Topic:

Molluscs

Molluscs include terrestrial snails and slugs, sea slugs, chitons, shellfish - bivalves and univalves, tusk shells, octopuses and squid, and the "living fossil" group known as monoplacophorans.  Although diverse morphologically, molluscs exhibit a variety of common characteristics, including a soft body (usually) surrounded by some sort of shell secreted by the mantle and a strong muscular foot used for locomotion. The shell may be external or internal or secondarily lost.

 

 

Mollusc taxa

There are ten major groups of molluscs, eight of which are still living; the other two are known only from fossils. These groups make up the 200,000 and more living species of mollusc. more>

Mollusc collection

Te Papa has a collection of over two million shells arranged in 2500 drawers. There is also a very large collection of shells preserved in alcohol together with their soft parts, as well as the shell-less molluscs, such as slugs, octopuses and squid. more>

Mollusc collectors

Te Papa's collections include contributions from a number of collectors. more>

Related topics

Related objects