Lobe and flagellum with various patterns of dermal glands (Fig. 137, 139). 170). Umbilicus widely perforate, accentuated by a strong circum-umbilical keel. Pomatiopsis lapidaria (Mihalcik & Thompson, 2002). Apex nearly straight-sided or concave in outline. Three new freshwater snails of the genus Cincinnatia from peninsular Florida. 44). Floridobia alexander Apex distinctly convex in outline. Snails on corn. 111). (Vanatta, 1935). 202, 208). Average length about 4 mm (Figs. The Pleuroceridae of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Shell globose with a relatively depressed spire; about 1.0- 1.2 times as high as wide. Snails have invaded some local areas throughout northern Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties this summer. 16, 25, 28). Basch (1963) revised the classification and recognized only twelve species. Planorbella trivolvis intertexta Shell conical or globose-conical; thin, translucent, occasionally opaque. The best times to look for shells are after a high tide, after a storm, in the morning, and during the winter months. This revision follows the classification proposed by Taylor. 197-209). Shell dark brown. Lower margin of aperture advanced beyond upper margin so that plane of aperture slopes posteriorly when viewed from the side (Figs.189-193). Shell unicolor brown, never mottled with reddish spots. Shell variable in shape. Shell relatively thin. Outer lip less sinuous. Introduction to the Physidae (Gastropoda, Hydophila): biogeograhy, classification, morphology. Planorbis alabamensis and dilatatus in the Floridian Pliocene. Thompson, F.G. 1979. 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. Giant Snails Invading Florida, "Major Threat" to Crops. Goldenhorn Marisa Penny Sprite) Micromenetus floridensis (Baker, 1945). It matters not that the specimens are stored in 70 percent alcohol after having been fixed in formalin. Tarebia granifera 3:51. State officials said the last live snail found in Florida before the Pasco . Curator of Malacology. (Linnaeus, 1758). Shell cap-shaped or limpet-like with a wide, open aperture forming base of shell (Figs. Length of shell 2.1-2.8 mm (Fig. Aperture large, oval, much more than half the length of shell. Shell sculptured with vertical, weakly curved ribs and much finer spiral striations. Female shell about 4-6 mm long (Figs. Apex very short, only slightly raised above body whorl. Shell with strong vertical ribs on spire; spiral chords vestigial, confined to spiral series of knobs on top of vertical ribs; adults small, about 13-16 mm long (Fig. Penis with 3 papillae along right margin (Fig. Body whorl compressed (Fig. Shell medium-sized, 3.0-3.8 mm long; thinner, translucent or transparent in life; tear-shaped; spire raised and nearly straight-sided, pointed; body whorl less conspicuously enlarged, not descending to aperture along last half whorl. 82). Shell 2.8-3.7 mm long. Elimia buffyae Shell distinctly carinated above and below; both apex and base funnel-shaped. Operculum with about 6 slowly expanding whorls (Fig. Micromenetus d. dilatus Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822) (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia, Pilidae): A freshwater snail introduced into Florida, U. S. A. Malacological Review, 30:91. The snails remain a threat in Hawaii and the Caribbean after their eradication in Florida in 2021. 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. 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. 1945. Floridobia porterae Last few whorls in large adults scalariform. Operculum paucispiral, with about three rapidly expanding whorls (Fig. Mihalcik, E. L. & F. G. Thompson. Essentially identical shells occur repeatedly among unrelated genera and subfamilies. 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. Baker, F.C. One species, Spilochlamys turgida (Thompson, 1969), the Pumpkin Siltsnail (Fig. 131). 162). Shell glossy. (Pfeiffer, 1839). 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. . Shell conical to ovate-conical. Thin and translucent or transparent. Rasp Elimia Land Snail (Bulimulus sporadicus)A large group of Bulimulus sporadicus found in the Florida panhandle. (Gould, 1841). Malacological Review, 12: 41-49. 143). It occurs in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Brazil (Figure 1) (Raut and Ghose 1984; Biswas et al. 15). Clench, W.J. Prominent minor spiral sculpture along periphery. Ghost Rams-horn The species are highly variable, and there is no consensus regarding the number of valid species. Shell generally elliptical in outline. (Morelet, 1851). Wm. (Reeve, 1856). The family contains numerous genera and species, some of which are important medically as intermediate hosts for trematode parasites. 72-74). Thick-lipped Rams-horn Suture relatively shallow. Shell squat, compact, cylindric-conical in shape, thick and opaque. (Fig. Shell ovate in shape, about 1.2-1.5 times as high as wide. Pomacea paludosa, common name the Florida applesnail, is a species of freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails . Outer lip strongly sinuous. Prepared by Fred G. Thompson, Fmr. The family contains many genera and numerous species in South America, Central America, Mexico, Africa, and Southeast Asia. 47). University of Florida Shell moderately elevated, over 0.25 times as high as long. (Thompson, 1968). Shell ovate or subcircular in shape, smooth or with radial sculpture localized anteriorly. Shell sexually dimorphic in size, males about one-third as long as females. It is characterized by the lobed shape and glandular patterns of the penis. Peristome incomplete around aperture. The bio-economic importance of snails to environmental issues has become increasingly relevant because of the impact that economic development has on Florida waterways. Hatia pomilia hendersoni Apex in the posterior right third, domelike and evenly rounded. Apex of shell flat-topped, but sunken below periphery of last whorl. Aperture without serrate denticles on parietal wall. By Ker Than for National Geographic News. Transparent white (Fig. (Say, 1825). Taylor (2003) monographed the family Physidae. Biochemical studies show that in Elimia shell characters are conservative indicators of genetic divergence (Mihalcik & Thompson, 2002). Whorls uniformly rounded, not flattened above (Fig.144). This is essential in the case of the Hydrobiidae. 159). 33); males without copulatory structures. 95). 116a, 116b). Floridobia ponderosa This pest remains a threat in Florida, Hawaii and the Caribbean. 58). 1978. Aperture loosely attached to or slightly free from preceding whorl. 201, 207). Choctawhatchee Elimia The radula can be studied by dissecting out the buccal mass and macerating it in clorox or sodium hydroxide. Pilsbry, H. A. 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. 145). (Call, 1886). This species is a fast and voracious predator, hunting and eating other snails and slugs. 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. Whorls generally arched. Penis with 5-15 papillae along right margin arranged in 1-2 rows (Fig. Base of shell regularly expanding, not funnel-shaped. Umbilicus open, although very narrow in some species; occasionally closed. In previous editions of the manual species of Floridobia were placed in the genus Cincinnatia. 204-207), often eroded in older specimens. Littoridinops is found most frequently in brackish water, although the three species found in Florida also occur in frehswater. Florida Horse Conch ( Triplofusus giganteus) is the largest snail in North America and is Florida's state shell. Shell brightly banded and with large, wide and wavey vertical folds; robust, usually 21-25 mm long (Fig. Gulf Coast Pebblesnail) Somatogyrus walkerianus (Aldrich, 1905). 172). The author has attempted to simplify the key to include the minimum anatomical data needed for accurate identification. Sculpture above periphery of whorls consisting of nodes arranged in vertical and spiral rows. Burch, J.B. 1989. Last whorl distinctly shouldered. Size larger, adults 7 mm or more in width. This snail was twice established in southeastern Florida and was successfully eradicated both times. (Thompson, 1968). Laevapex peninsulas NotogiIlia wetherby Shell variable in shape, elongate to globose; usually not more than 5 mm in length; apex of spire seldom eroded (except in Somatogyrus); 4-6 whorls; shell smooth (except in Pyrgophorus and Tryonia); central tooth of radula with basal cusps (Figs. This subfamily includes about fifteen North American and European genera (Thompson 1979). Walkerana, 1: 81-365. Viviparus georgianus The reader may be troubled by the imprecise shell characteristics that are used in the key. Floridobia petrifons Outer lip partially flattened in adults. Accessory crest absent. Central tooth of radula with long basocones along base (Fig. The manual treats only those genera that occur in freshwater. Shape highly variable, usually disc-shaped but some specimens with flat-topped raised spire. Nautilus, 83: 72. Miscellaneous Publication of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 6: 1-213. Philadelphia, 134: 143-77. U-shaped superior crest not enclosing longitudinal crests. Aperture enlarged (dilated). This is not the first time Florida has dealt with an invasion of giant snails. 119). Additional genera occur in the Orient, Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. 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. Univ. It became increasingly important to provide an identification manual of the freshwater snails of Florida for many reasons. (Pilsbry and Johnson, 1903). Shell larger, 2.8-4.6 mm long; adults with 4.0-4.9 whorls; spire longer, 0.9-1.3 times height of aperture; superior tubercles not arranged in oblique longitudinal series. Aperture broadly ovate. It should also be remembered that many groups have not been studied sufficiently, and the reader may have material that adds to or contradicts previously recorded information. 89, 90). 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. Aperture usually open; occasionally with a horizontal, shelf-like septum closing posterior part (Fig. Thompson, F. G. 2000. Parietal margin of operculum concave (Fig. From a distance, the snail kite generally resembles a medium-sized hawk with broad wings. Sides of spire slightly convex. Live field samples should be divided into two groups, one to be preserved for shells, the other to be preserved for anatomical specimens. Important diagnostic characteristics for subfamilies, genera, and species are found in the female reproductive system, the male reproductive organ (the penis), and modifications of the radular teeth. A giant African snail sighting in Florida enacted a quarantine over parasite concerns.