An Island Apple Snail A Day...
The island apple Snail, also known as the giant apple snail or the spotted apple snail (Pomacea maculata) is a species of apple snail found found on the edges of slow-moving freshwater bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, wetlands, and agricultural ditches. They require warm, shallow water and plenty of aquatic vegetation. They are originally native to central South America, but have since been introduced in the southern United States, Spain, and eastern and southeast Asia.
Giant apple snails can be fairly large, measuring up to 15 cm(5.9 inches) in shell length, and weighing up to 200 g (7 oz). Females are typically larger than males. The shell itself can be brown, olive, or green with streaks, and is quite round with 4-5 whorls, while the foot is grey or brown with dark spots. They posses both a pulmonary sac and gills, and can thus survive on land and water.
Mating for P. maculata runs from March to November. Females can store sperm from multiple males at a time, and lay clutches of up to 2,000 bright pink eggs every week. These clutches are laid just above the water line on branches or plant stems. The eggs take 2 weeks to hatch. Hatchlings can become fully mature within a year, and individuals can live for up to 8 years.
The spotted snail feeds almost exclusively on aquatic algae, which they can consume rapidly and in large quantities; they also supplement their diet with frog eggs and decaying vegetation. They themselves are predated upon by raccoons and snail kites.
Conservation status: Within its native range, the species has a large and stable population. In introduced areas it is considered an invasive species, and can damage ecosystems through their consumption of native plants and by out-competing native snails, thus eliminating a source of food for predators.
Photos
The Bug Network
Oz Rittner
Edward Haight
