The name is most often applied to land snails. After the snails are cooked, they make a dish called Escargot, a delicacy in France. It can grow as large as 35 inches and weigh 40 pounds! Characteristics of snails. //-->. Numerous kinds of snail can also be found in fresh water. /* sci facts 728 */ This was a well-known order in traditional taxonomy.However, the Pulmonata is polyphyletic. The biggest snail is the giant African snail. Snails and slugs are similar animals. They live in caves and dark places. A snail is a collective name for gastropod mollusks applied to terrestrial pulmonate and land snails. Giant African Land Snail Fun Facts for Kids # 1. Put about 2-3cm of soil [preferably from where you collect the snail] in the bottom. The snail is a delicacy in French cuisine called escargot. A snails "foot" is a muscle which allows it to move slowly across the ground. Land snails, although better known than other types, represent a small group. Water snails' most abundant enemies are fishes of prey. google_ad_height = 600; Giant African snail has large, conical shell that can be 4 to 7 inches long, and made of 7 to 9 spirals. However, the common name snail is also used for numerous species of sea snails and freshwater snails. Facts and information about snails. The “giant tiger land snail” also known, as “giant Ghana snail” is the largest land snail in the world, their length can reach up to 12 inches. Sea snails refer to the kind of snails that exist in saltwater and are classified under the class Gastropoda. Their foot is up to 35 cm long. Snails and slugs belong to the group of soft-bodied animals called mollusks , which also includes oysters, clams, and squid. The fastest snail is the Helix aspersa. They live in similar habitats. The respiratory system includes gills and lungs. Some species live in cold places like the Arctic and a few are found in warm places like beaches and deserts. Snails live all over the world in soil (or dirt), sand, trees, under rocks or leaves, and in the rivers, lakes, and oceans. On the head there are 15 mm stalks. Snails produce a white slime whenever they move and feel their surrounding environment by touching objects using their tentacles. Reproduction | Snail Facts For Kids The female lays eggs ranging from 40 to 100 in number and are laid soon after mating. Close relatives of the snails are the slugs, which are basically snails without shells. During the courtship Snail kites make sounds that resemble a to sheep’s bleating. These animals move around on a single muscly “foot” and carry their home (shell) on their backs. This process is repeated and as more of the foot is dug in more of the foot is filled with water until the snail is buried under the bay bottom. The closest relative of the Snail kite is the Slender-billed kite. Snails can be found in dark places such as in a garden under plant's foliage leaves. Learn a little about snails and enjoy our collection of snail-themed colouring pages, puzzles and printables for kids! Facts about Snails for Kids- Information. Interesting Snail Facts: Snail can reach from 0.04 inch to 12 inches in length and from few ounces to 2 pounds of weight. Interesting Giant African snail Facts: Giant African snail can reach 3 to 8 inches in length and around 1.13 ounces of weight. Many animals eat snails. It is used for cutting food. Giant African land snail is the largest snail on the planet. Some marine snails actually can have lungs and some land based snails can have gills. //-->, Science Kids ©  |  Home  |  About  |  Topics  |  Experiments  |  Games  |  Facts  |  Quizzes  |  Projects  |  Lessons  |  Images  |  Videos  |  Privacy  |  Sitemap  |  Updated: Apr 11, 2020. Here are a few more facts: Snails hibernate in the winter. The name is most often applied to land snails. There are more snails on Earth than insects. Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom.