Snails
The common snail
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda

The word snail is a common name that is used for almost all members of the molluscan class Gastropoda which have coiled shells in the adult stage. For Wikipedia aspects see WikipediaNaming conventions (common names, WikipediaNaming conventions, and WikipediaStyle manual. Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 The class Gastropoda or the gastropods, also previously known as gasteropods, or univalves, and more commonly known as Snails (Those snails which do not have a shell or only a very small shell are usually called slugs. Slug is a common non-scientific word which is often applied to any Gastropod mollusk whatsoever that has a very reduced shell a small internal shell )

The class of Gastropoda (the snails and slugs) is second only to the insects in terms of total number of species. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Snails are extraordinarily diverse in habitat, form, behavior, and anatomy, and therefore what is true of one snail species may not at all be true of another. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. The term morphology in Biology refers to the outward appearance ( Shape, Structure, Colour, Pattern) of an Organism Ethology ( from Greek ἦθος ethos, "character" and λόγος logos, "knowledge") is the scientific study of Animal Anatomy (from the Greek anatomia, from ana separate apart from and temnein, to cut up cut open is a branch of Biology that is the consideration

Snails can be found in a wide range of different environments from ditches to deserts to the abyssal depths of the sea. A ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel Water. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. The abyssal zone is the abyssopelagic layer of Pelagic zone that contains the very deep Benthic communities near the bottom of Oceans "Abyss" The great majority of snail species are marine. Marine biology is the scientific study of living Organisms in the Ocean or other marine or Brackish bodies of water Many others are terrestrial, and numerous kinds can be found in fresh water, and even brackish water. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " Freshwater is a word that refers to bodies of water such as Ponds lakes rivers and streams containing low concentrations of dissolved Salts and other Total dissolved Many snails are herbivorous, though a few land species and many marine species are omnivores or predatory carnivores. Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell Omnivores (from Latin omne all everything vorare to devour are species that eat both Plants and Animals as their primary A carnivore (ˈkɑrnɪvɔər meaning 'meat eater' ( Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour' is any animal with a diet consisting

Although the average person might perhaps be more familiar with terrestrial snails, land snails are in the minority. Marine snails have much greater diversity, and a greater biomass. Biomass, in Ecology, is the mass of living biological organisms in a given area or Ecosystem at a given time Snails which respire using a lung belong to the group Pulmonata, while those with gills form a paraphyletic group, in other words, snails with gills are divided into a number of taxonomic groups that are not very closely related. In Animal physiology, respiration is the transport of Oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues and the transport of Carbon dioxide lung is the essential Respiration organ in air-breathing Animals including most Tetrapods a few Fish and a few Snails The most primitive The Pulmonata or "pulmonates" are an order (once a Subclass) of Snails and Slugs that have developed a pallial Lung A gill is an anatomical structure found in many aquatic organisms In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos

Snails with lungs and with gills have diversified widely enough over geological time that a few species with gills can be found on land, numerous species with a lung can be found in freshwater, and a few species with a lung can be found in the sea.

Although the word snail is often used for all shelled gastropods, the word "snail" can also be used in a much more limited sense, to mean various larger species of air-breathing (pulmonate) land snails. The majority of this article is about air-breathing land snails.

Contents 1 Land snails 2 Slugs, the shell-less snails 3 Biology (primarily but not exclusively of pulmonate land snails) 3.1 Physical characteristics 3.2 Internal anatomy (land snails) 3.3 Hibernation/Estivation (land snails) 3.4 Reproduction (primarily land snails) 3.5 Lifespan 3.6 Diet 3.7 Predators 4 Snails in cuisine 4.1 Europe 4.2 Elsewhere 5 Cultural depictions 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References

Land snails

Species of land snails live in almost every kind of habitat, from deserts and mountains to marshes, woodland, and gardens. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Ecologically a woodland is an area covered in trees differentiated from a Forest. A garden is a planned space usually outdoors set aside for the display cultivation and enjoyment of Plants and other forms of Nature. However, certain species are "anthropophilic", which means they are found most often around human habitation.

Whichever reasonably large land snail species is most commonly seen or most commonly eaten in a given area, that species will usually be referred to simply as "snails" by the local people. In many parts of the world, the fairly large edible species Helix aspersa or Cornu aspersum, has been introduced, and has become a pest in farms and gardens, so this is perhaps a good example of a species commonly known as "the snail. Helix aspersa, Common name the garden snail; has two recent synonyms Cornu aspersum and Cantareus aspersus A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture "

Slugs, the shell-less snails

Main article: Slug

Gastropod species which lack a conspicuous shell are commonly called slugs rather than snails, although, other than having a reduced shell or no shell at all, there are really no appreciable differences between a slug and a snail. Slug is a common non-scientific word which is often applied to any Gastropod mollusk whatsoever that has a very reduced shell a small internal shell Slug is a common non-scientific word which is often applied to any Gastropod mollusk whatsoever that has a very reduced shell a small internal shell A shell-less animal is, however, much more maneuverable, and thus even quite large land slugs can take advantage of habitats or retreats with very little space – places that would be totally inaccessible to a similar-sized snail, such as under loose bark on trees or under stone slabs or wooden boards lying on the ground.

Taxonomic families of land slugs and sea slugs occur within numerous larger taxonomic groups of shelled species. In other words, the reduction or loss of the shell has evolved many times independently within several very different lineages of gastropods, thus the various families of slugs are very often not closely related to one another.

Biology (primarily but not exclusively of pulmonate land snails)

Physical characteristics

Most snails move by gliding along on their muscular foot, which is lubricated with mucus. pneumostome is a feature (the respiratory opening of the external body anatomy of an air-breathing land slug or land snail The foot is an Anatomical structure found in many Animals It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows Locomotion. In vertebrates mucus is a slippery secretion produced by and covering Mucous membranes It is a viscous Colloid containing Antiseptic enzymes (such as This motion is powered by succeeding waves of muscular contraction which move down the undersurface of the foot. This muscular action is clearly visible when a snail is crawling on the glass of a window or aquarium. Snails move at a proverbially low speed (1 mm/s is a typical speed for adult Helix lucorum^[1]). Speed is the rate of motion, or equivalently the rate of change in position often expressed as Distance d traveled per unit of Helix lucorum is a Species of large edible air-breathing land Snail or Escargot, a terrestrial Pulmonate Gastropod They produce mucus in order to aid locomotion by reducing friction, and the mucus also helps reduce the snail's risk of mechanical injury from sharp objects. Friction is the Force resisting the relative motion of two Surfaces in contact or a surface in contact with a fluid (e This means that they can 'walk' over sharp objects like razors without being injured. ^[2] Snails also have a mantle, a specialized layer of tissue which covers all of the internal organs as they are grouped together in the visceral mass, and the mantle also extends outward in flaps, which reach to the edge of the shell and in some cases can cover the shell, and which are partially retractible. The mantle is an important part of the anatomy of Molluscs It is the dorsal body wall which covers the visceral mass The mantle is attached to the shell and creates it by secretion.

When retracted into their shells, many snails with gills (including many marine, some freshwater and some terrestrial species) are able to protect themselves with a door-like anatomical structure called an operculum. The operculum, meaning little lid (plural opercula or operculums is a corneous or Calcareous structure which exists in some groups of marine freshwater and land (The operculum of some sea snails has a pleasant scent when burned, so it is sometimes used as an ingredient in incense. The operculum, meaning little lid (plural opercula or operculums is a corneous or Calcareous structure which exists in some groups of marine freshwater and land Incense is composed of Aromatic biotic materials It releases fragrant Smoke when burned )

Snails range greatly in size. The largest land snail is the Giant African Snail or Ghana Tiger Snail (Achatina achatina; Family Achatinidae), which can measure up to 30 cm. The giant Ghana snail, Achatina achatina, also known as the giant tiger land snail, is a species of Snail native to the forests of Ghana Achatinidae (New Latin from Greek " agate " is a family of medium to large sized tropical land Snails terrestrial Pulmonate Pomacea maculata (Family Ampullariidae), or Giant Apple Snail is the largest freshwater snail, with a diameter of up to 15 cm and a mass of over 600 g. The family Ampullariidae - commonly referred to as apple Snails - are large Tropical and Subtropical Amphibious The family Ampullariidae - commonly referred to as apple Snails - are large Tropical and Subtropical Amphibious Mass is a fundamental concept in Physics, roughly corresponding to the Intuitive idea of how much Matter there is in an object The biggest of all snails is Syrinx aruanus, an Australian marine species which can grow up to 77. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 2 cm (30 inches) in length^[3] and 18 kg (40lbs) in weight. ^[4]

As the snail grows, so does its calcium carbonate shell. Calcium carbonate is a Chemical compound with the Chemical formula Ca[[Carbon C]] O 3 A snail's shell forms a logarithmic spiral. Definition In Polar coordinates ( r, θ the curve can be written as r = ae^{b\theta}\ or \theta Most snail shells are right-handed, meaning that if you hold the shell with the apex (the tip, or the juvenile whorls) pointing towards you, then the spiral proceeds in a clockwise direction from the apex to the opening. A clockwise motion is one that proceeds 'like the Clock 's hands' from the top to the right then down and then to the left and back to the top When the animal reaches full adult size, many species of snails build a thickened lip around the opening of the shell. At this point the animal stops growing, and begins reproducing.

The shells of snails and other molluscs, and some snail egg casings, are primarily made up of calcium carbonate. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Because of this, molluscs need calcium in their diet and environment to produce a strong shell. Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 A lack of calcium, or low pH in their surroundings, can result in thin, cracked, or perforated shells. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. Usually a snail can repair damage to its shell over time if its living conditions improve, but severe damage can be fatal.

Most snails bear one or two pairs of tentacles on their heads. Tentacles can refer to the elongated flexible organs that are present in some animals especially Invertebrates and sometimes to the hairs of the leaves of some insectivorous In most land snails the eyes are carried on the tips of the first (upper) set of tentacles (called ommatophores or more informally 'eye stalks') which are usually roughly 75% of the width of the eyes. Stylommatophora is an Infraorder (also sometimes considered an order of air-breathing land Snails and Slugs terrestrial Pulmonate Gastropod The second (lower) set of tentacles act as olfactory organs. Olfaction (also known as olfactics or smell) refers to the Sense of smell. Both sets of tentacles are retractable in land snails. Stylommatophora is an Infraorder (also sometimes considered an order of air-breathing land Snails and Slugs terrestrial Pulmonate Gastropod The eyes of most marine and freshwater snails are found at the base of the first set of tentacles.

Internal anatomy (land snails)

A snail breaks up its food using the radula, which is a chitinous structure containing microscopic hooks called cuticulae. The radula is a toothed Chitinous ribbon typically used for scraping cutting and chewing food before it enters the Esophagus. Chitin ( C 8 H 13 O 5 N)n (ˈkaɪtən is a long-chain Polymer of a N-acetylglucosamine With this the snail scrapes at food, which is then transferred to the digestive tract. This is why, in a quiet setting, a large land snail can be heard 'crunching' its food: the radula is tearing away at what it is eating.

The cerebral ganglia of the snail form a primitive brain divided into four sections. In Anatomy, a ganglion (pl ganglia) is a tissue mass. Neurology In neurological contexts ganglia are composed mainly of The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain This structure is very much simpler than the brains of mammals, reptiles and birds, but nonetheless, snails are capable of associative learning. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Classical Conditioning (also Pavlovian or Respondent Conditioning) is a form of Associative learning that was first demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov ^[5]

Hibernation/Estivation (land snails)

Some snails hibernate during the winter (typically October through April in the Northern Hemisphere). For the ability of certain operating systems see Hibernate (OS feature Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression They may also estivate in the summer in drought conditions. Estivation or aestivation (from Latin aestas, summer also known as "summer sleep" is a state of Dormancy somewhat similar A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply To stay moist during hibernation, a snail seals its shell opening with a dry layer of mucus called an epiphragm. The operculum, meaning little lid (plural opercula or operculums is a corneous or Calcareous structure which exists in some groups of marine freshwater and land

(Some freshwater apple snails with gills have a "door" or operculum to close the shell when they withdraw, for protection from predators as well as to avoid desiccation. )

Reproduction (primarily land snails)

All land snails are hermaphrodites, producing both spermatozoa and ova. A hermaphrodite is an organism having both male and female reproductive organs A spermatozoon or spermatozoan ( pl spermatozoa) from the Ancient Greek σπέρμα (seed and ζῷον (living being and more commonly known An ovum (plural ova) is a Haploid Female reproductive cell or Gamete. Some freshwater snails, such as Apple Snails, and marine species, such as periwinkles, have separate sexes; they are male and female. The family Ampullariidae - commonly referred to as apple Snails - are large Tropical and Subtropical Amphibious Most snails can mate when they are around 1 year old. ^[6]

Prior to reproduction, most land snails perform a ritual courtship before mating. This may last anywhere between two and twelve hours. Prolific breeders, pulmonate land snails inseminate each other in pairs to internally fertilize their ova. Insemination is the introduction of sperm into the female Uterus of a Mammal or the Oviduct of an Oviparous (egg-laying animal during Internal fertilization is a form of Animal fertilization of an Ovum by Spermatozoon within the body of an inseminated animal whether female or hermaphroditic Each brood may consist of up to 100 eggs. In most Birds and Reptiles an egg ( Latin ovum) is the Zygote, resulting from Fertilization of the Ovum.

Pulmonate land snails and slugs have a reproductive opening on one side of the body, near the front, through which the outer reproductive organs are extruded so that exchange of sperm can take place. After this, fertilization occurs and the eggs develop.

Garden snails bury their eggs in shallow topsoil primarily while the weather is warm and damp, usually 5 to 10 cm down, digging with their 'foot'- the back of their 'tail'. Helix aspersa, Common name the garden snail; has two recent synonyms Cornu aspersum and Cantareus aspersus Topsoil is the upper outermost layer of soil usually the top 2 to 8 inches Egg sizes differ between species, from a 3 mm diameter in the grove snail to a 6 cm diameter in the Giant African Land Snail. The grove snail or brown-lipped snail ( Cepaea nemoralis) is one of the most common species of land Snail in Europe After 2 to 4 weeks of favorable weather, these eggs hatch and the young emerge. Snails may lay eggs as often as once a month.

The snail's shell develops while it is still an embryo; it is, however, very weak, and needs an immediate supply of calcium. Newly hatched snails obtain this by eating the egg from which they hatched. Baby snails cannibalizing other eggs, even unhatched ones, has been recorded. Promptly after they are finished ingesting their egg casings, they crawl upwards through the small tunnel remaining from when their parent dug their nest. At this stage, the young are almost completely transparent and colorless. Their shell is usually slightly smaller than the egg they hatched from, but their body length when out of their shell is slightly greater than the egg diameter. After a few weeks, the snails will begin to show their first tinge of color, usually slightly blue, before they turn their adult color. Roughly three months after they have hatched, they will look like miniature versions of their mature kin. They will continue to grow, usually for two to three years, until they reach adult size, although there have been confirmed recordings of snails growing amazingly fast - becoming even bigger than their parents in little more than a month. Irrespective of their rate of growth, however, it will still take at least 1 year before they are sexually mature. ^[7]

There have been hybridizations of snails; although these do not occur commonly in the wild, in captivity they can be coaxed into doing so. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa.

Parthenogenesis has also been noted in certain species. Parthenogenesis (from the Greek παρθένος parthenos, "virgin" + γένεσις genesis, "creation" is an asexual form ^[8][9]

Freshwater pond snails do not lay their eggs in the ground, but instead they attach them to something solid, or in some genera they carry the eggs internally until they hatch, a form of vivipary. A viviparous Animal is an animal employing vivipary: the embryo develops inside the body of the mother as opposed to outside in an egg ( Ovipary

Lifespan

The lifespan of snails varies from species to species. In the wild, Achatinidae snails live around 5 to 7 years and Helix snails live about 2 to 3 years. Achatinidae (New Latin from Greek " agate " is a family of medium to large sized tropical land Snails terrestrial Pulmonate Helix is a Genus of terrestrial pulmonate Snails native to Europe and the regions around the Mediterranean Sea. Aquatic Apple Snails live only a year or so. Most deaths are due to predators or parasites. Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species. In captivity, their lifespan is much longer, ranging from 10 to 15 years for most species. On occasions, snails have lived beyond this lifespan, up to 30 years. ^[10]

Diet

In the wild, snails eat a variety of different foods. They can cause damage to agricultural crops and garden plants, and are therefore often regarded as pests. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Gardening is the practice of growing Plants for their attractive flowers or foliage and Vegetables or Fruits for consumption A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted Aquatic snails eat other varieties of food such as plankton, algae, plants, and other microscopic organisms that live underwater. Plankton consist of any drifting Organisms ( Animals Plants Archaea, or Bacteria) that inhabit the Pelagic zone of Algae ( sing. alga are a large and diverse group of simple typically Autotrophic organisms ranging from Unicellular to Multicellular forms Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. A microorganism (also spelled micro organism or micro-organism and also called a microbe) is an Organism that is Microscopic (usually

Predators

Land snails have many natural predators, including members of all major vertebrate groups, decollate snails, ground beetles, leeches, and even the predatory caterpillar Hyposmocoma molluscivora. Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes The decollate snail ( Rumina decollata) is a medium-sized Predatory land Snail, a Species of terrestrial Pulmonate Ground beetles or carabids are collective terms for the Beetle family Carabidae. Leeches are Annelids comprising the Subclass Hirudinea. There are freshwater terrestrial and marine leeches Hyposmocoma molluscivora is a Hawaiian Moth whose Larvae are Predators capturing Snails in their Silk, much The Botia family of freshwater fish also feed on freshwater snails by sucking them out of their shells. Botia is a Genus of freshwater Fish in the loach family ( Cobitidae)

In the pulmonate marsh snail, Succinea putris, there is a parasitic flatworm, Leucochloridium paradoxum, which prevents the snail from retracting its enlarged and parasitized eye stalk, which thus makes the snail much more likely to be eaten by a bird, its final host. Succinea putris is a Species of small air-breathing land Snail, a terrestrial Pulmonate Gastropod Mollusc in Leucochloridium paradoxum is a parasitic Flatworm (or " helminth " that uses gastropods as an Intermediate host.

Humans also pose great dangers to snails in the wild. Pollution and the destruction of habitats has caused the extinction of a number of snail species in recent years. ^[11][12]

Snails in cuisine

Snails have been eaten for thousands of years, beginning in the Pleistocene. Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period They are especially abundant in Capsian sites in North Africa but are also found throughout the Mediterranean region in archaeological sites dating between 12,000 and 6,000 years ago. The Capsian culture (named after the town of Gafsa in Tunisia) was a Mesolithic culture of the Maghreb, which lasted from about 10000 to 6000 North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. ^[13][14] However, it should be noted that wild-caught land snails that are undercooked can harbor a parasite that may cause a rare kind of meningitis. Meningitis is Inflammation of the protective membranes covering the Brain and Spinal cord, known collectively as the Meninges. ^[15] Specialized snail caviar is also growing in popularity in European cuisine. Caviar is the processed, Salted Roe of certain species of Fish, most notably the Sturgeon ( black caviar) and the ^[16]

Europe

Snails are eaten in several European countries, as they were in the past in the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Mainly three species, all from the genus Helix, are ordinarily eaten:

• Helix pomatia, or edible snail, generally prepared in its shell, with parsley butter (size: 40 to 55 mm for an adult weight of 25 to 45 g. Helix is a Genus of terrestrial pulmonate Snails native to Europe and the regions around the Mediterranean Sea. Parsley ( Petroselinum crispum) is a bright Green, biennial Herb, also used as Spice. Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. ; typically found in Burgundy, France). Burgundy (Bourgogne Burgund is a region historically situated in modern-day France and Switzerland, inhabited in turn by Celts ( Gauls) This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
• Helix aspersa:
  • Helix aspersa aspersa also known as the European brown snail, is cooked in many different ways, according to different local traditions (size: 28 to 35 mm for an adult weight of 7 to 15 g. Helix aspersa, Common name the garden snail; has two recent synonyms Cornu aspersum and Cantareus aspersus ; typically found in the Mediterranean countries of Europe and North Africa and the French Atlantic coast). Cantabrian Sea redirects here Not to be confused with Biscay Bay Newfoundland and Labrador or Biscayne Bay.
  • Helix aspersa maxima (size 40 to 45 mm for an average weight of 20 to 30 g. ; typically found in North Africa).

Snails are a delicacy in French cuisine, where they are called escargot. French cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of France. Escargot is a dish of cooked land Snails usually served as an appetizer. In an English-language menu, escargot is generally reserved for snails prepared with traditional French recipes (served in the shell with a garlic and parsley butter). English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Allium sativum L, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the Onion family Alliaceae.

Snails are also popular in Portuguese cuisine (although not in the north of the country) where they are called in Portuguese caracóis, and served in cheap snack houses and taverns, usually stewed (with different mixtures of white wine, garlic, piri piri, oregano, coriander or parsley, and sometimes chouriço). Portuguese cuisine is characterised by rich filling and full-flavoured dishes and is an example of a Mediterranean diet. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. A stew is a combination of Solid Food Ingredients that have been Cooked in Water or other water-based liquid typically by Simmering Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice African birdseye (or African devil or African red devil) is a Cultivar of the Chili pepper that grows both wild and domesticated Oregano or ( Origanum vulgare) is a species of Origanum, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia Coriander ( Coriandrum sativum) also commonly called cilantro, is an annual Herb in the family Apiaceae. Chorizo (tʃo̞ˈɾiso̞ in Latin American Spanish or tʃo̞ˈɾiθo̞ in Castilian Spanish) Chouriço (ʃoˈɾisu in Portuguese) or Xoriç Bigger varieties, called caracoletas, are generally grilled and served with a butter sauce, but other dishes also exist such as feijoada de caracóis. Feijoada is a Stew of beans with Beef and Pork meats which is a typical Portuguese dish also typical in Brazil, Overall, Portugal consumes about 4,000 tonnes of snails each year. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. ^[17]

Traditional Spanish cuisine also uses snails ("caracoles"), consuming several species such as Helix aspersa, Helix punctata, Helix pisana or Helix alonensis among others. Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes which stem from differences in geography culture and climate Small to medium-size varieties are usually cooked in several spicy sauces or even in soups, while the bigger ones may be reserved for other dishes such as the "arroz con conejo y caracoles" (a paella-style rice with snails and rabbit meat, very popular in the inner regions of south-eastern Spain). In Cooking, a sauce is Liquid or sometimes semi- Solid food served on or used in preparing other Foods Sauces are not consumed by themselves Soup is a Food that is made by combining ingredients such as Meat and Vegetables in stock or hot/boiling Water, until the flavor Paella (pa'eʎa is an internationally famous dish consisting of White rice, Meat, Seafood, Beans and Vegetables (depending on Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Snails are very popular in Catalonia, where they are called "caragols" or "cargols. Catalonia (Cataluña Catalunya Aranese: Catalonha) is an Autonomous Community in the northeast part of Spain. " In fact, a snail celebration, the "Aplec del cargol," takes place in Lleida each May, drawing more than 200,000 visitors from abroad. Lleida (Standard Central Catalan ˈʎejðə or North-Western Catalan; Spanish Lérida, though officially referred as Lleida Popular Catalonian recipes for snails are a la llauna, grilled inside their own shells and then eaten after dipping them in garlic mayonnaise, or a la gormanda, boiled in tomato and onion sauce. Mayonnaise (sometime abbreviated to mayo in American English and other languages is a thick Condiment made primarily from Vegetable oil and Egg The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family Organicsalsajpg||thumb|right|Onions used in salsa.]]Cooked onions in frying pan

In Greece, snails are popular in the island of Crete, but are also eaten in other parts of the country and can even be found in supermarkets, sometimes placed alive near partly refrigerated vegetables. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the Customer divider barjpg|thumb|In supermarkets sellers periodically change prices for classes of goods in response to market conditions rather than negotiating the price of each good The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however In this regard, snails are one of the few live organisms sold at supermarkets as food. They are eaten either boiled with vinegar added, or sometimes cooked alive in a casserole with tomato, potatoes and squashes. Vinegar is an acidic liquid processed from the Fermentation of Ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient Acetic acid (also called ethanoic acid A casserole, from the French for "saucepan" is a large deep pot or dish used both in the Oven and as a serving dish The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita native to the Mexico and Central America, also called marrows depending Another cooking method is the Kohli Bourbouristi (χοχλιοί μπου(ρ)μπουριστοί)^[18] traditional Cretan dish, which consists of fried snails in olive oil with lemon. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees

In Sicily, snails (or babbaluci as they are commonly called in Sicilian) are a very popular dish as well. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Sicilian (scn '''''lu sicilianu''''' lingua siciliana, also known as Siculu or Calabro-Sicilian) is a Romance language. They are usually boiled with salt first, then served with tomato sauce or bare with oil, garlic and parsley. Snails are similarly appreciated in other Italian regions, such as Sardinia. Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily)

Heliciculture is the farming of snails. Heliciculture (snail farming is the process of farming or raising Snails History Roasted snail shells have been found in archaeological excavations an indication "They are protected in the wild almost everywhere (at least, the Roman Snail must not be collected any more), but the Roman Snail and the Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum) especially are cultivated on snail farms. Helix pomatia, Common names the Burgundy snail or Roman snail or edible snail, is a Species of large edible air-breathing "^[10]

Snails (or bebbux as they are called in Maltese) are a quite popular dish on the Mediterranean island of Malta. Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands

Elsewhere

Achatina fulica, the Giant East African Snail, is sliced and canned and sold to consumers as escargot. Neritidae, known as the nerites, are a Taxonomic family of small to medium-sized saltwater and freshwater Snails which have a The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. The river is located in northwest of Borneo and it originates in the Iran Mountains Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The East African Land Snail, Achatina fulica, is a terrestrial Pulmonate Snail species that has been widely introduced to Asia, to In parts of West Africa, specifically Ghana, snails are served as a delicacy. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Achatina achatina, Ghana tiger snails, are also known as some of the largest snails in the world. The giant Ghana snail, Achatina achatina, also known as the giant tiger land snail, is a species of Snail native to the forests of Ghana

Various snail species are eaten in Asian cuisines as well. Asian cuisine is a term used in the West as an umbrella term for the various cuisines of South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia and for fusion

Cultural depictions

Due to its slowness, the snail has traditionally been seen as a symbol of laziness. In Judeo-Christian culture, it has often been viewed as a manifestation of the deadly sin of sloth. Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian, sometimes written as Judæo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a classification of Vices that were originally used in early Christian Laziness (also called indolence) is the lack of desire to perform work or expend effort ^[19] Psalms 58:8 alludes that the slimy track of a snail is a sign that it will eventually wear itself away. Psalms ( Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or "praises" is a book of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament) included ^[20]

Snails were widely noted and used in divination. Divination (from Latin divinare "to be inspired by a god" related to Divine, Diva and Deus) is the attempt of ascertaining ^[19] The Greek poet Hesiod wrote that snails signified the time to harvest by climbing the stalks, while the Aztec moon god Tecciztecatl bore a snail shell on his back. Hesiod ( Greek: Hesiodos) was an early Greek Poet and Rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BCE The Aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology which contained the many gods (over 100 and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs In Aztec mythology, Tecciztecatl ("old moon god" also Tecuciztecal, Tecuciztecatl) was a Lunar deity, representing the old " This symbolised rebirth; the snail's penchant appearing and disappearing was analogised with the moon. ^[20] More recently, Carl Jung noted that the snail was representative of the self in dreams. For the John Cale minimalist album see Dream Interpretation (Album Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to Dreams In many of the In psychology, the soft insides are analogous to the subconscious, as the shell is the conscious. The term subconscious is defined as existing or operating in the Mind beneath or beyond Conscious Awareness. ^[19]

In contemporary speech, the expression "a snail's pace" is often used to describe a slow, inefficient process.

Gallery

Cornu aspersa, the Garden snail, in the USA	Cornu aspersa, the Garden snail, Hampshire, UK	C. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located aspersa, a brown Garden snail from Europe	C. aspersa, Garden snail from England
C. aspersa in a pool of water	White-lipped snail (Cepaea hortensis)	White-lipped snail (Cepaea hortensis)	Two grove snails, Cepaea nemoralis
Two grove snails, C. The white-lipped snail ( Cepaea hortensis) is a medium-sized Species of air-breathing land Snail, a terrestrial Pulmonate The white-lipped snail ( Cepaea hortensis) is a medium-sized Species of air-breathing land Snail, a terrestrial Pulmonate The grove snail or brown-lipped snail ( Cepaea nemoralis) is one of the most common species of land Snail in Europe The grove snail or brown-lipped snail ( Cepaea nemoralis) is one of the most common species of land Snail in Europe nemoralis, mating	Giant East African Snail (Achatina fulica)	Freshwater Snail (Pouch Snail)	The introduced snail Theba pisana in Kadina, South Australia[21]

See also

• Slug
• Snail racing
• Pasilalinic-sympathetic compass

References

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