Plait (gastropod)

The aperture of the shell of Alcithoe swainsoni shows five plaits on the columella, four strong and one weak

A plait is an anatomical feature which is present the shells of some snails, or gastropods. This sculpture occurs often in the shells of marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Neogastropoda, but it is also found in some pulmonate land snails.

Plaits are folds on the columella (also known as the pillar or axis) at the center of the shell. The columella (meaning little column) is the central structure around which the whorls of a coiled gastropod shell are coiled.

The presence or absence of plaits, and the number of plaits, are characteristics used in the description of many gastropod molluscs, often enabling similar species to be separated and identified correctly.

References

Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1

Gastropod anatomy

Shell	Aperture Apex Body whorl Callus Columella Lip Lira Nacre Periostracum Peristome Planispiral Plait Protoconch Sculpture Selenizone Siphonal canal Siphonal notch Spire Stromboid notch Suture Umbilicus Valve Varix Whorl

Other hard parts	Clausilium Love dart Operculum Pearl Radula

External soft parts	Caryophyllidia Caudal mucous pit Cerata Cnidosac Mantle Mentum Notum Parapodium Pneumostome Rhinophore Semper's organ Siphon Suprapedal gland

Internal soft parts	Circulatory system of gastropods Crop Ctenidium Digestive system of gastropods Diverticula Excretory system of gastropods Gastric shield Hancock's organ Hepatopancreas Hypobranchial gland Nephridium Nervous system of gastropods Nidamental gland Odontophore Oesophageal pouch Osphradium Reproductive system of gastropods Respiratory system of gastropods Sensory organs of gastropods

Other	Epiphragm Pseudofeces Torsion Circumesophageal nerve ring Trochophore Tyrian purple Veliger

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