With over 80,000 species, molluscs form the second largest phylum of animals on Earth, and range from tiny snails to giant squid. Most molluscs are aquatic, but some slugs and snails live on land. A typical mollusc has a soft body, protected by a shell. The shell is formed by a layer of tissue called the mantle. Most molluscs belong to one of the four main groups-gastropods, bivalves, cephalopods, and chitons. Gastropods move with the help of a single sucker-like foot, which moves in a series of muscular waves.
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| Tonicella lineata, a polyplacophoran or chiton, anterior end towards the right |
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