Summary
Physical Description
Ecology
Life History & Behaviour
Anatomy & Physiology
Evolution & Systematics
Biogeographic Distribution
Conservation & Threats
References | Evolution & Systematics
Gastropods
are thought to have arisen from a monoplacophoran (a single bilaterally shelled
mollusc) ancestor who underwent torsion, the twisting of the visceral mass
above the foot by 180°(Barnes, 1963). This was followed by the
elongation of the shell and visceral mass for retreat when threatened and
planispiral coiling and later conispiral coiling of the shell. These
characteristics can be easily seen in the group of gastropods known as the
Prosobranchs while more derived gastropods such as the Opisthobranchs have undergone
partial detorsion (Barnes, 1963). Opisthobranchs are
characterised by their secondarily bilaterally symmetrical (euthyneurous)
nervous system, which replaced the twisted (streptoneurous) prosobranch nervous
system, and their tendency to reduce/lose their shell. The detorsion associated
with the euthyneuran nervous system highly concentrates and cephalises the
ganglia. Opisthobranchs share this characteristic with the pulmonates with
which they can sometimes be grouped with and known as Euthyneurans and the
sister group of Streptoneurons (Barnes, 1963). Detorsion and
reduction/loss of their shell allowed Opisthobranchs to exploit habitats poorly
or not at all exploited by prosobranchs.
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