Thin layer of tissue that secretes the shell or protects the mollusk?

Thin layer of tissue that secretes the shell or protects the mollusk?

• A. Mantle
• B. Mantle cavity
• C. Foot
• D. Head

Answer: (A)

The mantle is the thick fold of tissue that surrounds the mollusk’s organs and is responsible for shell formation. It secretes the shell material, made of calcium carbonate and organic compounds, at the shell’s margins, building and enlarging the shell as the animal grows. In species without shells, the mantle still provides protection by covering and lining the body and mantle cavity. The other terms refer to different structures: the mantle cavity is the space inside the shell lined by the mantle where gills and excretory organs reside, the foot is a muscular organ used for movement, and the head contains sensory organs and the mouth.

The mantle is the thick fold of tissue that surrounds the mollusk’s organs and is responsible for shell formation. It secretes the shell material, made of calcium carbonate and organic compounds, at the shell’s margins, building and enlarging the shell as the animal grows. In species without shells, the mantle still provides protection by covering and lining the body and mantle cavity. The other terms refer to different structures: the mantle cavity is the space inside the shell lined by the mantle where gills and excretory organs reside, the foot is a muscular organ used for movement, and the head contains sensory organs and the mouth.