detect vibrations.
My name is a type of whistle created by my foot that resonates in my cavity.
Walden:
I notice all your antennae. How do you sense the world besides vibrations?
Snail:
Yes, vibrations are important, but I also use eyestalks, but primarily for
detecting light and dark. We favor darkness in order to hide better and not to
be exposed to too much heat. We communicate by using chemical signals and we are
tactile; you know touchy feely.
Walden:
Hmm. Interesting. First question I ask all my guests, where are you found?
Snail:
I love the woods, but I’m found just about anywhere from big cities to the
deepest jungles. We especially love your gardens.
Walden:
Before we go into your relationship with fungi. What are your three
superpowers?
Snail:
My shell, my radula and, of course, my slime.
Walden:
Pray, tell.
Snail:
My shell is my portable safe room, thanks to a unique mollusk feature called
the mantle. The mantle produces my shell, controls the temperature and moisture
levels, keeping me cool and damp in hot weather and warm and
protected during colder periods. The shell is a hard calcium carbonate fortress
that shields me from predators like hungry birds or curious raccoons. Honestly,
I feel sympathy for my slug cousins who cannot protect themselves because of
the absence of a shell.
Unlike a crab who needs to shed its
exoskeleton to grow, my shell grows with me! The mantle adds new layers of
calcium carbonate at the opening of the shell. This allows me to expand my home
as I get bigger, ensuring a perfect fit throughout my life.
Walden:
What if your shell gets damaged?
Snail:
Accidents happen! Thankfully, the mantle can also repair
minor cracks or chips in my shell using special calcium-rich mucus. This keeps
my super power in top condition and protects me from infections.
Walden:
Tell me about your second superpower, the radula.
Snail:
Imagine a super powerful tongue made
of thousands of tiny teeth! That’s my radula.
It’s like a built-in cheese grater on my mouth. I use it to scrape and shred many
yummy things for dinner. Leaf buffet?
No problem! My radula can tear right through leaves. Algae on a rock? Easy peasy!
The tiny teeth scrape it right off. Of course, mushrooms are one of my favorite
meals. Next time you find a wild mushroom, look for comb-like scrapes from my
radula.
And the best part? New teeth are always growing in to replace
the old ones! So, I never have to worry about a dull grater.
Walden: What’s the radula made of?
Snail: Absolutely! My radula is a
ribbon-like organ in my mouth with thousands of microscopic teeth made of
chitin. These teeth are constantly being replaced at a continuous rate, like a
conveyor belt.
Walden:
Cool. Let’s talk slime, your third superpower.
Snail: You bet! Slime is an underrated
superpower for us snails. Here’s the scoop on how it helps me move and communicate.
My slime acts like a built-in traction pad. It’s a special mix of mucus,
proteins, and carbohydrates that creates a thin layer between my muscular foot
and the ground. This layer allows me to grip on many surfaces, even upside
down! Think of it like having super sticky sneakers that never need replacing. When
I move, ripples of muscle contractions (called pedal waves) travel through my
foot. This creates a wavelike motion that propels me forward. The slime smooths the path and reduces
friction, propelling me forward with ease.
My slime is a great way to leave a
message for other snails. As I move, I leave a trail of slime containing
pheromones, which are like chemical signals. These pheromones can tell other
snails things like where I’ve been, what I’ve eaten, and even if I’m available
for mating. It’s like leaving a scented calling card!
I can also use the slime trails left
by other snails to find my way around. This is especially helpful for young
snails who are following the trail of their parents to a food source or safe
hiding place. The slime trail acts like a helpful map, guiding us to where we
need to go.
So, as you see, slime is more than just a slimy mess! It’s a
crucial part of my movement and communication system, allowing me to explore,
find food, and connect with other snails.
Walden: To find
mates?
Snail: I am both male and female (hermaphrodite), but an exchange of gametes (sex
cells) is always fun.
Walden: Tell us about your mutualistic relationship with mushrooms.
Snail: Ah yes, mycophagy, we love feasting on mushrooms, and in return, we ingest the spores and then poop them out. We might be slow, but we spread spores throughout. Here is my slug buddy eating a Fly Agaric.
Walden: Thank you for your contribution to fungal distribution and
for being my guest.
Snail: It’s been a pleasure. Good sliming.
To learn more about Molluscs go The Living World of Molluscs
To contribute to Molluscan Mycophagy on iNaturalist click HERE
