VerbarMollusca
prop. n. pl.
One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom, a phylum including the classes Cephalopoda , Gastropoda , Pteropoda , Scaphopoda , and Pelecyopoda (syn. Bivalvia , formerly called Lamellibranchiata , or Conchifera ). These animals have an unsegmented bilateral body, with most of the organs and parts paired, but not repeated longitudinally. Most of them develop a mantle, which incloses either a branchial or a pulmonary cavity. They are generally more or less covered and protected by a calcareous shell, which may be univalve, bivalve, or multivalve.
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