Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The convoluted evolution of snail chirality.

M Schilthuizen1, A Davison

  • 1Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Locked Bag 2073, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. schilthuizen@yahoo.com

Die Naturwissenschaften
|October 12, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Snail coiling direction (chirality) is genetically determined with delayed inheritance. While most snails are right-coiling (dextral), rare left-coiling (sinistral) forms can persist due to mating patterns and reproductive isolation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The genome of the simultaneously hermaphroditic snail Lymnaea stagnalis reveals an evolutionary expansion of FMRFamide-like receptors.

Scientific reports·2024
Same author

Impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 on ectopic pregnancy management in the United Kingdom: a multicentre observational study.

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology·2021
Same author

Experimental approaches to free radicals and ageing.

Redox report : communications in free radical research·2016
Same author

Genome-wide association study of handedness excludes simple genetic models.

Heredity·2013
Same author

Clinical significance of first-trimester chorionic bumps: a matched case-control study.

Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology·2013
Same author

Hybrid zones, barrier loci and the 'rare allele phenomenon'.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2013

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Snail coiling, or chirality, is a visible trait determined during early development.
  • Most snail species (>90%) exhibit dextral (right-handed) coiling, with sinistral (left-handed) coiling being rare.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding snail chirality.
  • To explore the genetic, developmental, and ecological factors influencing snail coiling.
  • To investigate the mechanisms behind the prevalence of dextrality and rare sinistral forms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing genetic, developmental, and ecological studies on snail chirality.
  • Analysis of frequency-dependent selection and mating behaviors in chiral snail populations.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of speciation models related to chiral reversal.

    • Main Results:

    • Snail chirality is often controlled by a single gene with delayed maternal inheritance.
    • While frequency-dependent selection typically opposes chiral variants, stable dimorphism exists in some species (e.g., Amphidromus).
    • Chiral reversal can contribute to reproductive isolation and speciation, though rarely as a sole factor.

    Conclusions:

    • Further research is needed to understand the genetic basis and establishment of snail chirality.
    • Investigating more snail taxa, especially marine species, is crucial for a comprehensive understanding.
    • The evolutionary implications of chiral dimorphism and its role in speciation warrant further study.