CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Snail Encyclopedia (Snail Species)

Snails are afraid of strong light stimulation and have a distinct habit of moving towards darkness. They like to live in dark environments. They are nocturnal animals. If they are kept in the wild or outdoors, they are most active before dawn.

In a room with windows, it stays still during the day and does all its activities at night. Darkness is not darkness. If the snail is kept in complete darkness, it will be detrimental to its growth and reproduction.

Because weak light not only allows it to see food, but also requires a certain amount of light energy to stimulate its gonadal development. Without light, it will not develop, and will not mate or lay eggs for a long time. Therefore, there should be a certain amount of scattered light when raising snails.

Snails have a wide range of diets. If they have a choice, they will not eat inferior food, such as animal carcasses or carcasses of their own species, and lignin. Because eating these foods will not be of much benefit to the growth and development of snails, and sometimes even harmful. But they have to eat them in order to survive.

Additional information

The hibernation of snails is a concrete manifestation of their spontaneity and endurance. When a snail hibernates, it secretes a kind of mucus to seal the mouth of its shell, leaving only a small hole in the middle for weak breathing.

If a snail encounters an unsuitable environment, it will hibernate. When it is dormant, its metabolism is very weak and it neither grows nor reproduces. Therefore, when raising snails, special attention should be paid to maintaining the environmental conditions required for the snail's growth and reproduction, and not allowing it to enter a dormant period, so as to continuously increase efficiency.

Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia - Snail

【English name】Snail

【Latin name】Fruticicolidae

[Classification] Stylophora, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Macrohelicidae

Snail is not the name of a biological classification. It generally refers to all species of animals in the family Helicidae, and also includes some animals in other families of the class Gastropoda (including slugs, etc.). In general, Western languages ​​do not distinguish between aquatic snails and terrestrial snails. In Chinese, snails only refer to terrestrial species, although they also include many animals of different families and genera, but their shapes are similar. Snails have a relatively fragile, low-conical shell. Different types of shells are left-handed or right-handed. They have a distinct head with two pairs of tentacles on the head. The latter pair of longer tentacles has eyes on the top. There are flat and wide abdominal feet on the ventral side. They move slowly and secrete mucus under their feet to reduce friction and help them walk. The mucus can also prevent the invasion of general insects such as ants. Snails generally live in relatively humid places and hide in the bushes to avoid direct sunlight. Snails living in cold areas hibernate, and species living in tropical areas also hibernate during the dry season. The mucus secreted during hibernation forms a layer of dry film to seal the shell opening, and the whole body is hidden in the shell. When the temperature and humidity are suitable, they will come out to move. Snails are distributed almost all over the world. Different types of snails have different sizes. The African giant snail can be up to 30 cm long, while the wild species in the north are generally less than 1 cm. Generally, snails feed on plant leaves and tender shoots, so they are an agricultural pest. But there are also carnivorous snails that feed on other types of snails. The French use snails to make dishes, so they have cultivated a large and thick Burgundy snail, which is 40-50 cm long and weighs more than 40 grams. Now this artificially cultivated edible snail has spread to all parts of the world along with French cuisine. Snails are hermaphroditic. Some species can reproduce independently, but most species require two individuals to mate and exchange sperm with each other. Ordinary snails lay eggs in moist soil, and generally small snails will break out of the ground after two to four weeks. 100 eggs can be laid at a time. Snails have many natural enemies. Chickens, ducks, birds, toads, turtles, snakes, and hedgehogs all eat snails. Fireflies mainly feed on snails. Snails can live for 2-3 years, and up to 7 years, but most of them may become food for other animals in the same year. The symbolic meaning of snails in different cultures is also different. In China, snails symbolize slowness and backwardness; in Western Europe, they symbolize tenacity and perseverance; some nations use the actions of snails to predict the weather. The Finns believe that if the snail's tentacles are very long, it means that tomorrow will be a good day.

Snails have high edible and medicinal value. They are rich in nutrition, delicious, high-protein, low-fat, low-cholesterol, and rich in more than 20 kinds of amino acids. Snails are terrestrial molluscs of the gastropod class, and there are many species all over the world. According to relevant records, there are 40,000 species of snails around the world. Snails are distributed in all provinces and regions of my country, living in forests, shrubs, orchards, vegetable gardens, farmlands, residences, parks, gardens, temples, mountains, plains, hills and other places. However, there are very few species that are worth raising and eating. As a high-protein, low-fat, high-quality food and animal protein feed for humans, snails are increasingly valued by people.

【Appearance features】

The snail's entire body includes shells, heads, necks, shell membranes, feet, internal organs, capsules, etc. It has a spiral shell on its back. Its shapes are varied and of different sizes, including pagoda-shaped, gyro-shaped, cone-shaped, spherical, pipe-shaped, etc. At present, the white jade snail, the covered snail, the scattered snail, the bright snail, the brown cloud agate snail, etc., which are cultivated in China, all have their own unique appearance.

【Life habits】

Snails like to live in a dark, moist, loose and humus-rich environment. They hide during the day and come out at night. They are most afraid of direct sunlight and are sensitive to the environment. The most suitable environment is: temperature 16-30℃ (23-30℃, the fastest growth and development); air humidity 60%-90%; breeding soil humidity about 40%; pH 5-7. When the temperature is below 15℃ and above 33℃, they will hibernate. When the temperature is below 5℃ or above 40℃, they may be frozen to death or heat to death.

Likes to burrow into loose humus soil to live, lay eggs, regulate body humidity and absorb some nutrients, which can last up to 12 hours. Omnivorous and partial eaters coexist. Likes moisture and is afraid of flooding. In humid nights, and with wet food, the snail's appetite is active. But flooding can suffocate the snail. Self-feeding survival. As soon as the baby snail hatches, it will crawl and eat without the mother's care. When invaded by enemies, its head and feet will retract into the shell, and secrete mucus to seal the shell mouth; when the shell is damaged and disabled, it can secrete certain substances to repair the flesh and shell. Very tolerant. Snails have amazing survival ability and are very tolerant to cold, heat, hunger and drought. Like constant temperature breeding. The temperature is constant between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius, and the growth and reproduction are vigorous.

Nachimo [Eating habits of snails]

Snails have a very wide range of foraging food, and their staple foods include various vegetables, weeds, and melon and fruit peels; leaves, stems, buds, flowers, and juicy fruits of crops; and all kinds of green grass and green plant feed, succulent feed, bran feed, and cake feed.

[The four stages of a snail]

1) Incubation period: refers to the period from when the eggs are laid by the snail to when they hatch.

2) Juvenile snail stage: Juvenile snail refers to the small snail stage within 30 days after hatching.

3) Adult stage: The snails are between 1 month and 6 months old. The 5-month-old snails are called adult stage. It is the period between the young snails and the young snails. During this stage, the snails are growing and developing (individual expansion) and are also in the period of reproductive growth (growth and development of sexual organs).

4) Breeding snail stage: snails that are more than 6 months old.

Snail types

Snails are terrestrial shellfish mollusks. They have lived on Earth since ancient times. There are many types of snails, about 25,000 species, all over the world, and there are thousands of species in my country alone. Most snails are poisonous and cannot be eaten. There are about 11 species in my country that are edible, such as the brown cloud agate snail, the tall ring-mouthed snail, the Hainan snail, the wrinkled snail, the Jiangxi snail, the Ma snail, the white jade snail, etc. There are three main types of snails that are edible and artificially cultivated around the world:

French snails

It is also called grape snail, because it mainly lives in grape plantations and feeds on grape stems, leaves, buds, and fruits. It is also called apple snail because it looks like an apple. Its scientific name is Helix pomatia. It is native to central Europe. It is round in shape. The width and length of the shell are almost equal. Generally, the diameter of a mature snail is about 4 cm. The shell is thick, yellow-brown, and has a horizontal white band.

Garden snail

It belongs to the "Halex" snail, native to France, the United Kingdom and other regions in central and western Europe. It usually lives in gardens or bushes, so it is called "garden snail", also known as scattered snail. The adult snail is slightly smaller, about 3 cm in diameter, with a thin shell, yellowish brown, and 4 purple-brown bands, and the shell surface is covered with many small yellowish brown spots. At present, the scattered snails cultivated in my country are of poor economic benefits due to the degeneration of the species and small individuals.

Agate snail

Taiwanese call it Lu Lu, and in Guangdong it is called Dongfeng Lu, Cai Lu or Hua Lu. It belongs to the agate snail family. The agate snail originated from Malagasy Island in East Africa, and later spread throughout the tropical region. It is the largest snail in the world, so it is also called the African giant snail. The snail is cone-shaped, and the surface of the shell is covered with a layer of yellow-brown shell skin with dark brown patterns. Usually, the shell of an adult snail is about 6 to 8 cm long, 3 to 4 cm wide, and weighs more than 50 grams. In western Africa, especially the residents of the Gold Coast, snails are regarded as the only animal protein. Because this kind of snail meat is delicious, it is very popular among European and American bosses, making the African giant snail the staple snail in the world today. This snail is a species that is more adapted to growing under natural conditions in my country.

At present, the species commonly cultivated in my country is called Baiyu snail, also known as white meat snail, which is named Baiyu snail for its snow-white meat. It belongs to the phylum Mollusca, class Gastropoda, and terrestrial shellfish. It is hermaphroditic and is the best among all the edible snail species in the world. Baiyu snail is one of the special animals in my country, with special value, special nutrition, special flavor, special use, thick meat, rich nutrition, high protein, low fat, rich in more than 20 kinds of amino acids, and is also the best tonic for astronauts and athletes.

It is a variant of the agate snail. Its peculiarity lies in the different colors of the muscles of the head, neck and feet, but its morphology and living habits are no different from those of the brown cloud agate snail. The breeding methods are basically the same, except that the requirements for sanitary conditions during breeding are higher, and its export economic value is also higher.

[Harm and prevention of snails]

The snails of the same type use citrus trees as hosts, often eating notches in the leaves and the bark of branches, leaving pits in the fruits. Other host plants include tree seedlings, vegetables and flowers.

Snails can cause damage to soybean seedlings, which can cause damage to leaves and stems, delayed germination of seedlings, and reduced seedling success. In severe cases, snails can eat up all the seedlings, resulting in sterile fields. Comprehensive measures should be taken to prevent and control snails in soybean fields.

1) Clean the fields: After harvesting summer crops or vegetables, weeds in the fields, dikes, and ditches should be removed promptly, ditches should be opened to reduce humidity, and the soil should be tilled to improve the environment for snail growth and reproduction.

2) Eliminate adult snails: In late spring and early summer, especially before the peak of snail reproduction in May and June, eliminate adult snails in time. One is to release chickens and ducks to eat adult snails, and it should be done before pesticides are used. The other is to pick up snails manually. Pick up snails when you see them in the field, or use grass or vegetables to lure them and then pick them up, or pick up snails manually. This can achieve twice the result with half the effort in eliminating snails.

3) Chemical control aims to protect soybean seedlings. When the snail population is large and about to enter the peak period of damage, chemical agents are used to control snails. Use 300g of polyformaldehyde, 50g of sucrose, 300g of 5% calcium arsenate and 400g of rice bran (fry them in a pan first) and mix them into soybean-sized particles; use 0.5-0.6kg of 6% Mida snail-killing granules or 1.5-3kg of 3% Metol granules per mu, mix with 10-15kg of dry fine soil and spread evenly in the field. Apply appropriately in ditches and wetlands where snails like to live to minimize snail damage.

【Medicinal value of snail】

The Compendium of Materia Medica has long recorded the use of snails to treat diseases. Modern Chinese medicine also recognizes that snails have the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and treating thirst. They have an auxiliary therapeutic effect on diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, tracheitis, prostatitis, malignant sores and cancer. Efficacy: reduce swelling and treat sores, shrink anus and reduce prolapse, and promote urination. Application and indications: treat swelling and toxins; treat sores and initial stage; treat scrofula; treat toothache; Recently, the Russian Academy of Sciences' Advanced Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology is currently trying to use the nerve tissue of snails and other mollusks to treat Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is caused by the gradual degeneration of substantia nigra cells in the brain and the cessation of secretion of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Its main symptoms are muscle rigidity and tremors in the hands and feet. Studies have found that mammals have a weak ability to reject mollusks. Researchers implanted snail nerve tissue into the brains of mice, and the mutual compatibility can last for more than 6 months. After further improving the technology, Russian experts have been able to fuse snail nerve tissue with the brain tissue of mice with Parkinson's disease, and gradually restore the damaged brain function of mice. Based on the above results, Russian experts will use the nerve tissue of mollusks to conduct experimental clinical treatment on volunteers with Parkinson's disease in the next stage of research.

Medicinal Instructions

Other names: Tianluosi, Liniu, Guaniu

Source: Eulota similaris Ferussac, a member of the family Helicidae, is used as medicine in its dried form or as living individuals. Catch it in summer and autumn, scald it to death with boiling water, and dry it in the sun; if you want to use fresh products, catch them just before use.

Nature and flavor: salty, cold. Slightly toxic.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat and detoxifying, diuretic. Used for carbuncle, furuncle, hemorrhoid fistula, and urinary incontinence.

Dosage: 0.5-1 qian, grind into powder or make into pills or powder for oral administration. For external use, grind into powder or mash fresh product and apply to the affected area.

Excerpt: National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines

【Edible value of snails】

Snails are listed as one of the four famous dishes in the world along with shark fins, shellfish and abalone. They contain more than 20 kinds of amino acids and more than 10 kinds of trace elements as well as abundant snail enzymes and SOD. The protein content is 1, 10, 3 and 6 percentage points higher than that of soft-shelled turtle, pork, beef and eggs respectively, while the fat content is only 1/18, 1/272, 1/92 and 1/70 of that of soft-shelled turtle, pork, beef and eggs respectively; the selenium content of each gram of snail meat is 0.45μg, which is 4.5 times that of tea. From the perspective of market capacity, since snail food conforms to the new trend of naturalization, wild flavor, nutrition and health care, the domestic and foreign markets are vast. The annual demand for snail products in the international market is about 400,000 tons, and the United States alone needs to import snails worth 3 billion US dollars a year. The market price is also very high. The ex-factory price of snail meat in New York is equivalent to RMB 362.39 per kg. A dish made of 6 snails is priced at up to US$18. The price of fresh snails in France, Spain and other places is equivalent to RMB 116.11 per kilogram. The price of canned white jade snails that we have signed for export has also reached US$9,000 to US$14,000 per ton. White jade snails are a new variety selected and bred in batches in my country. They have tender meat, snow-white meat and large individuals. They will have stronger competitiveness in the international market. In recent years, China has developed new products such as health food series, biochemical medicine series, compound nutritional beverage series, cosmetics series, canned wild game, frozen meat series, etc., which use snails as the main raw materials. Several snail medicines for treating diseases such as tracheitis and prostatitis will be mass-produced. Natural nutritional cream can also be refined and processed from snail secretions.

Snails are known as "soft gold" internationally. They are tender, delicious and nutritious. According to measurements, every 500 grams of snail meat contains 90 grams of protein and a variety of nutrients needed by the human body, such as amino acids, vitamins, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, etc. Snails are cold in nature and salty in taste. They have the functions of clearing heat, reducing swelling, detoxifying, diuretic, relieving asthma, and softening hard masses. They have certain effects on diseases such as diabetes, cough, pharyngitis, mumps, lymph tuberculosis, sores, hemorrhoids, centipede bites, etc., so they are praised by gourmets as delicious delicacies and health products.

[Fear of snail]

Afraid of salt, due to osmosis, the water in the body will penetrate from the low-salt body to the high-salt body. Salt causes the snail to lose water in the body and die of dehydration.

According to scientists, the fastest speed a snail can crawl is about 12.2 meters per hour. Nowadays, people often use the word "snail crawling" to describe a very slow speed.

[Natural enemies of snails]

The most deadly natural enemy of snails is fireflies (the larvae eat the snail's body, and the adults lay eggs inside the snail's body). There are also snail beetles and mice. Some natural enemies that are not easy to find are parasitic wasps and flour mites. Flour mites should be the white insects you mentioned. Many of them live in groups and feed on the body fluids and epidermal mantle of snails or slugs. They do not cause much harm in a short period of time, but if they develop on a large scale, they will cause significant harm to snails. They should be eliminated as much as possible. When the snails are inactive, use raw bones with residual meat to attract them. Take out the bones after a morning. Doing this frequently can reduce the parasitism of flour mites! The only reason for this situation is that your breeding environment is not good! There is no timely cleaning of residues and excrement, or the humidity and temperature are too high.

[Origin of snail]

Snails are terrestrial molluscs with high edible, medicinal and health-care values. They have been used as food and medicine for more than 2,000 years. Abroad, snails are one of the seven popular game foods in the world and are listed as the first of the four famous international dishes (snail, abalone, scallops and shark fin). In France, they are known as French dishes. In Europe and the United States, Christmas is almost a celebration without snails. In recent years, a snail fever has quietly emerged in China's coastal open cities. During holidays, snails are sold out in the market. Comrade Deng Xiaoping tasted snail dishes before his death and praised them, saying that snail dishes fill a gap in China and should be well developed.

[History of snail farming]

Snails have a long history of being used for food and medicine in my country. More than 2,000 years ago, the "Yushi Pian" of Er Ya recorded snails in detail. In the 6th century BC, Tao Hongjing's "Ming Yi Bie Lu" recorded examples of snails curing diseases. In 1774 AD, Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty described the morphology and medicinal value of snails in detail in "Compendium of Materia Medica". Since the 20th century, many scientists have made many contributions to the study of snails, especially to the breeding and application of snails, but no breakthrough has been made. Until the 1980s, the production and export of snails in mainland my country were still very small, and the export volume was less than 1/10 of that in Taiwan Province. But since the late 1980s, when people conducted a comprehensive analysis and test of snails, they found that they contained 20 kinds of amino acids, more than 30 kinds of enzymes and blood agglutinins in their bodies. After truly understanding the value and role of snails to humans, the snail breeding industry has flourished and gradually become a prosperous family sideline in urban and rural areas of my country.

At present, there has been a craze for artificial snail breeding in more than 20 provinces and cities, including Hebei, Guangdong, Fujian, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hubei, Hainan, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Hunan, Sichuan, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu, and the craze is developing towards scale and industrialization. my country's snail breeding is catching up with the world's advanced level.

Before the birth of the white jade snail, many countries mainly bred the brown cloud agate snail because it reproduces quickly, has strong disease resistance, is easy to raise, and has the richest nutritional content. Since the white jade snail was bred, many countries have imported it because it not only has all the advantages of the brown cloud agate snail, but also has a beautiful color like jade. As a result, the white jade snail has become popular all over the world.

The development of white jade snails in China has accelerated the breeding and development of white jade snails. In a very short period of time, due to the joint efforts of many experts and scholars, not only the living habits and reproduction rules of white jade snails were figured out, but also the nutritional components of white jade snails were fully tested. Based on its nutritional value, a series of snail products were developed and exported to Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States. Therefore, the breeding and development and utilization of snails can be said to be both a traditional ancient project and a new high-tech project.

Foreign countries started studying snails later than my country. Scholars in some European and American countries started studying snails in the 18th and 19th centuries, but they were ahead of my country in development and utilization. In recent years, many developing countries have used their own resources to accelerate the development of snail breeding and processing industries, and made them an important export and foreign exchange earning project.

Snails are very rich in nutrients. The protein, coumarin, alkaloids, organic acids and other elements in snail meat are higher than those in soft-shelled turtles, pork and all egg foods. In particular, the protein content ranks first among animals in the world. Most of its biochemical indicators are much higher than spirulina, which is known as the health food of the 21st century. The high protein, high calcium, low fat and low cholesterol in snails are very beneficial to human health. There are more than 20 kinds of amino acids and more than 30 kinds of enzymes in its body, which are most needed by people but difficult to obtain from other foods. The lectin extracted from the snail protein gland has great application value in blood research. The price of each gram of lectin in the international market far exceeds the price of gold, so snails are known as soft gold.

In addition, snail enzymes extracted from snails are also important process raw materials in many industries such as medicine, biology, textiles, cosmetics, and fermentation. Therefore, the commercial value of snail farming is very considerable.

Snails are terrestrial molluscs. Common species include the homotype snail, the African giant snail, the snail, the Chinese white jade snail, the wild agate snail, the scattered snail, the bright snail, the brown cloud agate snail, the cover snail, the apple snail, etc. Their living habits and prevention methods are similar. Not all snails are harmful organisms.

【Key points of snail breeding technology】

1. The temperature is 16-40℃, 25℃ is the best, and it can be higher but not lower. Heating must be done with a ground dragon fire channel, which should be prepared all year round, especially in late spring and early autumn, to prevent sudden drops in temperature. If conditions permit, heating is the best, and do not use a stove for heating.

2. Humidity. The surface humidity of the breeding soil should be maintained at 25% to 35%, and the relative humidity of the air should be 85% to 90%. It should be kept wet but not dry. To control humidity and keep moisture, cover the top with plastic cloth.

3. To prevent dry wind and cold air from blowing in directly, the entrance should have double doors, hanging cloth and wind shield.

4. Resolutely control the entry of odorous gases into the breeding grounds.

5. The pH of the breeding soil must be controlled at 6.5-7.5. Do not use contaminated sandy soil that has been treated with pesticides or chemicals.

6. The breeding container must have good water permeability and air permeability.

7. Do not use strong light when not working. Darkness is best. Use 15W red bulbs for lighting at night to stimulate egg laying.

8. Egg hatching. The key to the success of snail farming lies in the hatching of eggs. The indoor temperature should be controlled at 20-25℃, the air humidity at 90%-95%, and the soil surface humidity at 25%-30%. The egg collection and hatching method should be improved, and the 60-day rotation method of breeding snails should be adopted. This method can greatly improve the breeding efficiency of snails, and the general shelling rate is more than 95%.

9. The feeding of young snails is the key to the success or failure of the rapid development of the number and production of snails. Special attention should be paid to the control of temperature and humidity. The temperature should generally be controlled between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius, the moisture content of the breeding soil should be 30% to 35%, and the relative humidity of the air should be 80% to 90%. Feed them with fresh and juicy feed supplemented with calcium food.

10. When humidifying the pool for snails aged 1 to 3 months, do not splash water on them. Use a sprayer instead, and warm water is best.

11. Remove sick or dead snails promptly.

12. Clean the feces frequently. It is best to raise earthworms and snails together to kill two birds with one stone.

13. To prevent natural enemy invasion, exterminate rats and ants, spray with 1/1000 dichlorvos solution regularly, which can effectively kill the snail's biggest natural enemy - mites. Use diluted peracetic acid regularly to disinfect the snail breeding places and kill pathogenic microorganisms.

14. The lowest cost and best effect feed formula: rice bran 50%, shell 40%, yeast powder 8%, others 2%.

Snail is not the name of a biological classification, but generally refers to all terrestrial species of the class Gastropoda. Generally, Western languages ​​do not distinguish between aquatic snails and terrestrial snails. In Chinese, snails only refer to terrestrial species, while the broad definition of snails also includes giant shield slugs. Snails are an animal that includes many different families and genera. Snails belong to the class Gastropoda, a mollusk; they feed on plants and lay eggs in the soil or on trees. They are more common on tropical islands, but some also live in cold regions. Arboreal species are brightly colored, while terrestrial species are usually several similar colors, usually with stripes. The largest species are the crystal snails in Africa, which are mostly over 20 cm. Several species of the European genus Macrohelicidinus are often used as delicacies, especially in France. Snails are the most common molluscs on land, and they have high edible and medicinal value.

Chinese name

snails

Latin name

Fruticicolidae

Aliases

Snail cattle, camel bag centipede

Binomial

Oophana heudei

boundary

Animalia

type

Any of about 22,000 species of land snails. Most are of the class Gastropoda. Subclass Pulmonata, with a few in the subclass Prosobranchia. Feed on decaying plant matter and lay eggs in the soil. Most common on tropical islands (such as Cuba), but also found in colder regions (where they hibernate during the winter). Arboreal species are brightly coloured, while terrestrial ones are usually monochromatic. The largest are the African genus Achatina, which are often over 25 cm long. Several species of the European genus Achatina are often eaten as delicacies, especially in France.

The snail is the animal with the most teeth in the world. Although its mouth is about the size of a needle tip, it has more than 26,000 teeth. There is a small hole a little below the middle of the snail's tentacles. This is its mouth, and inside it is a serrated tongue, which scientists call the "radula".

Snail is not the name of a biological classification. It generally refers to all species of animals in the family Helicidae, and also includes some animals in other families of the class Gastropoda (including slugs, etc.). Generally, Western languages ​​do not distinguish between aquatic snails and terrestrial snails. In Chinese, snails only refer to terrestrial species, although they also include many animals of different families and genera, but their shapes are similar. Snails have a relatively fragile, low-conical shell. Different species or nodal gene mutations will have different left-handed or right-handed shells. There are two pairs of tentacles on the head, and the latter pair of longer tentacles have eyes on the top. There are flat and wide abdominal feet on the ventral side. They move slowly and secrete mucus under their feet to reduce friction and help walking. The mucus can also prevent the invasion of general insects such as ants. Snails generally live in relatively humid places and hide from direct sunlight in the bushes. Snails living in cold areas hibernate, and species living in tropical areas also hibernate during the dry season. The mucus secreted during hibernation forms a layer of dry film to seal the shell mouth, and the whole body is hidden in the shell. When the temperature and humidity are suitable, they will come out to move. Snails are found almost all over the world. Different species of snails have different sizes. The African giant snail can be up to 30 cm long.

7 sheets

snails

The wild species in the north are generally less than 1 cm. Generally, snails feed on plant leaves and tender shoots, so they are an agricultural pest. But there are also carnivorous snails that feed on other types of snails. This artificially cultivated edible snail has spread to all parts of the world along with French cuisine. Snails are hermaphroditic. Some species can reproduce independently, but most species require two individuals with the same hand to mate and exchange sperm. Mutations in a single gene can change the hand, causing reproductive isolation. Ordinary snails lay their eggs in moist soil, and generally the small snails will break out of the soil after two to four weeks. They can lay 100 eggs at a time.

Snails have many natural enemies. Chickens, ducks, birds, toads, turtles, snakes, and hedgehogs all eat snails. Fireflies mainly feed on snails. Generally, snails can live for 2-3 years, and up to 7 years, but most of them may become food for other animals that year. The symbolic meaning of snails in various cultures is also different. In China, snails symbolize slowness and backwardness; in Western Europe, they symbolize tenacity and perseverance; some nations use the actions of snails to predict the weather. The Scots believe that if the tentacles of a snail are very long, it means that tomorrow will be a good day. Because snails move slowly, people often use it to describe a person who moves slowly like a snail.

value

Snails have high edible and medicinal value. They are nutritious, delicious, and high in protein.

9

snails

, low in fat, low in cholesterol, and rich in more than 20 kinds of amino acids. Snails are terrestrial molluscs of the gastropod class, with many species distributed all over the world. According to relevant records, there are 40,000 species of snails around the world. Snails are distributed in all provinces and regions of my country, living in forests, shrubs, orchards, vegetable gardens, farmlands, parks, gardens, temples, mountains, plains, hills and other places. However, there are very few species that are worth raising and eating. As a high-protein, low-fat, premium food and animal protein feed for humans, snails are increasingly valued by people.

Medicinal

Medicinal properties

Flavor

It tastes salty, is cold in nature and slightly toxic.

Indications

It is mainly used to treat injuries from falls, rectal prolapse of the large intestine, muscle tension and epilepsy; it can be ground into powder and drunk as juice to stop thirst; it can also be used to treat various swellings, hemorrhoids, fistulas, centipede and scorpion venom, and can be ground into powder and applied to the affected area.

Snail

Indications

It is mainly used to treat all malnutrition, facial ulcers, chronic dysentery and rectal prolapse.

Additional prescription

To treat rectal prolapse: burn one or two ounces of snails into ashes, mix it with lard and apply it on the affected area, it will shrink immediately.

Collection Introduction

There are many types of snails, more than 25,000 species have been discovered around the world.

Various snails

The most common edible snail in China is the African snail, also known as the brown cloud agate snail. Guangdong people call it "famous vegetable snail". The snail's active season is from May to November every year. When the temperature drops in winter and the weather is dry and hot in summer, the snail goes into a dormant state. Snails are photophobic and hide during the day and come out at night. During the day, they often lurk in dark and humid environments with overgrown weeds, lush trees, and lush crops, as well as in loose soil with a lot of humus or hide in dead branches, fallen leaves, and caves. If the ground is dry or after a heavy rain, snails often crawl onto tree trunks, crop stems, and the back of leaves.

Related research

The Compendium of Materia Medica already records the use of snails to treat diseases. Modern Chinese medicine also recognizes that snails have the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and curing thirst. They are also helpful in treating diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, tracheitis, prostatitis, ulcers, cancer, etc.

Snail moving forward

Effects: Reduce swelling and treat sores, shrink anus and stop prolapse, and promote urination. Application and indications: Treat swelling and treat poison; Treat sores and treat the initial stage; Treat scrofula; Treat toothache. The Russian Academy of Sciences' Department of Advanced Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology is currently trying to use the nerve tissue of snails and other mollusks to treat Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is caused by the gradual degeneration of substantia nigra cells in the brain and the cessation of secretion of neurotransmitters dopamine. Its main symptoms are muscle rigidity and tremors in the hands and feet. Studies have found that mammals have a weak ability to reject mollusks. Researchers implanted snail nerve tissue into the brains of mice, and the compatibility lasted for more than 6 months. After further improving the technology, Russian experts have been able to fuse snail nerve tissue with the brain tissue of mice with Parkinson's disease, and gradually restore the brain function of damaged mice. Based on the above results, Russian experts will use mollusks' nerve tissue to conduct experimental clinical treatment on volunteers with Parkinson's disease in the next stage of research.

Dosage

Source: Eulota similaris Ferussac, a member of the family Helicidae, is used as medicine in its dried form or as living individuals. Catch it in summer and autumn, scald it to death with boiling water, and dry it in the sun; if you want to use fresh products, catch them just before use.

Nature and flavor: salty, cold. Slightly toxic.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat and detoxifying, diuretic. Used for carbuncle, furuncle, hemorrhoid fistula, and urinary incontinence.

Dosage: 0.0025-0.005 kg, grind into powder or make into pills or powders for oral administration. For external use, grind into powder or mash fresh product and apply to the affected area.

Excerpt: National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines

Morphological characteristics

Snails have shells that are shaped like small snails and have various colors. They have four tentacles on their heads. When they walk, their heads extend out. When they are frightened, they retract their heads and tails into their shells. Snails have saliva on their bodies that can restrain centipedes and scorpions. In the heat of June and July, they will hang under leaves and rise up until they finish spitting and die.

Snails are the animals with the most teeth, but their teeth are not "stereoscopic teeth". Despite having thousands of teeth, they cannot chew their food. This is because they use their radula - a ribbon-like structure covered with teeth - to grind up food for digestion. Throughout their lives, their tiny teeth slowly wear down and become blunt, and are then replaced by new, sharper teeth.

Appearance Overview

The snail's entire body includes eyes, mouth, feet, shell, tentacles, etc. It has a spiral shell on its back. Its shape, color and size vary. Its shells are pagoda-shaped, gyro-shaped, cone-shaped, spherical, pipe-shaped, etc. The white jade snail, the big snail with a cover, the big snail with a scattered cover, the big snail with a bright light, the brown cloud agate snail, etc., which are now cultivated in China, all have their own unique appearance. The snail's eyes grow on the last pair of tentacles on its head.

Chemical composition

The same type of snail contains glycogen, galactogen, glutathione S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase.

Growth environment

Garden snail

Snails like to live in a dark, moist, loose and humus-rich environment. They hide during the day and come out at night. They are most afraid of direct sunlight and are sensitive to the environment. The most suitable environment is: temperature 16-30℃ (23-30℃, the fastest growth and development); air humidity 60%-90%; breeding soil humidity about 40%; pH 5-7. When the temperature is below 15℃ and above 33℃, they will hibernate. When the temperature is below 5℃ or above 40℃, they may be frozen to death or heat to death. But different types of snails are different.

Snails like to burrow into loose humus soil to live, lay eggs, regulate body humidity and absorb some nutrients, which can last up to 12 hours. They are both omnivorous and partial eaters. They like humidity and are afraid of flooding. On humid nights, if wet food is thrown into the snails, their appetite will be active. But flooding can suffocate snails. They survive by themselves. As soon as the baby snails hatch, they will crawl and eat without the care of their mothers. When they are invaded by enemies, their heads and feet will retract into the shell and secrete mucus to seal the shell mouth; when the shell is damaged and disabled, it can secrete certain substances to repair the flesh and shell. They have strong tolerance. Snails have amazing survival ability and have strong tolerance to cold, heat, hunger and drought. They like constant temperature breeding. The temperature is constant between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius, and they grow, develop and reproduce vigorously. When the snail crawls, it will leave a line of mucus on the ground. This is a liquid secreted from its body, so there is no danger even if it walks on the edge of a knife.

excretion

Snails excrete near their breathing holes, called spiracles, and excrete feces over their bodies, through their ventral feet and mucus, which eventually leave the feces on the ground.

breathe

The snail's mantle cavity forms an opening at the shell opening, called the "breathing hole," which is where gases go in and out. If you look closely, you will see that the breathing hole often opens and closes, just like the snail's "nose" for breathing; and when the snail retracts into its shell, it will still leave the opening of the breathing hole at the shell opening for breathing. The mantle often forms a cavity that communicates with the outside world between the feet or visceral masses, called the "mantle cavity." The snail's respiratory organs are hidden in the mantle cavity. Sometimes through the snail's shell, you can vaguely see the dense network of pulmonary blood vessels under the shell, most of which are located on the front side, close to the head, which is exactly the location of the mantle cavity.

feeding habits

Snails have a wide range of food, mainly vegetables, weeds, melon and fruit peels; leaves, stems, buds, flowers, juicy fruits of crops; all kinds of green grass, highland barley feed, juicy feed, bran feed, and cake feed. Snails eat with their mouths.

Physiological habits

White jade snails like to live in a dark, humid, loose and humus-rich environment. They hide during the day and come out at night. They are most afraid of direct sunlight and are sensitive to the environment. The most suitable environment is: temperature 16℃～30℃ (23～30℃, the fastest growth and development); air humidity 60%～90%; breeding soil humidity about 40%; pH 5～7. When the temperature is below 15℃ and above 33℃, they will hibernate. When the temperature is below 5℃ or above 40℃, they may be frozen to death or heat to death.

Growth period

Incubation period: refers to the period from the time the eggs are laid by the snail to the time they hatch.

Juvenile snail stage: Juvenile snail refers to the small snail stage within 30 days after hatching.

Adult stage: The snails are between 1 month and 6 months old. The 5-month-old snails are called adult stage. It is the period between the young snails and the young snails. During this stage, the snails are growing and developing (individual expansion) and are also in the period of reproductive growth (growth and development of sexual organs).

Breeding snail period: snails that are more than 6 months old.

Reproductive characteristics

When two snails meet, they touch each other with their tentacles, then face each other with their heads, connect their bodies, and touch each other's reproductive cavities. After a short pause, the reproductive parts suddenly reverse and insert the penis into each other's reproductive holes. Generally speaking, snail mating takes a long time, about 2 to 3 hours per mating, and sometimes up to 4 hours.

After mating, the fertilized eggs are laid out of the body through the reproductive pore. The eggs are laid in the soil a few millimeters deep underground or under rotten wood or fallen leaves. The snail larvae develop in the egg shells, and the hatched larvae have already become snails.

Snails are hermaphrodites, mate with each other, and both males and females lay eggs. The snail itself is both the father and the mother. Two snails cooperate with each other, and each will repeatedly stimulate the other's reproductive hole with its penis. After intense stabbing and thrusting, both penises will be inserted into the other's vagina and ejaculate. Ten days after conception, both can lay eggs, and eight days later, the eggs can hatch into baby snails.

The mating time is long, the egg laying speed is slow, and the difficulty is high. The mating time of estrus snails is as long as 2 to 3 hours each time, and some can last for more than 6 hours. Snails can lay 2 eggs per minute, and each egg laying time is as long as 1 to 2 hours, and some can last for more than 3 hours. During the egg laying process, snails often die due to poor feeding, lack of nutrition, exhaustion and dystocia. Deaths due to dystocia account for about 30% of the total number of snails.

The reproduction rate is high. Each snail can lay eggs 6 to 7 times a year, and an average of 200 eggs each time. A snail weighing 35 grams can lay 120 eggs each time, a snail weighing 40 to 50 grams can lay 150 to 180 eggs each time; a snail weighing 60 to 100 grams can lay 300 to 400 eggs each time.

The snail's reproduction is not limited by age. Under the same suitable reproductive conditions, the larger the snail, the more eggs it lays.

Short life span. The life span of a snail is generally 5 to 6 years. Unsuitable living conditions will accelerate the death of the snail and shorten its life span.

Three slow, two fast, one difficult, and one more. Three slow means slow movement, slow mating, and slow egg laying; two fast means fast growth and fast shell shrinking; one difficult and one more means difficult egg laying and laying many eggs.

Distribution

Living Environment

It lives in bushes, low grass, farmland and dark and humid areas near houses. It mainly feeds on plant stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and roots. It is one of the agricultural pests and also the intermediate host of some parasites of livestock and poultry.

It lives in dark and damp walls, grass, and trunks of bushes. It is also sometimes found in grass on hillsides. It feeds on the stems and leaves of plants. It harms crops.

Main types

Snails are terrestrial shellfish that have existed since ancient times.

21 sheets

snails

Snails have lived on Earth for centuries. There are many types of snails, about 25,000 species, which are found all over the world, and there are thousands of species in my country alone. There are about 11 species of edible value in my country, such as the brown cloud agate snail, the tall ring-mouthed snail, the Hainan snail, the wrinkled snail, the Jiangxi snail, the Ma snail, the white jade snail, etc.

There are three main types of snails that are used as food and cultivated around the world:

Chinese snail

The shell is medium-sized, thin and solid. The whole body is low-conical, 10mm high and 16mm wide. There are 5 to 5.5 whorls, the spiral part is low, slightly disc-shaped, the shell is pointed, and the suture line is obvious. The shell surface is yellow-brown or yellow. The body whorl is extremely swollen, and its periphery has a light brown band. In addition, there is also a lighter color band near the suture line at the bottom of each whorl. The shell mouth is oval, with a white porcelain-like rib inside. The umbilicus is cave-like.

Scattered snail

snails

It belongs to the "Halex" snail, native to France, Britain and other regions in central and western Europe. It usually lives in gardens or bushes, so it is called "garden snail". The adult snail is slightly smaller, about 3 cm in diameter, with a thin shell, yellowish brown, and 4 purple-brown bands. The shell surface is covered with many small yellowish brown spots. At present, the scattered snails cultivated in my country are of poor economic benefits due to the degeneration of species and small individuals.

Agate snail

Taiwanese call it Lu Lu, and in Guangdong it is called Dongfeng Lu, Cai Lu or Hua Lu. It belongs to the agate snail family. The agate snail originated from Malagasy Island in East Africa, and later spread throughout the tropical region. It is the largest snail in the world, so it is also called the African giant snail. The snail is cone-shaped, and the surface of the shell is covered with a layer of yellow-brown shell skin with dark brown patterns. Usually, the shell of an adult snail is about 6 to 8 cm long, 3 to 4 cm wide, and weighs more than 50 grams. In western Africa, especially the residents of the Gold Coast, snails are regarded as the only animal protein. Because this kind of snail meat is delicious, it is very popular among European and American bosses, making the African giant snail the staple snail in the world today. This snail is a species that is more adapted to growing under natural conditions in my country.

Nowadays, the species commonly cultivated in my country is called Baiyu snail, also known as white meat snail. It is named Baiyu snail for its snow-white flesh. It belongs to the phylum Mollusca, class Gastropoda, and terrestrial shellfish. It is hermaphroditic and is the best among all the edible snail species in the world. Baiyu snail is one of my country's special animals, with special value, special nutrition, special flavor, special use, thick meat, rich nutrition, high protein, low fat, rich in more than 20 kinds of amino acids, and is also the best tonic for astronauts and athletes.

It is a variant of the agate snail. Its peculiarity lies in the different colors of the muscles of the head, neck and feet, but its morphology and living habits are no different from those of the brown cloud agate snail. The breeding methods are basically the same, except that the requirements for sanitary conditions during breeding are higher, and its export economic value is also higher.

Snails are molluscs that live on land and belong to the class Gastropoda. They live in a wide range and can withstand severe cold and high temperatures. As the name suggests, snails are cows with snail shells on their backs. In fact, although they are small in size, they have horns, are strong, and have delicious meat, just like cows. France is the earliest place in the world to raise and eat snails. The recorded history alone can be traced back to the ancient Roman period. Today, snails are eaten all over the world, especially in Western Europe and Northern Huai Zaomei. There are about 40,000 species of snails, and the individuals are large and small. The largest is the African snail, which can reach 18×7cm and weigh 500 grams. Snails have strong vitality. On March 25, 1846, a British man brought back two snails from Egypt, glued them to a fixed plate, and put them in the specimen room for collection. When they were taken out for research on March 15, 1850, it was found that one of the snails had a newly formed mucus membrane on its shell. The researchers were very curious, so they took it off the plate and put it in a basin of warm water. Soon, its body emerged from the shell and it began to eat leaves the next day. A month later, it was fully recovered. This snail has survived for four years without food or water, which shows its strong vitality.