Zooacoro3t: unit o5

Mollusca- torsion in
gastropods

What’s a torsion?

Torsion may be defined as a pleisiomorphic character

trait of evolutionary process present in larval
grastropods of phylum mollusca, where the
visceropallium of the body is rotated anti clockwise
through 180◦ from its original position on head-foot
complex arising the asymmetry in visceral organs
formation and position.

RituparnaMaity
HMMCW
rituparnamaityz@[Link]
Body plan of a mollusca
 Torsion a phenomenon occur during
formation of embryo of a gastropod

• Visceropallium rotated anti-clockwise through

180◦ from its initial position on head-foot
complex
• Probably the contraction of larval retractor
muscles account for 90◦ of the rotation
• Differential growth of the body tissue accounts
for the rest 90
• Site : behind the head-foot complex
• Time and duration: Complete very rapidly, but
may last from 2-3mins to few hours or days
RituparnaMaity
HMMCW
rituparnamaityz@[Link]
 Ways- 5 ways
• 180◦ rotation by muscle contraction alone
• 180◦ rotation achieved in 2 stages
• 180◦ rotation achieved by differential growth
process alone
• Torsion achieved by differential growth
process
• Torsion recognisable as a movement of
visceropallium
RituparnaMaity
HMMCW
rituparnamaityz@[Link]
Mechanism of torsion
The process of torsion commences as soon as the
larval retractor muscles develop contractile
power.
• Accomplishes in 2 stages.
• Stage 1 : accounts for invovlement of 90◦
rotation due to muscle contraction and mantle
cavity shift it’s position from posterior to
anterior end.
• Stage 2 : accounts for differential growth
involving remainder 90◦ of rotation.
Stages of Torsion :[Link]-torsional Stage
[Link] stage showing 90◦ rotation
3. Torsional stage after 180◦ torsion
 Effects of torsion
• Mantle Cavity shifts
• Relative positions of visceral organs: anus,
ctenidia and renal orifices; auricle and
ventricle; visceral sac
• Looping of alimentary canal: become ‘U’
shaped
• Effect on nervous system
Effects on Alimentary canal and
mantle cavity
Whatever the mechanisms involves, torsion has remarkable
impacts on changing the position of mantle cavity and as
well as shapes of organs resulting in loops or crosses
• Shifting of mantle cavity: Originally lies ventrally and posteriorly
before torsion; now comes dorsally and open just behind the head.
• Changes in relative positions of visceral organs: Anus, Ctenidia and
renal orifices that are projected backward before torsion, now
projected forward; auricles formally lies behind ventricle now comes
in front of it and posterior face of visceral sac becomes it’s anterior
face,named endogastric coil.
• Looping of alimentary canal : alimentary canal origiunally straight
before in anterio-posterior body axis before torsion, become ‘U’
shaped due to shifting of position of anus at anterior side at the level
of mouth.
• The coiling of the shell is not associated with the torsion and was a
separate evolutionary event and the shell remained a symmetrical
spiral.
Effects on Nervous system
 Effects on nervous system shows many types of
formation in different species: 1. Formation of
Chiastoneury or Streptoneury
• Due to torsional rotation of the visceral mass, the developing
nervous system in the post-torsional larva suffers a twist in its
pleuro-parietal connective.
• Original right parietal ganglion comes to lie on the left, dorsal
to the gut and called the supra-intestinal ganglia; and left
comes to right side below the level of gut at close to pedal
ganglia, called infra-intestinal ganglia.
• As parietal ganglia have reversed the sides, the pleuro-parietal
connective cross each other, giving the entire visceral loop
twisted in a figure of ‘8’ , a condition named Chiastoneury or
Streptoneury.
• Simple Chiastoneury present in Pila sp and complicated forms
are present in Patella sp, also sometimes present with a
zygoneury.
 2. Formation of Zygoneury

• There exists connection between the pallial nerves

from the pleural ganglion and the nerve from the
intestinal ganglia into the mantle. This type of
secondary pleuro- intestinal connection is regarded
as Zygoneury. Ex. Triton sp, Heliotis sp
• Such connection on the right side also exists in some
forms.
• If zygoneurous condition is present on both the
sides, such a condition is called the Dialyneury.
Chiastoneury and Zygoneury
 Signification of Torsion: As torsion impart an
evolutionary significance on gastropods as it
appears in ontogeny of the living gastropods.

• Garstang’s View: Supports the view that torsion represents a larval

adaption for protection of head, as anterior replacement of mantle
cavity in the larva resulted in greater protection of the head along
with foot by situating at only a single aperture in shell.
• Morton’s View: postulates that anteriorly placed mantle cavity
contains chief 4 purposes in adult gastropods: respiration,
excretion, digestion and sensory functions.
• Ghiselin’s view : the primitive gastropods developed a conical
shell on the dorsal surface for protection instead of shield-like
shell to maintain the balance of body the shell of the
gastropods prolonged anteriorly. But for the crawling purpose
it was disadvantageous bearing such anteriorly prolonged
shell. The shell containing anterior-prolonged side rotated
into the posterior through 180° during torsion. So it has be-
come advantageous in the adult stage.
Detorsion: Torsion, a pleisiomorphic evolutionary trait present in gastropods
of phylum mollusca, in some cases reverts to a certain extent, if not fully back,
leading to untwisting of the visceral hump and loop; thereby restoring the
symmetry of visceral organs.

• Present in opisthobranchs and

pulmonates; Ex. Aplysia sp
• Effects of detorsion:
• Euthyneury: a condition is the result of
either detorsion or double torsions, the
anterior concentration of the different
ganglia at cerebral position by
shortening the commissures and
connectives but visceral loop restoring
the symmetry, as the supraintestinal
ganglion has moved to become fused
with the right pleural ganglion and the
infraintestinal ganglion is similarly
fused with the left pleural ganglion. The
different ganglia on the circumenteric
RituparnaMaity
nerve ring are well-separated. HMMCW
rituparnamaityz@[Link]
 Significance of detorsion: It has a prominent
evolutionary significance as reverting the
pleisiomorphic form of torsion.
• Restoration of symmetry would be considered as their
secondary adaptation.
• Respiratory function: liberation of gills from an
enclosement(shell) to an advantageous naked form to
open incurrent water flow.
• Absence of Shell enacts the idea of adaptation of high
speed locomotion.
• Establishment of quick response to chemical sense and
well developed neuronal response because of loss of
shell.
• Aggression of ganglia at head position opines the idea
of primitive brain formation.