What does a snail’s head look like?

A snail’s head has one or two pairs of retractable tentacles: upper tentacles and lower tentacles.

The pair of upper tentacles are long and stick into the air. At the tips of each tentacle is a rounded shape, which is the snail’s eye. They are called eye spots. It has two eyes. These tentacles can also smell and taste the air.

The upper tentacles are also called posterior tentacles or major tentacles.

The pair of lower tentacles are short and they are the snail’s olfactory organs, which act like noses, because they smell the air and taste the air. Land snails breathe air. The lower tentacles also help to find food on the ground.

The lower tentacles are also called anterior tentacles or minor tentacles.

On the underside is a small mouth. The mouth is partially covered by a pair of lobes (like ear lobes) or lips. The jaw on the upper lip can be seen when the snail is feeding, because it cuts the food (plants). 

It has a tongue called a radula. The tongue has rows of tiny teeth on it. These teeth can break off and re-grow.

The Giant African Land Snail (Lissachatina fulica) is a large mollusc in the Achatinidae family.

It is a macrophytophagous herbivore, which means that it eats a wide range of plant material, fruit, and vegetables.

Location: Paris Zoo, France

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM