Molluscs (British spelling) or mollusks (American spelling) are animals belonging to phylum Mollusca. The word is derived from the French mollusque, which originated from the Latin molluscus, meaning thin-shelled, from, soft. The scientific study of molluscs is known as malacology. There are around 100,000 extant species within the phylum with an estimated 70,000 extinct species. They range widely in size from micromolluskan snails and clams to larger organisms such as the Colossal Squid, beli… (More on Mollusca)