What are mollusks?
Q: What are mollusks?
A: Mollusks are an important phylum of invertebrate animals that are mostly marine animals, but they also occur in freshwater and on land.
Q: How many living species are in the mollusk phylum?
A: There are about 85,000 living species in the mollusk phylum, which is 23% of all named marine organisms.
Q: Where do mollusks live?
A: Mollusks mostly live in the ocean but they can also be found in freshwater and on land.
Q: What makes mollusks diverse?
A: Mollusks are extremely varied and diverse, which may be why there is no word in English for the phylum as a whole.
Q: Do all mollusks have shells?
A: No, some groups of mollusks such as octopods, slugs, and the gastropods known as sea slugs do not have shells.
Q: How do mollusks compare to brachiopods in terms of variety?
A: Mollusks have much more variety than their ancient rivals, the brachiopods.
Q: What does the statement "mollusks are plastic material" mean?
A: In an evolutionary sense, "mollusks are plastic material" means they have a great variability and potential for change over time.
