Questions and Answers
What is the superorder that includes terrestrial and freshwater snails and slugs?
Superorder Eupulmonata
Which family do true squids belong to?
Family Teuthida
What is the family name for cuttlefish?
Family Sepiidae
What type of evolution do limpets represent?
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What are synapomorphies of Phylum Platyhelminthes?
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What type of flatworms are described as non-parasitic?
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What is the defining feature of the Order Tricladida?
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Study Notes
Superorder Eupulmonata
- Part of Phylum Mollusca and Class Gastropoda, includes snails, whelks, cowries, and slugs.
- Subclass Heterobranchia, emphasizing terrestrial and freshwater habitats.
- The mantle cavity is adapted as a lung, replacing lost gills.
- Notable examples include large colorful terrestrial snails and the small brown coffeebean snail (Melampus), which thrives in mangrove swamps.
Family Teuthida
- Belongs to Phylum Mollusca and Class Cephalopoda, specifically the Subclass Coleoidea and Order Myopsida.
- Characterized by elongated shapes with postero-lateral fins for stabilization while swimming.
- Features two long tentacles that contract but do not retract into pouches.
- The tentacle structure includes club-like ends with four rows of suckers; suckers consist of muscular cups reinforced with chitinous rings.
- Males possess a modified left fifth arm (hectocotylus) for transferring spermatophores to females.
Family Sepiidae
- Part of Phylum Mollusca, Class Cephalopoda, and Order Sepiida, comprising cuttlefish.
- Cuttlefish are absent in local waters; found primarily in Europe, Africa, and Australasia.
- Notable for an oval, depressed mantle, eight arms, and retractable tentacles.
- Renowned for adaptive camouflage abilities that allow them to blend into diverse backgrounds.
- Possess an internal structure called a cuttlebone, which is chambered and calcareous.
Limpets
- Includes Subclass Patellogastropoda (True limpets) and Subclass Heterobranchia (False limpets).
- Represents convergent evolution; patellids are primitive gastropods while siphonariids relate more closely to sea slugs.
- Both typically have conical shells adapted to withstand wave energy in rocky intertidal zones.
Synapomorphies of Phylum Platyhelminthes (Flatworms)
- Acoelomate, triploblastic, and flattened body structure.
- Body volume is filled with mesenchyme, a connective tissue matrix.
- Absence of anus and hemal system; utilizes protonephridia for waste excretion and osmoregulation.
- Features a cephalized body with a bi-lobed cerebral ganglion and a longitudinal nervous system.
- Reproduction is hermaphroditic with internal fertilization during copulation.
Non-parasitic Flatworms
- Formerly classified under Class Turbellaria; includes all flatworms except parasites like flukes and tapeworms.
- Characterized as a paraphyletic clade with sizes ranging from under 1 mm to 60 cm; most species are small and carnivorous.
- Bodies are typically dorsoventrally flattened to enhance nutrient diffusion, though cylindrical shapes exist in smaller forms.
- Marine, freshwater, or benthic environments are common habitats, with few species adapted to moist terrestrial settings.
Order Tricladida
- Under Phylum Platyhelminthes, featuring cylindrical pharynx and a three-branched gut with multiple small branches.
- Represents significant diversity among non-parasitic flatworms, with no single "typical" representative.
- Girardia tigrina and G. dorotocephala, often found in educational settings, are commonly referred to as "planarians."
- Typically exhibit negative phototaxis, preferred habitats include areas under stones, leaves, or debris along shorelines.
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Description
Test your knowledge on Superorder Eupulmonata from the Phylum Mollusca. This quiz covers essential definitions and examples, including terrestrial and freshwater snails and slugs. Perfect for students studying invertebrate zoology!
