florida snail identification florida snail identification

Other species deposit eggs during the period of March through May, at which time the adults die and immature forms dominate the population through August or September. Aperture free from, or only in slight contact with, preceding whorl. Small- or medium-sized snails need to be identified with the aid of a binocular dissecting microscope that is equipped with an ocular micrometer calibrated to 0.1 mm accuracy so that precise measurements can be made. Littoridinops monroensis The Junonia is seldom found, and is considered a special find by beachcombers. Aperture elliptical and usually attached to preceding whorl; 4.1-4.5 whorls present. 1934. Review of the Planorbidae of Florida with notes on other members of the family. Aphaostracon chalarogyrus Teardrop Snail Female shell about 4-6 mm long (Figs. Aphaostracon xynoelictus Penis as illustrated (Fig. Adults about 2-3 mm long (Figs. This revision follows the classification proposed by Taylor. Fortunately in Florida, the species are relatively easy to distinguish. Length of shell 2.0-2.4 mm (Fig. Adults with about 5 whorls, and 10-13 mm wide (Figs.177-179). It is globose in shape, body whorls are wide, spire is depressed, and the aperature is narrowly oval (Burch 1982). Shellolive-colored; spire straight-sided. Spiral angulation on whorls sharp and prominent in juveniles, usually becoming convex-rounded or smooth on last whorl in adults. The family contains many genera and numerous species in South America, Central America, Mexico, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Dangerous parasite found in South Florida snails - Sun Sentinel A synopsis of the classification of the freshwater Mollusca of North America north of Mexico and a catalogue of the more recently described species with notes. Shell medium to large (12-75 mm). By 1973, more than 18,000 snails had been found and destroyed along with thousands of eggs, and the snail was . Shell large, 80-100 mm wide. Walkerana, 13: 1-108. Shell larger, reaching a maximum diameter of 18 mm. 125); accessory crest absent on penis. The giant African snails detected in New Port Richey, Florida are unrelated to the population of giant African snails eradicated from Broward and Miami Dade counties last year. Giant Snails Invading Florida, "Major Threat" to Crops. It is believed the snail was introduced via the railway cars coming from Mexico. Types of Shells In Florida: Seashell Identification Guide Squaremouth Amnicola It is troublesome mostly in southern Florida as far north as Tampa, but because potted plants are regularly moved northward it can appear almost anywhere. Columellar margin of aperture wide, rounded in front like a spindle. The aquatic snail fauna of the southeastern United States has long been recognized for its richness and diversity. (Lea, 1838). 126); accessory crest present on penis. Your choice will lead you to the proper identification of your snail or the next appropriate pair of questions. 2018). Apex flat with narrow threadlike keel. Shell glossy. As was anticipated, further work on the systematics of the southeastern freshwater snail fauna created the need for subsequent revision in 1999, and for this updated version. It could take years to fully rid the state of the species, officials say. Shell rounded at the periphery (Figs. These are white, which is the more prized color in. (Sowerby, 1878). Elimia floridensis Only Elimia is found in Florida. 7-9). (Pilsbry and Johnson, 1903). Giant Snails Carrying Meningitis Are Causing Concern in Florida - Newsweek Aperture usually open; occasionally with a horizontal, shelf-like septum closing posterior part (Fig. Identifications are difficult in many instances without properly preserved specimens. It is most common in Southwest Florida, and northwest Florida. The giant African land snail ( Lissachatina fulica (Bowditch)) (GALS) is one of the most invasive pests on the planet, causing agricultural and environmental damage wherever it is found. Shell short and stocky. This family includes four North American genera, Amnicola, Dasyscia, Colligyrus and Lyogyrus, and the European genus Marstoniopsis and some Asian genera. This snail was twice established in southeastern Florida and was successfully eradicated both times. 34); penis frlattened, blade-like (Fig. Lioplax pilsbryi pilsbryi Aphaostracon asthenes (Lamarck, 1822). They can also carry rat lungworm, which causes meningitis in humans. Inside of lip with or without a reddish callus but callus never dark red in color. 112), occurs in the Ocmulgee River system in Georgia. (Fig. Female oviparous, never with embryos in uterus. Umbilicus broad, shallow (Fig. Aperture enlarged (dilated). 69, 70). Sculpture consisting of distinct spiral striations and threads superimposed on growth striations (Fig. Shell conical or cylindric-conical; light to dark brown. Outer lip straight in lateral profiles. One to several dark growth-rest varixes usually present on last whorl. (Thompson, 1968). Shell keeled or strongly angular at the periphery (Figs. Body whorl inflated. Snails have invaded some local areas throughout northern Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties this summer. A systematic study of the Family Physidae (Basommatophora: Pulmonata). About 4.2-4.6 weakly arched whorls with a weakly impressed suture. Lip of adult shell usually with a thick crest externally and an internal callus. 158). 12). Shell subcircular, smooth, often encrusted with dark material. Penis with papillae along right margin (Figs. Newborn shells white. Spire raised and flat-topped. Rock Springs Siltsnail Shell sculptured with fine spiral striations, and in some cases curved axial ribs. Dense Hydrobe Shell moderately elevated, over 0.25 times as high as long. Lower margin of aperture advanced beyond upper margin so that plane of aperture slopes posteriorly when viewed from the side (Figs.189-193). The number of whorls persent on the shell can help you easily identify the snail species. Giant African snails can lead to giant problems. EENY148/IN305: Tree Snails of Florida, Drymaeus - University of Florida 85). Introduction to the Physidae (Gastropoda, Hydophila): biogeograhy, classification, morphology. Shell dull. Female adult snail kites have yellow or orange legs and ceres; and red or orangish-brown eyes. The planorbid fauna of the southeastern states is particularly poorly known. Little is known about these animals, and diverse opinions exist as to how many species are recognizable. Pomacea paludosa Size small I I to medium, 8-12 mm in length. Most snails will have a conical shaped shell. Work through the questions, each time choosing the characteristic that best matches your snail from the two choices. (Walker, 1908). Shell generally thin but strong; whorls of spire strongly convex with deep suture (Figs. Basch, P.F. 122). Walker, B. Types of Shells In Florida: Seashell Identification Guide It lurks nearly a foot beneath the dunes of Sanibel Island. Apex distinctly convex in outline. In 1976 in the St. Johns River 1 found Melanoides tuberculatus with population densities of 10,000/m2. 162-164). The lightning whelk ( Busycon sinistrum) is one of the larger univalve snails found in Florida waters. The deterioration process is not reversible. The last time anyone had seen a land snail in the Sunshine State was at the tail-end of a year-long, $23-million battle to eradicate the invasive species from South Florida in 2012. Spilochlamys is most similar to the next genus, Cincinnatia, from which its shell usually differs by having a more deeply impressed suture, more strongly shouldered whorls, and a wider umbilical perforation. Aperture loosely attached to or slightly free from preceding whorl. Basal lip of peristome deeply receded. Officials in Florida are again battling a highly invasive, extraordinarily destructive giant snail species that also happens to be capable of spreading parasitic worms that invade human brains . Whorls 3.8-4.3. The LIOPLACINAE is endemic and include Campeloma, Lioplax, and Tulotoma. Shell planular or disc-shaped; spire flat when raised above succeeding whorls (Figs. (Thompson, 1968). Shell elongate conical, spire high. Apex of shell slightly convex in outline. Alexander Siltsnail Suture of whorls more deeply impressed than in previous species. Applesnails are tropical to subtropical organisms and cannot survive below 50F in the winter (Florida DOACS, 2002). Nat. Freshwater mollusks of Alabama, Georgia and Florida from the Escambia to the Suwannee River. In Florida, the African land snail existed largely in Miami-Dade County, although hundreds of the pests were found in Broward County, specifically western Davie, in 2014. . 2015; Jayashankar et al. 1980. They achieve their greatest diversity in genera and species in temperate North America. Two occur in Florida. Apex about 0.4-0.5 times length of shell. M-879 CONE SNAIL, Conus floridanus A small and less poisonous species, no one has ever died or been stung by one of these slow-movers, but like all cones, they have a venomous proboscis. Clifton Spring Hydrobe (Gould, 1841). Aperture of shell closed by an operculum (snail must be collected live because the operculum is lost soon after death). Shell olive-green with vertical reddish flames and spots. (Say, 1829). Elimia clenchi Two-ridged Rams-horn 34, 35) (Pomatiopsis, Fig. Mihalcik, E. L. & F. G. Thompson. Hydrobiids are small- to medium-sized operculate snails that live primarily in brackish and fresh water. The greatest diversity of genera and species is in the Indo-Australian region. Another giant African snail sighting forces Florida county into Shell translucent. 49, 50). Armored Siltsnail Florida Shell Guide | 2FLA Florida's Vacation and Travel Guide They are commonly found on live aquatic plant stems, dead leaves and sticks, and on bottles and cans. Tadpole Physa Accessory crest absent. Land Snail (Bulimulus sporadicus)A large group of Bulimulus sporadicus found in the Florida panhandle. Pomacea bridgesi Click on any of the seashell identification photos for information about each shell, where they were found, who found these shells and so much more. 90). This manual recognizes 113 species and subspecies that occurring in Florida and the list will increase with time. Texture dull. Aperture relatively large with fine, uneven, serrate denticles along parietal wall (Fig. Hello Bruce. Thiarids are ecologically significant because they tend to replace native snails where they are introduced and because of their abundance. In Pasco County Florida, a quarantine order was issued for people after the re-discovery of the giant African land snail, an invasive species that can harm to humans, structures, and wildlife. The snails live in the bays and mudflats, but after they die their shells wash up on the beaches. Shell elongate. (Thompson, 1968). Shell unicolor, never banded. Escambia Elimia The International Commision on Zoological Nomenclature has ruled that AMPULLARIIDAE is the valid name for this family of snails. Length of shell 2.0-2.5 mm (Fig. Knobby Elimia Shell transparent or opaque. Carib Physa Peristome ovate to subcircular. Additional surveys found four different populations all associated with the CSX railways. Another variety, with cream-colored flesh and mottled brown shells, was detected in 2022. Credit: Craig Pittman. Penis with a dense pattern of superior tubercles. Littoridinops is found most frequently in brackish water, although the three species found in Florida also occur in frehswater. Penis filament black. Florida Land Snail Gallery - A Pictorial 96). Two species occur in Florida. Sculpture consisting of incremental striations only. 63). Indented Duskysnail Nuclear whorl slightly protruding, 0.29-0.41 mm in diameter transverse to initial suture. Only three widely distributed species occur in Florida. Basch (1963) revised the classification and recognized only twelve species. Body whorl relatively rapidly expanding in diameter (Fig. This is particularly so in the Pulmonata. Embryonic shell with fine vertical ribs and a heavy spiral chord on periphery and two basal spiral chords (Fig. Seashell Photo ID, Florida East Coast - Seashells by Millhill Color often glossy reddish brown. Euglandina rosea - Wikipedia Occasional Papers on Mollusks, 2: 385-412. 67). Scatter a few granulated menthol crystals on the water surface and allow the container to sit for 10-15 hours, at which time the snails should be extended from the shell and insensitive to probing with a needle. The genus is found along the east coast of North America from Maryland south to Tabasco, Mexico. Pygmy Siltsnail) Floridobia parva (Thompson, 1968). common name: tree snails of Florida - University of Florida Amnicola dalli. Size: 2-4 cm. After the snails have been in the fixative for a few minutes to several hours, depending upon their sizes, they should be rinsed in water and transferred to 70 percent ethyl alcohol. Plane of aperture nearly vertical when viewed from the side. (Thompson, 1968). Penis with large papilla on right margin near base and one or two papillae on left margin near distal end (Figs. In 2011, a population of the pests was discovered in Miami-Dade County. (Pilsbry, 1899). Shell brightly banded and with large, wide and wavey vertical folds; robust, usually 21-25 mm long (Fig. Pewter Physa Penis with a single papilla along left margin (Fig. Shell discoidal, grayish-white in color; transparent when fresh. Parasite colonizing Florida snails could pose health risk - UPI Incremental striations uniformly weak. Umbilicus of shell closed. 109a, 109b). Snails have Invaded the Western Panhandle Spilochlamys conica 98). Sides of spire straight in lateral profile. Sculpture consisting of fine incremental threads, and spiral striations that may become obsolete at maturity. Outer lip of aperture arched forward (Figs. Opercula should be glued to cotton plugs and replaced within the aperture. Body whorl uniformly rounded peripherally (Fig. Similarities in appearance among the exotic species can make identification very difficult. Average length about 5 mm (Figs. Sculpture consisting of axial striations only (Fig.147). In the USA, it was first identified in New Orleans in 1939, but now is found in the Gulf Coast states from Florida to Texas, as well as in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Many North American snail species were described near the turn of the century by Walker (1918). Three other species occur farther north. A review of the aquatic gastropod subfamily Cochliopinae (Prosobranchia, Hydrobiidae). Crystal Siltsnail Body whorl rounded (Fig. Shell minute, 2.0-2.3 mm long; thin and transparent; spire 0.7-1.1 times length of aperture; flagellum lacking glandular crests. Planorbella scalaris Length of shell 2.6-3.0 mm (Fig. Females with an egg-laying groove or sinus on right side of foot; eggs deposited on substrate. Aperture elliptical and loosely attached to or slightly separated from preceding whorl; 4.5-4.9 whorls. Aperture without serrate denticles on parietal wall. 64). Shell sexually dimorphic in size, males about one-third as long as females. Conical with relatively slender whorls. Green Cove Springsnail Operculum neomelanian, with a small, rapidly expanding nucleus located near the basal margin (Fig. The horntail . University of Florida We Floridians have so much to be proud of. (Pilsbry, 1889). Shell unicolor brown, never mottled with reddish spots. (Mihalcik & Thompson, 2002). 36); males with a copulatory appendage, a penis (Fig. Their siphonal canal is merged with their aperture and called a "siphonal notch". Shell with spiral chords or spirally arranged series of nodes. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has mapped out a . Shell relatively thick (Figs. (Pilsbry and Beacher, 1892). Elimia athearni Clench, W.J., & R. D. Turner. The manual treats only those genera that occur in freshwater. Pomacea canaliculata Most species are disc-shaped or planular, as is implied by the name PLANORBIDAE. Banded Mysterysnail Florida applesnail (Pomacea paludosa) - Species Profile - USGS Shell small, about 3.0-3.5 mm long; adult with 4.4-4.8 whorl; lower corner of aperture tending to be angulate with fluted channel (Fig. Spilochlamys gravis Nuclear whorl 0.29-0.33 mm in diameter. Shell thin, fragile, very much depressed, less than 0.25 times as high as long. Thicker leaves may have damage on only one side. Surface smooth, glossy, striations when present very weak. There were no references to cover the entire state. Three occur in Florida. Ferrissia hendersoni Vail, V. A. Spire usually about equal to or greater than height of aperture (Figs. Operculum corneas, without pegs on inner or outer surface. Shell highly variable in shape; freshwater forms olivaceous or brown; adults with about 4.5-6.0 whorls; about 3.5-4.5 mm long (Fig. The Florida Department . Helisoma anceps anceps They are most common on tropical islands but occur also in cold regions, where they hibernate. 56). Apex fairly prominent as a rounded knob in the right posterior quadrant (Figs. Umbilicus variable. Central tooth of radula with basocones located on fore or lateral wing of tooth (Figs. Shell very thin, fragile, transparent. Sides of spire straight-sided in outline. Other families occur elsewhere in North America and in other continents. (Anthony, 1860). The family contains numerous genera and species, some of which are important medically as intermediate hosts for trematode parasites. The focus on most investigations was on rivers north of Florida, and little attention was given to the Florida fauna. There is no consensus in systematic biology about how to treat these forms. Planorbula armigera wheatleyi Mantle richly marked with reddish-brown blotches and spots. Embryonic shell smooth, without spiral chords (Fig. Shell conical to ovate-conical. Whorls of spire weakly scalariform, causing the suture to be deeply incised. Rotund Mysterysnail 145). Shell sculptured with very fine, uniformly spaced axial threads (Figs.168-170). This species is a fast and voracious predator, hunting and eating other snails and slugs. Suture simple, not crenulated. The . Peristome incomplete around aperture. With the exception of Liguus fasciatus, these snails have shells that vary in color from ivory to tan, often with brown markings.Liguus shells are brilliantly colored and are frequently marked with yellow, green, pink, and brown. Spurwinkia: Morphology, systematics, and ecology of a new genus of North American marshland Hydrobiidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Henscomb Hydrobe Adult shells small, less than 3 mm high; umbilicus closed by the reflected columellar lip; columellar margin of the aperture nearly straight, barely convex (Fig. Operculum paucispiral, with about three rapidly expanding whorls (Fig. Thompson, F. G. & R. Hershler. 129). 33); males without copulatory structures. Mantle diffusely pigmented or unpigmented. 68). 83). Adults about 5 mm long (Figs. Campeloma parthenum Height of shell about 23-26 mm (Figs. Snails and Slugs - Gardening Solutions - University of Florida Three species in Florida were introduced from Southeast Asia. Shell nearly smooth, sculptured with irregularly spaced incremental striations (Figs. 143). Last whorl flattened above. Specimens then are placed in a fixative such as 10 percent formalin or Bouins Solution. Hood Ancylid For the purpose of completeness, the three parthenogenetic forms and C. geniculum are included in the key. 70). It is presented in the form of key supplements with illustrations and habitat information to facilitate identifications. (Lea, 1858). Floridobia petrifons Three new freshwater snails of the genus Cincinnatia from peninsular Florida. A catalogue of the Viviparidae of North America with notes on the distribution of Viviparus georgianus Lea. Live snails for shell studies should be preserved in 70 percent alcohol. 14), was introduced into a fishpond in St. Petersburg about 1921 and into lakes in Orlando about 1940. Shell more slender and attenuate; spire more elongate in adults, about 0.7- 1.0 times height of aperture. Shell elongate-conical, with about 5-7 whorls. POMATIOPSIDAE 81-83). Outer lip continuously rounded (Figs. Shell usually large, about 12-16 mm long. Floridobia wekiwae Until recently the entire knowledge of the Florida freshwater snail fauna was based on miscellaneous papers dealing with single species, groups of closely related species or single river systems. 1979a. Shell small, 2.0-2.8 mm long. (Mihalcik & Thompson, 2002). Penis with 7-50 papillae along right margin and 1-4 papillae along distal third of left margin (Figs. 180-193). Dorsl surface of penis with a few elongate superior tubercles that form a weakly defined U-shaped pattern. Marisa cornuaurietus Shell with 5.6-6.8 whorls; about 3.2-4.5 mm long (Fig. The criterion of inbreeding for defining species cannot be applied, and other objective criteria are not yet been established. Shell minute, 2.4-2.7 mm long; adults with 3.9-4.2 whorls; spire short, 0.8- 1.1 times height of aperture (Fig.