DAVIS, E.C.; University of Kansas: Mucus trail detection in freshwater and terrestrial pulmonate snails

Mucus trail following has been observed in a variety of gastropods, including limpets, periwinkles, mud snails, and the rosy wolf snail. Some pulmonate snails have been shown to follow mucus trails with directionality. Because the snails are hermaphroditic, trail following may be used to locate potential mates. This study investigates the ability of snails to detect mucus trails on plexiglas and glass. On plexiglas, one third of the terrestrial snails, Mesodon clausus (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora), followed a conspecific marker trail. Over 90% of these followed marker trails with the same directionality. Preliminary observations of tentacle movements indicate trails can be detected before the foot contacts the marker trail. This experiment on trail following will be repeated using a common freshwater species, Physa gyrina (Pulmonata: Basommatophora). This research was supported by a grant from the Conchologists of America.