Olfactory Organs
In terrestrial gastropods the most important sensory organs are the olfactory organs which are located on the tips of the 4 tentacles.
In opisthobranch marine gastropods, the chemosensory organs are two protruding structures on top of the head. These are known as rhinophores.
An opisthobranch sea slug Navanax inermis has chemoreceptors on the sides of its mouth to track mucopolysaccharides in the slime trails of prey, and of potential mates.
The freshwater snail Bithynia tentaculata is capable of detecting the presence of molluscivorous (mollusk-eating) leeches through chemoreception, and of closing its operculum to avoid predation.
The deepwater snail Bathynerita naticoidea can detect mussel beds containing the mussel Bathymodiolus childressi, because it is attracted to water that has cues in it from this species of mussel.
Some terrestrial gastropods can track the odor of food using their tentacles (tropotaxis) and the wind (anemotaxis).
Read more about this topic: Sensory Organs Of Gastropods
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