Do left handed snails have an advantage?

[lmw80]

Thought this was really interesting:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060324/ap_on_sc/southpaw_advantage

 

[donttaptheglass]

Have we advanced so far as a civilization that we are running out of things to study? Left "handed" snails? Really?

 

[Jchillin]

It would make sense. Guess everyone should start looking for left-handed snails for longevity in their tanks.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Cool link!

 

[EmptyH]

Finally, Scientific proof that lefties really are better.

 

[Meredith]

Huh. That was interesting. The snail they have pictured there is really pretty.

 

[crazyred]

I know that they were referring to the way a snail's shell coils, but they kept referring to the snail's "handedness" be it left or right so perhaps someone can tell me, just where are a snail's hands anyway???

 

[Melissamustang]

Yeah really...........Do they have hands? Maybe a stupid question but Thats how we learn.

 

[donttaptheglass]

I'm sure they only refer to it as "handed" since (and I actually let this bug me for a little while) it is the only way we have to identify with it. People who are left handed, also favor their left foot, but we don't call them left "footed", and there is no technical term for either occurrance. So it is strange that the only technical term given to anything related to this phenomenon is the even more rare existance of ambidextrous instead of calling it "both-handed".

 

[EmptyH]

The term ambidextrous loosely translates to right-handed on both sides http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ambidextrous The Latin word for right-handed is Dextrous and the word for left-handed is Sinister.

I knew those Latin classes in collage would be usefull someday

 

[donttaptheglass]

Ooooo - Sinister Snails - NOW I want one!