name: Mollusks

flavor_db_name_variants: mollusks

source: foodb

status: draft

food_db_id: Mollusks

id: 868

name_scientific: null

description: The molluscs or mollusks compose the large phylum of invertebrate animals known as the Mollusca. Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. Molluscs are the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all the named marine organisms. Numerous molluscs also live in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. They are highly diverse, not only in size and in anatomical structure, but also in behaviour and in habitat. The phylum is typically divided into 9 or 10 taxonomic classes, of which two are entirely extinct. Cephalopod molluscs, such as squid, cuttlefish and octopus, are among the most neurologically advanced of all invertebrates?and either the giant squid or the colossal squid is the largest known invertebrate species. The gastropods (snails and slugs) are by far the most numerous molluscs in terms of classified species, and account for 80% of the total. Molluscs have been and still are an important food source for anatomically modern humans, but with a risk of food poisoning from toxins that accumulate in molluscs under certain conditions, and many countries have regulations to reduce this risk. Molluscs have, for centuries, also been the source of important luxury goods, notably pearls, mother of pearl, Tyrian purple dye, and sea silk. Their shells have also been used as money in some preindustrial societies.

itis_id: 69458

wikipedia_id: Mollusks

picture_file_name: null

picture_content_type: null

picture_file_size: null

picture_updated_at: null

legacy_id: null

food_group: Aquatic foods

food_subgroup: Mollusks

food_type: Unknown

created_at: 2012-09-11T15:20:25.000Z

updated_at: 2019-12-11T19:40:42.000Z

creator_id: 2

updater_id: 2

export_to_afcdb: false

category: generic

ncbi_taxonomy_id: 6447

export_to_foodb: false

public_id: FOOD00868