Lissachatina fulica is a species of large land snail that belongs in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. It is also known as the giant African land snail. It shares the common name "giant African snail" with other species of snails such as Achatina achatina and Archachatina marginata. This snail species has been considered a significant cause of pest issues around the world. It is a federally prohibited species in the U.S., as it is illegal to sell or possess. Internationally, it is the most frequently occurring invasive species of snail. Outside of its native range, this snail thrives in many types of habitat with mild climates. It feeds voraciously and is a vector for plant pathogens, causing severe damage to agricultural crops and native plants. It competes with native snail taxa, is a nuisance pest of urban areas, and spreads human disease.
Subspecies Subspecies within this species:
L. f. castanea (Lamarck, 1822) L. f. coloba (Pilsbry, 1904) L. f. hamillei (Petit, 1859) L. f. rodatzi (Dunker, 1852) L. f. umbilicata (Nevill, 1879)
Distribution The species is native to East Africa, but it has been widely introduced to other parts of the world through the pet trade, as a food resource, and by accidental introduction. Within Africa, the snail can be found along the eastern coast of South Africa, extending northward into Somalia. However, some of its distribution into northern African may be due to human introduction, starting in northern Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and extending through Somalia into Ethiopia. The snail has been reported in Morocco, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast as early as the 1980s. In 1961, Albert R. Mead, published the seminal work entitled "The Giant African Snail: A Problem in Economic Malacology". This book compiled known information on the snail, as well as a detailed overview on its global distribution. Prior to 1800, the snail was found in Madagascar, spreading westward to Mauritius, reaching Réunion in 1821, then to Seychelles in 1840. In 1847, they were introduced to India and in 1900 in Sri Lanka. In 1911, the snail was present in northern Malaysia, possibly from India or Myanmar. In 1922, the snail was identified in Singapore although it may have been present as early as 1917. In 1925, the snail was shipped to Java, from which it spread across Indonesia. In 1928, the snail was observed in Sarawak. This species has been found in China since 1931 and its initial point of distribution in China was Xiamen. The snail has also been established on Pratas Island, of Taiwan. The species was established in Hawaii by 1936. The snail was present in Papua New Guinea by 1946, spreading from New Ireland and New Britain to the mainland by 1976–77. By 1967 the snail was present in Tahiti, spreading through New Caledonia and Vanuatu by 1972 into French Polynesia by 1978, including American Samoa. By 1990, the snail was reported in Samoa and the Federated States of Micronesia in 1998. In 1984, L. fulica was found established in the French West Indies, spreading across Guadeloupe and by 1988 arriving in Martinique. In 2008, populations of L. fulica were reported in Trinidad but were greatly reduced by 2010. In 2014, the snail was reported in Havana, Cuba. In Brazil, the first introduction of L. fulica came in 1988 in Paraná. By 2007, it was recorded in 23 of the 26 Brazilian states. In 2006–2008, the snail was recorded in Ecuador, in Pichincha, and may have been present at least 10 years prior in 'snail farms'. The presence of the snail in Colombia was reported by 2008–2009. Although the time of the initial introduction is unknown, it has been registered in all regions of the country by 2012. Live specimens were found in Piura, Peru, around 2008 as well. The snail may be present in Venezuela and was reported in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina in 2010. The species has been observed in Bhutan (Gyelposhing, Mongar), where it is an invasive species since 2006 and their number increased drastically since 2008. In the contiguous United States, the snail had been reported in Miami, Florida, in 1966 and 2011, in both cases requiring nearly a decade to eradicate. Three separate introductions identified in June 2022 (north of Tampa), December 2022 (Fort Myers), and June 2023 (north of Miami) are presently under quarantine as eradication efforts continue.
Description
The eggs of Lissachatina fulica are pure white and opaque but may be slightly yellowish or even somewhat transparent. The eggs have a thin, calcareous shell, and are about 5 mm long and 4 mm wide. A newly hatched snail is called a neonate. When the giant African land snail hatches, its shell is about 5 to 5.5 mm long, consisting of 2.5 whorls. As the snail grows, its shell extends either clockwise (dextral) or counter-clockwise (sinistral), coiling and creating whirls as the snail ages. Younger snails will have a vertical pattern on their shell (wrinkles, welts, and criss-crossing patterns) of brown and cream color bands. As the snail grows, the new whorls of its shell will be smooth and glossy, consisting of only a brown color. A fully adult snail is around 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter and 20 cm (7.9 in) or more in length, making it one of the largest of all extant land snails. An adult snail may be expected to have 7–9 whorls, but this is not necessarily a reliable indicator of age; nor is the width of the snail's peristome (the shell's lip at the aperture or opening of the shell), which was traditionally used to measure age, as it varies as well. While the snail most typically has a brown shell with cream sections at its apex, the shell coloration is highly variable. A buttery yellow body (also called pedal or foot) is possible, rather than the typical brownish grey body and brown shell. This variety is nicknamed the 'white jade snail' in China. The snail also comes in the 'golden' variety, sometimes considered an albino type; with a yellow body and yellow shell.
Ecology
Habitat
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