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{{Taxobox
| name = Snails
| image = Grapevinesnail 01.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| image_caption =A grapewine snail (''Helix pomatia'')
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Mollusca]]
| Byron = [[Gastropoda]]}}

A '''snail''' is a [[Noun#Common nouns|common name]] for a kind of [[mollusc]]. The term is used for a [[gastropod]] with a coiled [[Animal shell|shell]]. Their fossil records extends back into the [[Carboniferous]] period.<ref>(in Czech) Pek I. ''et al'' 1996. ''Základy zoopaleontologie''. Olomouc. {{ISBN|80-7067-599-3}}.</ref>

Land snails and [[slugs]] breathe with a kind of [[lung]]. They used to be put together in a group, the Pulmonata. This was a well-known [[order (biology)|order]] in traditional [[taxonomy]]. However, the Pulmonata is [[polyphyletic]].<ref>Jörger, Katharina M. ''et al'' 2010. On the origin of Acochlidia and other enigmatic euthyneuran gastropods, with implications for the systematics of Heterobranchia. ''BMC Evolutionary Biology'' '''10''' (1): 323. [http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/323]</ref> This means the same life-style evolved in a number of different lines. This is called [[convergent evolution]]. Therefore, the Pulmonata is no longer an official term in [[biological classification]].

The term "snail" is also sometimes used for aquatic snail-like gastropods, which usually have [[gill]]s. Actually, most snail [[species]] are [[Ocean|marine]] snails. There are more species of them, and they are far greater in numbers. Many kinds of snails can also be found in fresh water [[habitats]].

Most land snails and slugs are [[herbivore|herbivorous]]. Aquatic snails and slugs are usually [[omnivore]]s or [[predator]]y [[carnivore]]s.

In many countries around the world, people eat snails as a delicacy. In [[France]], snails are called ''escargots'', which is also the name of the dish. In French cuisine, the snails are cooked in salt water and then served with a [[garlic]] [[sauce]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.snail-world.com/snails-as-food/ | title=Snails as Food - Snail Facts and Information }}</ref>

The biggest snail is the giant African snail. Their foot is up to 35&nbsp;cm long.
The fastest snail is the ''Helix aspersa''. It can reach speeds up to 0.047&nbsp;kmh.
There are known more than 43000 species of snails all over the world.<ref>[http://www.weichtiere.at/index.html ''Die lebende Welt der Weichtiere'' – Erstaunliches über Schnecken]. Website of Robert Nordsieck. Abgerufen am 6. Juni 2014.</ref>

== Body parts ==
=== Shell ===
Snails are [[invertebrates]], which are animals with no backbones. The shell on the snail helps protect it, and also reduces the loss of water by [[evaporation]]. Shells have many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Snails do not breathe through their mouths, instead they have a breathing hole under their shells.

=== Foot ===
A snails "foot" is a muscle which allows it to move slowly across the ground. The foot puts out ('exudes') [[slime]], which eases the snail's movement, leaving a trail. Snails can absorb mineral [[nutrients]] through their foot by simply sitting on a rock.

=== Head ===
The head is attached to the foot. On the head there are 15&nbsp;mm stalks. At the end of the stalks are snail’s eyes.

== Habitat ==
Snails are found all over the world. Generally speaking, land snails live in  damp habitats. They live in caves and dark places. Snails can be found in dark places such as in a garden under plant's foliage leaves. Some species live in cold places like the [[Arctic]] and a few are found in warm places like beaches and deserts.

== Food ==
Land snails eat vegetables and fruits, such as lettuce, carrots, cucumber and apples. [[Aquatic]] snails are often [[carnivorous]]. Snails use their radula to cut food. The radula is a hard, rough plate in the mouth. Radula teeth are like little pieces of [[sandpaper]]. They are good for cutting up plants and if the snail eats meat they are good for tearing the meat apart. 

Many animals eat snails. Fireflies, snakes, beetles, fish, insects, turtles and people eat snails too. To defend themselves, snails pull back into their shells.

== Related pages ==
* [[Ampullariidae]]
* [[Gastropoda]]
* [[Helix (genus)]]
* [[Slug]]
* [[Sea slug]]

== References ==
{{commonscat|Snails}}
{{reflist}}
* O’Neil, Sarah 1999. ''Snails''. Scholastic Canada. {{ISBN|0-7791-1181-8}}.
* Henwood, Chris 2005. Keeping minibeasts: snails and slugs. Sea to Sea. {{ISBN|1-932889-21-3}}.
* Stidworthy, John 2002. ''Cool facts: creepy crawlies''. Parragon 2000. {{ISBN|0-75255-903-6}}.
* Ghesquiere, Stijn 1998. ''Apple snails''. [http://www.applesnail.net/content]
* <references />

[[Category:Gastropods]]