Gastropods and Mollusks Adaptations

The video explores the evolutionary journey of mollusks, highlighting their adaptations and defense mechanisms. It discusses the Cambrian explosion and the development of the shell as a significant evolutionary milestone. The video also delves into the diversity of mollusks, particularly gastropods, and their ability to adapt to various ecological niches, leading to their success in the animal kingdom.

What are the two main abilities that make mollusks appear as winners in the animal kingdom?

• Ability to fly and swim

• Ability to live on land and water

• Skill in camouflage and speed

• Capacity to acquire nourishment and protect resources

What significant evolutionary development helped mollusks enhance their defense capabilities?

• Development of wings

• Formation of a hard shell

• Ability to camouflage

• Growth of sharp teeth

Why did trilobites become extinct while mollusks continued to thrive?

• Mollusks had more diverse evolutionary paths

• Mollusks had better eyesight

• Trilobites had weaker shells

• Trilobites were preyed upon by mollusks

What was the initial equipment that gave mollusks an advantage over other animals?

• A strong shell

• Tentacles

• The radula

• A fast swimming ability

What evolutionary feature allowed mollusks to exploit calcareous algae as a food source?

• Their strong jaws

• Their ability to fly

• Their radula

• Their tentacles

What is the significance of the radula in the evolutionary success of mollusks?

• It enables them to consume hard algae

• It helps them camouflage

• It allows them to fly

• It provides them with a strong defense

How did gastropods solve the problem of an unstable center of gravity?

• By developing fins

• By twisting their body structure

• By growing larger shells

• By moving to deeper waters

Which of the following is NOT a strategy used by gastropods to adapt to their environment?

• Twisting their body structure

• Growing wings to fly

• Developing venomous harpoons

• Living inside sea stars

What is a unique feature of the gastropod's radula?

• It helps them fly

• It is used to drill holes in bivalves

• It acts as a venomous harpoon

• It can be used for photosynthesis

What ecological niche do gastropods primarily occupy?

• Predators of large fish

• Consumers of reef rock attachments

• Scavengers of deep-sea debris

• Producers of calcareous shells