Molluscs

Mollusca

Mollusca represents the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals, surpassed only by Arthropoda. Within this classification, individuals are commonly referred to as molluscs or molluscs. Currently, the scientific community acknowledges approximately 76,000 extant species of molluscs. Moreover, it is estimated that there exist an additional 60,000 to 100,000 fossil species. However, it is worth noting that a significant proportion of mollusc species remain undisclosed, contributing to a considerable number of insufficiently explored taxa.