Invertebrate Collections: Malacology
Malacology is the study of the group of animals called molluscs. Molluscs include chitons, clams, mussels, snails, nudibranchs (sea slugs), tusk shells, octopus and squid.
Molluscs are animals that have:
- an unsegmented soft body
- an internal or external shell (most species but not all)
- a mantle (fold in the body wall that lines the shell)
- a muscular foot and/or tentacles