It’s a beautiful cool morning. The first sound of footsteps in the still sleeping houses breaks the silence. Gardens are awakened by dew and the flight of blackbirds. Already the leaves on the trees are turning yellow, brown and brown. It’s going to rain. Autumn is approaching. It is at first light that a small animal enters our gardens. He moves slowly, PortPort A typo of it OfOf And leaves behind a bright, shiny trail. snail That which seems so ordinary, so extraordinary, that which we sometimes pass by without noticing, almost to the point of crushing it. snail – a small mollusk of the family gastropodsgastropods – Hides many secrets. And as is often the case, to penetrate them, you have to get close to them. Observe it carefully. That’s a good thing, it’s the perfect activity for a nice cool morning.
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The snail is an unknown companion in our gardens.
So here we encounter a bit of gray, a SpeciesSpecies Snails are abundant in France. The first thing that jumps out. The eyesThe eyes This is its famous shell. It is shaped like a propeller, ColorColor Brown, striped with thin light bands and wrapped around a gray spiral. Snail shells vary by species; They come in all colors and shapes, from the tiny to the most spectacular! Just below the shell extends a long soft and rough body, brown, yellow and grey: this is the foot. Yes, a snail’s long body is actually its foot! It is made up of powerful muscles that contract and relax to allow it to crawl forward. Always moving forward, and it’s true, very slowly! At the end of the foot is the head of a snail. It sports two pairs of antennae, also known as tentacles. The largest are placed on top of the head and end in two small black eyes. Not very effective eyes… A snail’s eyesight isn’t the most impressive in the animal kingdom. To tell the truth, he especially notices the intensity of the lightthe light and fuzzy shapes. But, to know where it places its feet – or its feet – the snail can rely on its other, smaller tentacles near its mouth. He seems to have a joke. MustacheMustache ! These are tents. RetractableRetractableWhich means the snail can take them into its head at any time. If you reach your finger close enough to touch one… presto, the snail takes it back! Amazing, isn’t it?
The shell is actually the skeleton of the snail. This is even what we call one. exoskeletonexoskeletonBecause unlike us, it is located outside the rest of its body, and surrounds it like armor. It contains its organs, its intestines, its heart or even its unique space. The lungThe lung And protects his soft body. It grows with him during his growth. And it also allows us to go back in time! The tip of this squirrel’s shell is what we call it.PeakPeakand this is actually its birth shell! The entire shell of this snail has grown around the shell it was born with and still carries on its back. Magic! But what is a snail shell made of? Of CalciumCalcium And of CarbonCarbon ! Elements found in Tereterre and in plants and which the snail will absorb in contact with the soil or when it eats. Once absorbed, these elements will be transported through the blood to an organ called coatcoat. It is the coat that will create The matterThe matter It is necessary to enlarge the shell, ring by ring!
A tiny gastropod with unsuspected capabilities
You may be wondering if our partner of the day is a man or a woman. And that’s a good question, because a snail is an animal. hermaphroditehermaphrodite. A slightly complicated name that says it’s both male and female! Amazing little animal! In order to reproduce, a snail needs to find a mate to reproduce with. Once completed, the two snails each lay their own eggs. To lay the eggs, the snail excavates the nest before ejecting its young. Sometimes up to 100 eggs in one clutch! After 20 days, the babies hatch from their eggs to explore the world. They already have their own shell on their back: it’s small and transparent! They are so cute!
The slowness of the snail is not a myth. It has barely moved a few centimeters since we saw it and is now apparently determined to try to climb the large oak tree sitting in the middle of the garden. He is bold but not reckless! Because the snail is an all-terrain animal. It can cross roads, fields, climb together. murmur Or hang upside down on a branch. Yes, our little gastropod has abilities worthy of Spiderman. He owes this uncanny ability to adapt to his secret weapon: his drool! Or a bit scientifically its phlegm. The PhlegmPhlegm Produced by the snail allows it to move everywhere without getting hurt. Thanks to this, it shines on all surfaces. And if he wants to do two or three acrobatics, he can count on his feet that act like suction cups thanks to their sticky slime! Mucus has another important role: it allows you to keep your body moist. And this is very important for the snail because, without this moisture, it can dry out and die! Therefore, humidity is an important requirement for this mollusk. And that’s why he loves the rain! You’ve probably already seen it: a few raindrops are starting to fall and it’s an attack by the cute gastropods! There is nothing strange about it! The moisture from the rain actually allows the snail to produce mucus and move more easily over wet ground. So rain is a boon for the snail. This allows him to keep his body moist and move around without the loool!
Find out what is hidden inside the snail shell! © Weird Animal Patterns, YouTube
Soon, with the arrival of cold weather, this little gray will be buried underground to sleep! Like bears, snails hibernate! Because unlike us humans, who are warm-blooded animals, snails need to stay warm. The heatThe heat exists in its environment. This is what we call ectothermic animals, like lizards or snakes, for example! L’winterwinter So it represents a danger to him: it’s too cold, the snail can’t warm itself, and so it must find a place to shelter. Not one or two, he digs a small hole to bury himself underground! It then curls into its shell and blocks the entrance with its slime. As the mucus dries, it forms a layer. solidsolid called the epiphragm. Thus he spends the winter protected in a warm, tightly bound house on his back. Moreover, the extreme heat of summer also puts it at risk. But fear not, the summer version of hibernation, aestivation allows it to sleep in a cool place while waiting for the temperature to cool! Under him the windthe wind The slow, snail is an animal of astonishing abilities that lives in a delicate balance with its environment. And he still has some surprises in store for us….
Miracle mucus and memory: The snail, more surprising than it sounds.
As you now know, snail mucus keeps its body moist, allows it to move without injury, and is essential for the growth and repair of its shell. But it also has many properties that have been studied by humanity for thousands of years. Centuries ago, in China or Greece, snail slime was used to treat wounds! HippocratesHippocratesThe founder of western medicine already moisturizing, antipainpainetc Anti-inflammatoryAnti-inflammatory Slow slime! Nowadays, lazy mud is used in skin care; Consisting primarily of water, certain components of mucus, such as mucin, actually have the ability to regenerate human skin! And scientists are also studying it to develop revolutionary dressings, or even treatments to fight certain diseases one day, e.g. CancerCancer ! Yes, snail slime is a real pharmacy in itself! The snail also helps scientists study nature. Its shell is a. the windowthe window open to the environment. It allows you to go back in time, as it absorbs the elements in the soil and plants. And it makes this little mollusk what scientists call a biological indicator: a little spy able to tell us whether a natural place is healthy or, on the contrary, polluted!
At this point, you might be thinking that even though a snail is amazing, it’s still a bit silly. Well, nothing could be further from the truth! Certainly not a snail The mindThe mind Compared to what we humans have. But he has many. NeuronNeuron In different parts of his body, these elements that make up our brain and that allow us to think, learn, memorize! In the laboratory, scientists train snails, teach them exercises and thus are able to study the functioning of neurons and therefore our brains! And yes, snails have memory, the ability to learn new things and remember them!
So this cute little mollusk is far from ordinary. The snail actually lives a complex life in constant balance. He plays an important role in himself. EcosystemEcosystem Feeding plants, decomposing matter and becoming a food source for many animals. His phlegm is a real magic potion and he can even memorize drills. So no matter how small, slow and sloppy we are, we are still capable of accomplishing great things!
