Found this snail making the neatest footprints this morning. But since they don't have feet like humans, it made me wonder if I should call this a "footprint." So I looked it up.
Snails and slugs are known as gastropods, which means 'stomach foot'. Even though they lack legs, much of their bodies are made up of one strong muscular foot. They lay down mucus and contract or expand this foot in a wave-like motion to move forward.
So yes, we can literally call these tracts footprints. 😁🐌
Read my comment below to learn why the trail is dotted.
:D funny! Yet I wonder why the mucus is only in spots. The snails I met left a continuous track of mucus. Maybe this one has a flat stomach? :D I don;t really know what i mean with that...
Maybe this one is smarter and has learned a way to tuck up the pod as it advances. Next time I see a snail trail I am going to see if it has darker and lighter spots. Thanks for info Chris.
Thanks for the comments everyone!! It took some digging but I found out why the trail is dotted. When terrestrial snails move, they sometimes lift up portions of their bodies out of contact with the ground (kinda like their body is moving in an arch-like motion).
They do this when they want to save on moisture in their bodies, especially during dry weather (We get dry heat in California in the summer). The movement is done so slowly and precisely that, at most angles, it's difficult for our eyes to perceive it.
Even though they're not actually hopping, this is referred to as jumping 😁
Really cool photo, Chris! And thanks so much for the information. I'm going to pass this on to my 5 year old granddaughter, who is totally fascinated with anything "nature". Thanks!! fav
Thanks for the comments everyone!! It took some digging but I found out why the trail is dotted. When terrestrial snails move, they sometimes lift up portions of their bodies out of contact with the ground (kinda like their body is moving in an arch-like motion).
They do this when they want to save on moisture in their bodies, especially during dry weather (We get dry heat in California in the summer). The movement is done so slowly and precisely that, at most angles, it's difficult for our eyes to perceive it.
Even though they're not actually hopping, this is referred to as jumping 😁
Sources: http://www.molluscs.at/gastropoda/index.html?/gastropoda/morphology/locomotion.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/27ge4u/this_snail_left_a_trail_of_circles_instead_of_a/