| mollusca | <zoology> One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom, including the classes Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, PteropodaScaphopoda, and Lamellibranchiata, or Conchifera. These animals have an unsegmented bilateral body, with most of the organs and parts paired, but not repeated longitudinally. Most of them develop a mantle, which incloses either a branchial or a pulmonary cavity. They are generally more or less covered and protected by a calcareous shell, which may be univalve, bivalve, or multivalve. Formerly the Brachiopoda, Bryzoa, and Tunicata were united with the Lamellibranchiata in an artificial group called Acephala, which was also included under Mollusca. See Molluscoudea. (19 Mar 1998) |
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| molluscacides | Agents destructive to snails and other mollusks. (12 Dec 1998) |
| molluscan | <marine biology, zoology> Of or pertaining to mollusks. A mollusk; one of the Mollusca. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| molluscan catch muscle | <biology> Muscle responsible for holding closed the two halves of the shell of bivalves. Specialise d to maintain tension with low expenditure of ATP. Rich in paramyosin. (18 Nov 1997) |