Land snails belong to the phylum Mollusca, the second-largest
phylum in the animal kingdom. Within the phylum, snails belong
to the class Gastropoda which typically possess: a well
developed head bearing a mouth, tentacles & eyes; a visceral
mass containing the reproductive & digestive organs, and a large
foot with a creeping sole. Apart from a few exceptions most land
snails belong to the order Pulmonata (gastropods which have
developed a pulmonary cavity or lung). The shell of the snail
houses and protects the soft parts of the animal. Introduced
Garden Snail, Cantareus aspersa Photographer: Alan Henderson /
Source: Museum Victoria Distribution and habitat Land snails
occupy a variety of terrestrial habitats, including gardens,
scrub, bush, rainforest and even desert. While native molluscs
are still present in large numbers, the majority of molluscs
species present in Victoria are introduced species. The
distributions of most of the native snails are restricted to
areas with native vegetation. In urban area