Student Section: Taxonomy Unit

Taxonomy

Snail Identification Activity

Introduction

Gastropods play an important role in the ecology of the intertidal and subtidal ecosystems and are an interesting and diverse group of organisms. You will see a great number of these organisms on your trips to Rocky Point and to Catalina Island. It will make your trips a lot easier and more beneficial if you have an idea of the anatomy of these organisms and of their identification.

Objectives

To draw and label the parts of a gastropod shell.

To be able to correctly apply and use an identification key.

To be able to identify and recognize gastropods specific to student field trips.

Procedure

1. In your lab journal, draw a diagram of a "typical" gastropod shell. Label the aperture, umbilicus, apex, axial ridge.

2. From the provided shells:

Pick five specimens.

Draw and color the specimen, then label its features.

Identify the specimen as to its genus and species using one of the identification keys provided.

3. You will be evaluated on whether you correctly identified and labeled the species and whether you appropriately followed the directions.