A "generalized Mollusc"
Further information: Mollusc shellBecause of the great range of anatomical diversity among molluscs, many textbooks start the subject by describing a hypothetical "generalized mollusc" to illustrate the most common features found within the phylum. The depiction is rather similar to modern monoplacophorans, and some suggest it may resemble very early molluscs.
The generalized mollusc is bilaterally symmetrical and has a single, "limpet-like" shell on top. The shell is secreted by a mantle covering the upper surface. The underside consists of a single muscular "foot". The visceral mass, or visceropallium, is the soft, nonmuscular metabolic region of the mollusc. It contains the body organs.
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