Sea snails, river snails, farmed snails… are all favorite dishes for many people. However, the fragrant ginger, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves distract us from the question of whether snails have eyes.
Few people know that the conch (scientific name: Turbinidae) found in the ocean possesses extremely interesting eyes, even having abilities reminiscent of science fiction films.
The conch has extremely interesting eyes.
The conch (scientific name: Turbinidae) belongs to the class Gastropoda and is primarily used in the mother-of-pearl industry, making it the most economically valuable species among all conchs.
In 1976, scientists delved into studying this peculiar creature with its thick shell and discovered some fascinating details.
Specifically, the conch has eyes! And its eyes are quite remarkable: they contain a retina with sensory cells and pigment recognition.
Even more strangely, scientists attempted to cut off the eyes of the conch – and exactly 14 days later, it grew back a perfect pair of eyes just like new. Oh humanity, we have truly lost in the race of evolution!
Let’s take a moment to admire some images of the unique eyes of the conch:
