GLOSSARY

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Here are the meanings of some of the words on this website that you might not know.  Some words have several meanings, this glossary only gives the meaning that applies to it where I have used it on these pages.  The words are in alphabetical order.

• carrion: an animal or bird that is already dead.

• epiphragm: the layer of mucus that dries to seal a snails shell,  or "glues" him to a stone or other object.  It stops him from drying out, and makes it harder for a predator to reach his body.  A tiny hole lets him breathe.

• foot-fringe: name given to the fringe around the edge of a snail's foot.

• lucifererase: one of the two chemicals that mix to give the glow-worm's glow.

• luciferin: one of the two chemicals that mix to give the glow-worm's glow.

• mantle: part of a snail that encloses his lung, it is the part we see when the snail is inside his shell.

• mortality: death rate, or numbers dying .

• mucus: slime!  Snails and slugs are coated with mucus, it helps them glide along, and leaves a shiny trail where they have been.

• ostracum: the thick underneath layer of a snail's shell.  It is made mainly from chalk.

• periostracum: the outer layer of a snail's shell.  It is made mainly from protein, and is hard, transparent and glossy - a bit like a coat of varnish.

• protoconch: the tiny beginning of a snail's shell that is there before it even hatches.

• whorl: each whole coil of a snail's shell is called a whorl.