What is shell coiling?

coiling In many univalve and bivalve molluscs (Mollusca) the shells are coiled. The condition is most noticeable among gastropods (Gastropoda) and cephalopods (Cephalopoda), where it is obvious that the shell is a hollow cone, coiled up to a greater or lesser extent.Click to see full answer. Similarly, you may ask, why are snail shells coiled?Snail shell spiral switched. Shell-coiling is important because a snail’s sexual organs are usually twisted and it is difficult for snails of opposite handedness to reproduce. In addition, the way a snail catches prey depends on the handedness of the micro-organism or plant.Also Know, what is the shell of a snail called? The gastropod shell is an animal shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail. Keeping this in consideration, what determines the directionality of the coiling of a snail shell? This was discovered by analyzing mutations of snail coiling. Some snails have their coils opening to the right of their shells (dextral coiling), whereas other snails have their coils opening to the left (sinistral coiling). Usually, the direction of coiling is the same for all members of a given species.What is the function of the gastropod shell?The gastropod shell is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, a kind of mollusc. The shell is an exoskeleton, which protects from predators, mechanical damage, and dehydration, but also serves for muscle attachment and calcium storage.