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Snails and slugs use sharp mandibles for ingesting plant material

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True
False

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Final answer:

Snails and slugs use a radula, not sharp mandibles, for ingesting plant material, so the statement is false. Gastropods are diverse invertebrates with various adaptations for feeding and living in multiple ecosystems.

Step-by-step explanation:

Snails and slugs do not use sharp mandibles for ingesting plant material; rather, they have a specialized structure known as a radula. This is false.

Snails and slugs belong to a group of invertebrates called gastropods. Gastropods rely on a unique feeding mechanism involving a radula, which is a tongue-like organ covered in tiny teeth. They use this radula to scrape or cut food particles.

Although some other invertebrate species, like nematodes, may use a sharp structure to feed, snails and slugs do not possess mandibles.

Gastropods include many diverse species that inhabit various ecosystems, from oceans to gardens. They are evolutionarily successful, and many feed on plants or algae, using their radula to ingest their food.

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