How fast is a snail’s pace? The influences of size and substrate on gastropod speed of locomotion

Terrestrial gastropods display monotaxic direct crawling. During locomotion, smooth muscle contraction stimulates a series of pedal waves that move along the ventral surface foot. These interact with thin layer mucus produced by foot, propelling animal forward. Although mechanism which this process occurs has been well studied, less is known about how morphological or environmental factors affect process, and ultimately they may alter speed propulsion. In study, we tested influences body size, substrate type, orientation on crawling in terrestrial snail Cornu aspersum. We found texture had strong effect speed, whereas size presence conspecific trail did not. Crawling across rough sandpaper was most striking, showing clear inversely proportional relationship between abrasive particle speed. suggest be result attributes interfering adhesion production, subsequently affecting although gait choice frequency length each wave also play role.