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Helix is a genus of large, air-breathing land snails native to the western Palaearctic and characterized by a globular shell. [1] [2]It is the type genus of the family Helicidae, and one of the animal genera described by Carl Linnaeus [3] at the dawn of the zoological nomenclature.
Helix pomatia, known as the Roman snail, Burgundy snail, or escargot, is a species of large, air-breathing stylommatophoran land snail native to Europe. It is characterized by a globular brown shell. It is characterized by a globular brown shell.
The upper pair of tentacles on the head of Helix pomatia have eye spots, but the main sensory organs of the snail are sensory receptors for olfaction, situated in the epithelium of the tentacles. Main articles: Sensory organs of gastropods and Nervous system of gastropods
Drawing of cross sections of the extracted tentacle (left) and constricted tentacle (right) with and eye of Helix pomatia. 1 - nerve of an eye 2 - 3 - 4 - eye 5 - tentacle ganglion 6 - epidermis 7 - 8 - nerve of an tentacle 9 - retractor muscle 10 - Well-developed lens eye of Eustrombus gigas on eyestalk has a black iris.
For instance, 10-year old individuals of the Roman snail Helix pomatia are probably not uncommon in natural populations. [27] Populations of some threatened species may be dependent on a pool of such long-lived adults. [28] In captivity, the lifespan of snails can be much longer than in the wild, for instance up to 25 years in H. pomatia. [29]
The accepted name of the species was long considered to be Helix aspersa, a member of the genus Helix, like the Roman snail Helix pomatia. However, in a number of publications since 1990, [ 6 ] it has instead been placed in various genera previously considered as subgenera of Helix .
Helicidae is a large, diverse family of western Palaearctic, medium to large-sized, air-breathing land snails, sometimes called the "typical snails."It includes some of the largest European land snails, several species are common in anthropogenic habitats, and some became invasive on other continents.
Shells of two different species of sea snail: on the left is the normally sinistral (left-handed) shell of Neptunea angulata, on the right is the normally dextral (right-handed) shell of Neptunea despecta The shell of a large land snail (probably Helix pomatia) with parts broken off to show the interior structure.