All about snails - 6

How do Land Snails Reproduce?

If you are entering into the world of snails, you will also begin to notice that the way in which they are built has allowed for their survival through centuries.  One of the ways in which this has continued to build is through the abilities to reproduce by these creatures.  The different features in which they can do this also provide them with the capacity to keep slugging on the land.

Reproduction of Snails

Snails will be able to reproduce differently than almost any other type of creature.  This begins with the build that all snails have.  Snails are considered to be hermaphrodites.  This means that every snail will have both male and female reproductive organs.  Most terrestrial gastropods are hermaphrodites. The only snails that have not adapted this attribute are some freshwater and marine species, specifically including Apple Snails and periwinkles.  These two types of snails still have separate male and female individuals.

The land snails will be considered sexually mature from one month and a half to 5 years, depending on species. This is because the life span of most land species does not last for more than five to seven years, allowing for a faster growth rate of the species.  The make-up of the snails will include their reproductive organs on the bottom of their body.  This is close to the front of their body as well, allowing for easier abilities to mate.

The mating practices of snails allow them to deliver eggs for new snails to be brought into life at a consistent rate.  Snails will go through a complete mating ritual with each other, usually which will communicate to the other snail for an average of two to twelve hours.  At the end of this ritual, the pair will fertilize the eggs in the other, so both of them will deliver eggs.  It is known that a snail can carry up to 100 eggs at a time.

When the eggs are fertilized, they will go through a process of growth inside the snail, until they are ready to be delivered. After that, both snails lay their eggs and bury them into separate places inside a small hole made in the topsoil in a cool place. This will allow the eggs to develop without being harmed.

It will typically take a snail egg two to four weeks in order to develop. (1) As soon as they hatch, they will immediately move into a survival mode.  This is because their shells will still be in a weak form.  Their reaction is to find calcium as soon as they hatch by either eating their own egg or eating other eggs in order to get the extra nutrients.  It will take around three months for the snails to completely form and look like a miniature version of an adult snail of their species.  While this takes place, they will stay in a nest that has been built for them, with the transformations being seen through a change in color, from a clear color into a blue then into the adult form that is representative of the species. After the snails are completely developed, they will detach from their parents.

The mating procedure of snails is one that moves through a specific process that helps the species to grow and survive.  This process start from the beginning of sexual maturity, followed by finding the right mate, locating and creating a place to deliver the eggs, hatching of the eggs and ending with the develop of small snails.
1- http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=2578