snails
- Thread starter scooter80
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most of the time the answer to the gender question about snails is yes, both. Each individual pairing up will lay eggs fertilized by the other.
I think the large apple snails might be one or the other, and some snails can parthenogenetically reproduce, IE clone themselves.
I think the large apple snails might be one or the other, and some snails can parthenogenetically reproduce, IE clone themselves.
ramshorn (flat spiral) snails are hermaphroditic, mystery and other apple snails have individual genders. check out Apple Snails . they have sections on anatomy and breeding.
there are no snails that clone themselves, but certain pond species lay eggs inside of their own shell, so that the babies only appear when they hatch and crawl to freedom. i can understand how that might be really weird and look like the snail cloned itself, but it's not.
there are no snails that clone themselves, but certain pond species lay eggs inside of their own shell, so that the babies only appear when they hatch and crawl to freedom. i can understand how that might be really weird and look like the snail cloned itself, but it's not.
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MTS don't lay eggs I thought they did the whole "mini clone" thing. Is that not correct? They also only need 1 to reproduce, not 2.
And yes most snails are both with the exception of apple snails.
And yes most snails are both with the exception of apple snails.
MTS's are monoecious (both sexes in one individual and self-fertilizing). sorry about that. you're right.
MTS are reported to be parthenogenic females. No males have been identified. That would make them clones. See Apple Snails in the Aquarium, Perara & Walls, TFH (a popularization of the lead author's doctorate thesis, well referenced).
Bisexual snails do require two for reproduction intially, but like livebearer fish, can store either sperm or fertilized embryos, so can continue producing batches of offspring for an extended period without repeated couplings.
Bisexual snails do require two for reproduction intially, but like livebearer fish, can store either sperm or fertilized embryos, so can continue producing batches of offspring for an extended period without repeated couplings.
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Monoecious does not always mean self-fertilizing, although ... it can. It's not very common in nature but it some snails do "self." Kinky little things, aren't they.
As for telling m/f ... depends on the snail. Everything everyone is saying is true. Snails have a lot of different reproductive methods so we'd have to know the species you're working with to know if there is a way to determine sex. And for the most part, even is there is a way to determine sex, it's usually not an easy way. The best way is to cut the little guy open and look ...
That's the long answer, if you want the short answer I'd say: No, there is no way to determine the sex of a snail.
As for telling m/f ... depends on the snail. Everything everyone is saying is true. Snails have a lot of different reproductive methods so we'd have to know the species you're working with to know if there is a way to determine sex. And for the most part, even is there is a way to determine sex, it's usually not an easy way. The best way is to cut the little guy open and look ...
That's the long answer, if you want the short answer I'd say: No, there is no way to determine the sex of a snail.