Dynamic Numerical Model of Mucus Feeding in Gastropoda

Abstract

Molluscan mucus plays vital roles in various behaviors, particularly in feeding, by capturing food particles in a net-like structure. Recent findings underscore the role of snail saliva in particle retention by reducing particle loss following radula scraping. Given the challenges of studying snail saliva or mucus in small volumes, a numerical model using MATLAB is developed to simulate interactions between mucus, saliva, and food particles during feeding, focusing on varying viscosity, and adhesion levels. The study demonstrates that the adhesive and viscous properties of saliva are critical for particle capture, directly impacting feeding efficiency. Simulations show that higher adhesion (“stickiness”) in saliva enhances particle retention, consistent with observations that feeding efficiency depends on the physical properties of saliva. Furthermore, older viscous saliva can form boundary “belts” that direct younger, less viscous saliva with food particles toward the mouth, improving feeding efficiency by minimizing lateral diffusion. This protocol provides a flexible framework, enabling future parameter adjustments to explore how aquatic environments may select for saliva with increased shear resistance and stability, which are essential for the species' ecological adaptability. Additionally, this study presents a protocol for operating with arrays of variable lengths in numerical simulations.