What is the phylum mollusca?

Molluscs include, among other things, clams, squids, octopuses, and gastropods (bivalvia, cephalapoda, and gastropoda, respectively).

They have fleshy bodies usually enclosed within a hard shell, with three segments: a head-foot, a visceral mass, and a mantle. There are eight lineages in total, though there are many species within them.

While some are hermaphrodites, the majority reproduce sexually through internal or external fertilization.

Here's a fantastic website if you want to learn more about the phylum:)

A look at mollusks at https://tutor.hix.ai

Please feel free to ask questions if you would like more information about any of the individual classes. My professor, who is very passionate about taxonomy, has provided me with additional notes from my course this past semester, particularly regarding bivalvia, cephalapoda, and gastropoda. Good luck!

The phylum Mollusca is a diverse group of invertebrate animals that includes organisms such as snails, slugs, clams, squid, and octopuses. They typically have soft bodies, often protected by a hard shell, and are characterized by a muscular foot, a visceral mass containing internal organs, and a mantle that often secretes the shell.