Which animal group is characterized as invertebrates and includes snails?

Mollusks are a diverse group of invertebrates that include animals such as snails, clams, and octopuses. This group is characterized by their soft bodies, which are often protected by a hard shell made of calcium carbonate, with snails being a classic example. Mollusks also have a muscular foot used for movement and a mantle that secretes the shell. Their significant diversity illustrates a range of forms and adaptations, including the coiled shells of snails, which are distinctively different from the body structures seen in other animal groups.

Arthropods, while also invertebrates, include animals such as insects, arachnids, and crustaceans, characterized by their segmented bodies and exoskeletons made of chitin. Vertebrates are animals with backbones, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and do not include invertebrates like snails. Cnidarians comprise organisms such as jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones, which are characterized by their radial symmetry and specialized cells called cnidocytes, quite different from the structure and features of mollusks.