1 - Foot 2 - Genital Orifice 3 - Radula 4 - mouth 5 - Jaw 6 - Tentacles

7 - Stomach 8 - Anus 9 - Excretory duct 10 -Lung 11 -Hermaphrodite gonad

	Heart		Salivary glands
	Liver		Genital system
	Kidney		Pancreas

MORPHOLOGY

The snail is an invertebrate mollusk. The external skeleton is the shell. The body is divided into three parts: head, foot and visceral mass. On its head, there are one mouth, four tentacles and a genital orifice. The eyes are located on the two biggest tentacles while the two smallest tentacles have the function of touch. The genital orifice is located on the right side behind the head.

Since the snail is hermaphrodite (it has both male and female reproductive organs), it has a vagina, a penis and a calcareous dart inside the orifice. The foot is the muscular mass that spreads out in front of and behind the shell. The visceral mass is located inside the shell. The liver, kidney, heart and part of the intestines are located in the visceral mass. The shell is the skeleton of the snail. Shape and color vary according to the species. The shell also protects the snail from predators, light, heat and low temperatures. It is rich in calcium carbonate, an essencial element to snails.

In terms of commercial value in Brazil, these are the most important species::

Helix aspersa maxima OR GROS GRIS
Very prolific and highly appreciated in both domestic and international markets. This species of snails can be raised in cold and mild climates. Adult weight for slaughtering is around 15 gms.

Achatina fulica OR CHINESE SNAIL
It's the most commercialized snail. When adult, it can weigh up to 200gms. It has a brown shell with very dark transversal stripes. It measures about 15cm across the shell. It's one of the most prolific species laying up to 200 eggs each time. Baby snails are sold for consumption with 15 to 20gms of weigh. It grows well in hot climate regions.

Helix aspersa OU PETIT GRIS
This is a small size snail. The shell diameter can vary from 18 to 30mm and its height from 20 to 30mm. It has an oval shape and its gray color blended with beige stripes contrasts with its dark, almost black body. Average weight is 7gms.

Helix pomatia OR BOURGOGNE SNAIL
It's the biggest European snail. The shell diameter varies from 30 to 55mm and its height from 30 to 50mm. The color of the shell changes according to the region where it's raised. It can have a vast array of red to dark brown. The Bourgogne snail has a cycle longer than that of Gros Gris and Turk snails. The average weight is about 22gms.

Helix lucorum OR TURK SNAIL
The Turk snail is very similar to the Bourgogne snail. The difference is in the color of the shell. The Turk snail has a shell with brown spirals and dark brown stripes while the Bourgogne snail has the same characteristics but in lighter colors. Average weight is 20gms. 

The snail, by nature, is an herbivore. It feeds at night basically on lettuce, green collards, carrots, bur, cucumber and chayote squash. It can also eat dry homemade ration.

The snail is not a true hermaphrodite. Mating with another snail is necessary for fertilization. Courtship, preceeding fertilization, is common and usually lasts about 20 minutes. Using the calcareous dart, the snails touch and circle around each other until they couple. Following this, they remain side by side, in opposite direction, penetrating each other reciprocally with their penises in their vaginas. When they climax, each snail receives some sperm and stores it in the seminal receptacle. Coupling lasts between 10 to 12 hours. After this period, the ovum is mature to receive the sperm and be fertilized turning into eggs.

The laying of eggs takes place 15 to 25 days after coupling. Burying part of its shell, the snail, with the help of its head and part of the foot, digs a hole in the shape of an inverted mushroom. The depth of the nest varies from 3 to 15cms and the laying of eggs from 24 to 30 hours. The number of eggs laid, the depth of the nest and time to lay eggs vary according to the species. The most known species, the Chinese snail, can lay a clutch of over 200 eggs.

Incubation takes between 16 to 30 days, depending on the environmental conditions imposed like temperature and humidity. The young snail remains in the nest between 3 to 5 days before it finds its way to the surface. Leaving the nest takes about 24 to 30 hours.

After eclosion, the young snail devores everything it finds. First, it starts eating the remains of the membrane that protected the egg it hatched from(the membrane is rich in protein, minerals and calcium). Next, the snail eats the soil surrounding the nest, opening a gate to the outside world.

When on the surface, the young snail tries to find first a shelter and not food. The snail hibernates to protect itself from wind and low temperatures, if necessary.

Once adapted to its new environment, the small mollusk starts searching for food and water, always returning to its shelter. In Brazil, there are some species of snails that reach adult size in only 4 months, depending on the climate, food and special care given by the producer. In a single clutch of eggs, growing is heterogeneous. Precocity is an important element in a sucessful farming and depends on the selection of the reproducers