Internal morphology of the camera-like eye of the gastropod Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758 (Stylommatophora: Helicidae): Retina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/2686-9519-2026-18-3-813-825Keywords:
Helix pomatia, molluscs, morphology, non-optic part of the retina, optic part of the retina, epithelial tissueAbstract
For the first time, the internal morphology of the camera-like eye of the terrestrial pulmonate gastropod Helix pomatia, namely the general morphology of the retina, was studied in detail using light and transmission electron microscopy. In total, 13 general morphological properties of the H. pomatia retina were studied, of which 11 properties are for the first time. It was shown that the general morphological properties of the retina of H. pomatia, which are available for comparison with the corresponding properties of the retina of other species of terrestrial pulmonate gastropods, are completely typical for them. The remaining properties were studied for the first time in terrestrial pulmonate gastropods. Based on the studied general morphological properties of the retina of H. pomatia, including for the first time for terrestrial pulmonate gastropods, its possible functions were identified. This is the first article on the general morphology of the retina of the camera-like eye of a gastropod.
References
References
Bobkova, M. V., Tartakovskaya, O. S., Borissenko, S. L. et al. (2004a) Restoration of morphological and functional integrity in the regenerating eye of the giant African land snail Achatina fulica. Acta Zoologica, vol. 85, no. 1, pp. 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0001-7272.2004.00152.x (In English)
Bobkova, M. V., Gál, J., Zhukov, V. V. et al. (2004b) Variations in the retinal designs of pulmonate snails (Mollusca, Gastropoda): Squaring phylogenetic background and ecophysiological needs (I). Invertebrate Biology, vol. 123, no. 2, pp. 101–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7410.2004.tb00146.x (In English)
Brandenburger, J. L. (1975) Two new kinds of retinal cells in the eye of a snail, Helix aspersa. Journal of Ultrastructure Research, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 216–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5320(75)80053-0 (In English)
Chang, N. S., Han, J. M., Lee, K. J. (1998) Ultrastructure of the eye in the snail, Incilaria fruhstorferi. Korean Journal of Electron Microscopy, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 363–377. (In English)
Eakin, R. M., Brandenburger, J. L. (1967) Differentiation in the eye of a pulmonate snail Helix aspersa. Journal of Ultrastructural Research, vol. 18, no. 3–4, pp. 391–421. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5320(67)80126-6 (In English)
Eakin, R. M., Brandenburger, J. L. (1975a) Understanding a snail’s eye at a snail’s pace. American Zoologist, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 851–863. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/15.4.851 (In English)
Eakin, R. M., Brandenburger, J. L. (1975b) Retinal differences between light-tolerant and light-avoiding slugs (Mollusca: Pulmonata). Journal of Ultrastructure Research, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 382–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5320(75)80039-6 (In English)
Eakin, R. M., Brandenburger, J. L., Barker, G. M. (1980) Fine structure of the eye of the New Zealand slug Athoracophorus bitentaculatus. Zoomorphologie, vol. 94, no. 3, pp. 225–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00998203 (In English)
Henchman, A. P. (1897) The eyes of Limax maximus. Neuroscience, vol. 5, no. 115, pp. 428–429. (In English)
Jeong, K.-H., Lee, H. (1994) An anatomical and ultrastructural study of the eye of a land snail Nesiohelix samarangae. Korean Journal of Malacology, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1–8. (In English)
Kataoka, S. (1975) Fine structure of the retina of a slug, Limax flavus L. Vision Research, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 681–686. https://doi.org/10.1016/0042-6989(75)90284-9 (In English)
Koralewska-Batura, E. (1999) Helix lutescens Rossmässler, 1837 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Helicidae) — its structure, biology and ecology. Folia Malacologica, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 197–240. https://doi.org/10.12657/folmal.007.020 (In English)
Lakin, G. F. (1990) Biometry. 4th ed. Moscow: Vysshaya shkola Publ., 352 p. (In Russian)
Land, M. F. (1981) Optics and vision in invertebrates. In: H. Autrum (ed.). Comparative physiology and evolution of vision in invertebrates. Berlin; Heidelberg: Springer Publ., pp. 471–592. (Handbook of sensory physiology. Vol. 7. Pt 6B. Invertebrate visual centers and behavior I). (In English)
Lawson, H. (1863) On the general anatomy, histology, and physiology of Limax maximus (Moquin-Tandon). Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, vol. s2–3, no. 9, pp. 10–37. https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.s2-3.9.10 (In English)
Likharev, I. M., Rammelmeyer, E. S. (1952) Land molluscs of the fauna of the USSR. Moscow; Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences Publ., 512 p. (Keys to the fauna of the USSR, published by the Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Iss. 43). (In Russian)
Matsuo, R., Takatori, Y., Hamada, S. et al. (2017) Expression and light-dependent translocation of β-arrestin in the visual system of the terrestrial slug Limax valentianus. Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 220, no. 18, pp. 3301–3314. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.162701 (In English)
Meisenheimer, J. (1912) Die Weinbergschnecke Helix pomatia L. [The Roman Snail Helix pomatia L.]. Leipzig: Verlag von Werner Klinkhardt, 140 p. (In German)
Messenger, J. B. (1981) Comparative physiology of vision in molluscs. In: H. Autrum (ed.). Comparative physiology and evolution of vision in invertebrates. Pt A. Invertebrate photoreceptors. Berlin; Heidelberg; New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 93–200. (Handbook of Sensory Physiology. Vol. 7-6). (In English)
Newell, P. F., Newell, G. E. (1968) The eye of the slug, Agriolimax reticulatus (Müll). Symposium of Zoological Society of London, no. 23, pp. 97–111. (In English)
Oswaldo-Cruz, E., Bernardes, R. F. (1982) Morphological and functional observations on the eye of Strophoheilus (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Stylommatophora). Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, vol. 15, pp. 161–174. (In English)
Röhlich, P., Török, J. L. (1963) Die Feinstruktur des Auges der Weinbergschnecke (Helix pomatia L.) [The fine structure of the eye of the Roman snail (Helix pomatia L.)]. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und Mikroskopische Anatomie, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 348–368. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336611 (In German)
Runham, N. W., Hunter. P. J. (1970) Terrestrial slugs. London: Hutchinson University Library Publ., 184 p. (In English)
Schileyko, A. A. (2016) Functional interrelations between conchological and anatomical characters in Stylommatophora (Mollusca, Gastropoda). In: I. Ya. Pavlinov (comp.). Aspects of biodiversity. Archives of Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. Vol. 54. Pt 1. Moscow: KMK Scientific Press, pp. 269–297. (In English)
Schwalbach, G., Lickfeld, G. K., Hahn, M. (1963) Der mikromorphologische Aufbau des Linsenauges der Weinbergschnecke (Helix pomatia L.). Protoplasma, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 242–273. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01247843 (In English)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2005) Morphology and optical physiology of the eye of the land slug Arion rufus (L.) (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Sensory Systems, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 166–171. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2006a) Comparative study of the morphology and optics of eyes of terrestrial gastropod snails Cochlodina laminata and Perforatella incarnata (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora) with different light preferences. Sensory Systems, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 40–51. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2006b) Comparative study of the morphology and optics of eyes of terrestrial gastropod snails Arianta arbustorum and Cepaea hortensis (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora) with similar light preferences. Sensory Systems, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 59–67. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2006c) The eye of terrestrial gastropod snail Helicigona lapicida (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora). Sensory Systems, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 52–58. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2007) Comparative morphology and optical properties of the eyes of gastropod molluscs Stylommatophora (Gastropoda: Pulmonata). Extended abstract of PhD dissertation (Biology). Moscow, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 24 p. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2008) Structure and optical properties of the eye of terrestrial gastropod snail Trichia hispida (Linné, 1758) (Pulmonata: Stylommatophora) from South Sweden. Invertebrate Zoology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 173–180. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2010) Diversity and features of photoreceptors in the retina of the camera-like eye of the gastropod mollusk Helicigona lapicida (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pulmonata, Stylommatophora). Mordovia University Bulletin, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 69–76. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2011) Camera-like eyes of gastropod mollusks. Mordovia University Bulletin, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 230–239. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2012) The eye of the terrestrial pulmonate mollusk Helix lucorum L. (Stylommatophora, Helicidae) in vitro. In: Materials of the V-th All-Russian medical and biological conference of young scientists “Symbiosis-Russia 2012” with international participation. Tver: Zapovednik Vremeni Publ., pp. 407–409. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2013) A comparative analysis of the camera eyes of gastropod mollusks and humans. Sensory Systems, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 317–326. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2014) A comparative analysis of the camera eyes of gastropod pulmonate mollusk Trochulus hispidus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the South Sweden and Kaliningrad region (Stylommatophora, Hygromiidae). Ruthenica: Russian Malacological Journal, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 123–127. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2015) Structure and optical properties of the camera eye of gastropod pulmonate mollusk Succinea putris (Linnaeus, 1758) (Stylommatophora, Succineidae). Ruthenica: Russian Malacological Journal, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 11–14. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2017) Screening pigment of the camera eyes of stalk-eyed mollusks (Pulmonata, Stylommatophora) with different light preferences. Ruthenica: Russian Malacological Journal, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 133–140. (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2019) A comparative analysis of the camera-like eyes of gastropod mollusks and humans. In: Y. Shelepin, E. Ogorodnikova, N. Solovyev, E. Yakimova (eds.). Neural networks and neurotechnologies. Saint Petersburg: VVM Publ., pp. 85–92. (In English)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2020) Cellular composition, morphological characteristic and evolutionary changes of photoreceptor apparatus of the camera eyes of terrestrial gastropod molluscs (Heterobranchia, Stylommatophora). Ruthenica: Russian Malacological Journal, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 93–101. https://doi.org/10.35885/ruthenica.2021.30(2).3 (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2021a) Optical sensitivity of camera-like eyes to white light. Vision, vol. 5, no. 4, article 44. https://doi.org/10.3390/vision5040044 (In English)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2021b) Light-insulating apparatus of the camera-like eye of the terrestrial gastropod mollusk Arion rufus (Heterobranchia, Stylommatophora). Ruthenica: Russian Malacological Journal, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 39–49. https://doi.org/10.35885/ruthenica.2021.31(1).5 (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2021c) Light-refracting, light-sensitive, and light-insulating apparatus of the camera-like eyes. Journal of General Biology, vol. 82, no. 3, pp. 229–240. https://doi.org/10.31857/S0044459621030064 (In Russian)
Shepeleva, I. P. (2026) Organelles with screening pigment in the supporting cells of the retina of the camera-like eye of the gastropod Helix pomatia. Cell and Tissue Research, vol. 403, no. 1, article 9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-025-04032-7 (In English)
Tamamaki, N., Kawai, K. (1983) Ultrastructure of the accessory eye of the giant snail, Achatina fulica (Gastropoda, Pulmonata). Zoomorphology, vol. 102, pp. 205–213. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310348 (In English)
Zaitseva, O. V. (1992) Structural organization of the sensory systems of the land snail. Zhurnal vysshej nervnoj deyatel’nosti imeni I. P. Pavlova, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 1132–1149. (In Russian)
Zaitseva, O. V. (2000) Organization of the sensory systems of gastropods: the principle of structural and functional parallelism of development. Extended abstract of PhD dissertation (Biology). Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg State University, 32 p. (In Russian)
Zaitseva, O. V. (2016) Stability, variability, and parallelisms in the development of distant sensory systems: Olfactory and visual systems in the phylogeny and ontogeny of gastropods. Biological Bulletin, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 195–207. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359016030122 (In English)
Zieger, M. V., Vakoliuk, I. A., Tuchina, O. P. et al. (2008) Eyes and vision in Arion rufus and Deroceras agreste (Mollusca; Gastropoda; Pulmonata): What role does photoreception play in the orientation of these terrestrial slugs? Acta Zoologica, vol. 90, no. 2, pp. 189–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6395.2008.00369.x (In English)
Zunke, U. (1979) Feinstruktur des Auges der Bernsteinschnecke Succinea putris (L.) (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora) [Ultrastructure of the eye of the amber snail Succinea putris (L.) (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora)]. Malacologia, vol. 18, no. 1–2, pp. 1–5. (In German)
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Irina P. Shepeleva

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The work is provided under the terms of the Public Offer and of Creative Commons public license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
This license permits an unlimited number of users to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use.
This license retains copyright for the authors but allows others to freely distribute, use, and adapt the work, on the mandatory condition that appropriate credit is given. Users must provide a correct link to the original publication in our journal, cite the authors' names, and indicate if any changes were made.
Copyright remains with the authors. The CC BY 4.0 license does not transfer rights to third parties but rather grants users prior permission for use, provided the attribution condition is met. Any use of the work will be governed by the terms of this license.





