Gastropoda
/ˌɡastrəˈpəʊdə
/ /ɡasˈtrɒpədə/plural noun Zoology
A large class of molluscs which includes snails, slugs, whelks, and all terrestrial kinds. They have a large muscular foot for movement and (in many kinds) a single asymmetrical spiral shell.Here we cover a few groups that seem to be very close to the crown group Gastropoda (slugs + limpets)....
- The oval, flat foot is characteristic of the classes Monoplacophora, Polyplacophora and Gastropoda.
- Slugs are soft-bodied animals belonging to a class called Gastropoda (not insects).
Origin
Modern Latin (plural), from Greek gastēr, gastr- 'stomach' + pous, pod- 'foot'.