Explore the Collection: Molluscs
Animals such as squid, mussels, scallops, octopus and sea slugs belong to the phylum Mollusca. These animals all have soft bodies that do not contain bones. Most molluscs have a hard, chalky shell. However, some, like squid and cuttlefish, may have a fragile shell located inside the animal, or the shell may be absent, as in some sea slugs.
Many species of molluscs are collected for a variety of uses, particularly for food and for use as ornaments - pearls form inside the bodies of many molluscs, with the most valuable coming from tropical pearl shells, and some molluscs such as abalone and oysters are considered delicacies around the world.
There are approximately 100,000 molluscan species worldwide – on land, in freshwater and in the seas – and over 1,200 marine species have been recorded from the varied marine habitats of the Dampier Archipelago.
Did you know?
One characteristic of this group is the presence of a muscular foot, as seen in snails. In animals such as squid, the foot forms the ring of eight suckered arms around its head.
Mollusc Species:
Click on any of the Mollusc species below to read more.
Nudibranchs
The vividly coloured nudibranchs, or sea slugs, belong to a group of gastropod molluscs known as the Opisthobranchs. The opisthobranchs are quite varied in that some possess a shell (internal or external), some have the merest remnant of a shell and others have no shell at all.
Read more about Nudibranchs…
Periwinkles
This picture of the periwinkle Littoraria pallescens on a branch of a mangrove tree illustrates the ability of this group of gastropods to temporarily live out of water.
Read more about Periwinkles…
Chitons
Chitons are flat and generally oval in shape, with eight overlapping plates or valves embedded in the tough skin of their backs. Some species also possess protective spines embedded around the edge of this tough skin.
Read more about Chitons…
Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish are closely related to both squid and octopus. Their shells, known as cuttlebones, are located just under the skin of their backs. These shells aid in buoyancy control as it contains fluid and air.
Read more about Cuttlefish…
Octopus
Octopuses belong to the same group of molluscs as squid and cuttlefish. Unlike most other molluscs, octopus do not posses either an internal or external shell.
Read more about Octopuses…
