Mollusk is a French word which is derived from Latin Mollusca. It is a phylum name which means tin shelled from mollis which means soft. Mollusk is the numerous marine invertebrates which are of the phylum Mollusca. They characteristically have a soft, un-segmented body, a protective calcareous shell and a mantle.
They include the snails and the edible shellfishes also. There are about 75,000 species of these soft bodied invertebrate animals. They are divided into two categories namely the gastropods and the cephalopods. The former one includes invertebrates such as snail, oysters etc. and the latter includes cuttlefish, octopus etc. Mollusks are economically important as food, and their shells are widely used in jewellery and decorative items.
They include the snails and the edible shellfishes also. There are about 75,000 species of these soft bodied invertebrate animals. They are divided into two categories namely the gastropods and the cephalopods. The former one includes invertebrates such as snail, oysters etc. and the latter includes cuttlefish, octopus etc. Mollusks are economically important as food, and their shells are widely used in jewellery and decorative items.
