The Marine Biome Marine Invertebrates: Mollusca

Clams Mussels Snails Octopus Squid

Body Type Bilateral symmetry Soft bodied animals, most have a hard protective shell ▫ Some classified as bivalves Mantle covers the body ▫ Protective tissue

Body Type Most have eyes Octopi have well developed brains

Motion Snails and Bivalves have a muscular foot Octopi have one foot divided into tentacles

Food Snails are scavengers ▫ Scrape food off ground Bivalves are herbivores ▫ filter feeders Octopi and squid are carnivores ▫ shell fish and small fish

Food Octopi are eaten by sharks ▫ Can eject a dark ink which confuses a predator and allows the octopus to get away

Importance For the Biome: ▫ Some clean the ocean floor For Humans: ▫ Food ▫ Medicines ▫ Jewellery

Examples Giant Clam

Examples Flame Scallop

Examples Cone Snail

Examples Sea Slug

Examples Squid

Examples Blue Ringed Octopus

Examples Pacific Octopus

Videos Giant Pacific Octopus Mimic Octopus

Interesting Fact Cone shells are marine snails. They prey upon other marine organisms, immobilizing them with unique venoms. There have been 30 recorded cases of human envenomation by fish-eating cone shells, in some cases fatal. Upon investigation it was found that the toxins in cone shell venoms possess pharmacological qualities that make them valuable tools in medical research.