molluscs – A type of invertebrate animal with a soft, unsegmented body and typically a shell

(Pronounced: mo-lusk)

Best examples of molluscs are snails, clams, slugs and octopuses.

To remember the meaning of mollusc, associate molluscs with snails and use that mnemonic to remember that molluscs are soft, unsegmented and usually have a shell. Use the following mnemonic:

To escape the molten lava, they climbed onto the elephant's tusk (mollusc) and the snails were saved. 

Molluscs are a large and diverse group of invertebrate animals that share characteristics despite their varied appearance. They all have soft bodies without an internal skeleton, and most are protected by a hard shell made of calcium carbonate, though some squid and octopuses have internal shell structures that offer structural support for their bodies. This is more common in squid that octopuses.

A mollusc's body typically features three main parts: a muscular foot used for movement, a visceral mass containing the internal organs, and a mantle that secretes the shell. The mantle is a layer of tissue that lies between the shell and the body. Molluscs include animals such as snails, slugs, clams, mussels, squid and octopuses. Molluscs can be found in marine, freshwater, and land environments worldwide.