radula
Sign in to saveThe radula (; : radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure found in most mollusks, serving as their primary feeding tool. Often compared to a tongue, this minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon typically functions by scraping or cutting food before it enters the esophagus. Mollusks in every class possess a radula, except for bivalves, which instead employ waving cilia to draw in minute organisms for feeding.
Article
22 sectionsContents
- Components
- Radular membrane
- Hyaline shield
- Odontophore
- Flexibility
- Teeth
- Radula formulae
- Morphology
- Use
- Early mollusks
- In chitons
- In gastropods
- Anatomy and method of functioning
- Seven basic types
- Gastropods with no radula
- In cephalopods
- In solenogasters
- In caudofoveates
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
The radula (; : radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure found in most mollusks, serving as their primary feeding tool. Often compared to a tongue, this minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon typically functions by scraping or cutting food before it enters the esophagus. Mollusks in every class possess a radula, except for bivalves, which instead employ waving cilia to draw in minute organisms for feeding.
The radula typically functions as a rasping organ to scrape food particles. However, its form and use have diversified significantly; it is modified for drilling holes in prey shells (e.g., in Muricidae), transformed into venomous harpoons (e.g., in Conidae using conotoxins), or reduced/lost in fluid feeders (such as in the Pyramidellidae where the highly specialized, needle-like radula is called a stylet).