The anal sulcus, also called the anal sinus or anal canal, in
Gastropods
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. ...
is a notch, a shelly tube at the top of the
aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture and focal length of an optical system determine the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane.
An ...
.
It is the first notch close to the
suture. It houses the anal siphon through which the snail expels water and waste products.

The anal sulcus can be described, according to the species, as well-defined, weakly defined, shallow, sharp, wide, narrow or inverted U-shaped. In some species, such as in the
Murex family, the anal sulcus is absent.
The anal sulcus can be linked on the edges to a fasciole, a spiral band on the shell, formed by successive growth lines. It can also have a subsutural callus (such as in
Clathrodrillia callianira).
References
Gastropod anatomy
Mollusc shells
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