Flanders states ... "Preserve connection to gastropods and cephalopods" (9)

I believe the answer is:

molluscan

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'connection to gastropods and cephalopods' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I can't tell whether this works.

'flanders states preserve' is the wordplay.
'flanders' becomes 'moll' (I've seen this in another clue).
'states' becomes 'US' (abbreviation for the United States).
'preserve' becomes 'can' (canning is a kind of preserving).
'moll'+'us'+'can'='MOLLUSCAN'

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I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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