florida snail identification
Thompson, F. G. 1969. Click on the link in the row that best matches your snail. 1982. Shell planispiral, adults large, 35-50 mm (Figs. Littoridinops monroensis Mantle diffusely pigmented with melanophores (Fig. University of Florida Penis with different arrangement of papillae than above. Somatogyrus is distributed from the Mississippi River drainage system east to Atlantic coastal streams, and south to the Gulf coastal drainage systems. Many North American snail species were described near the turn of the century by Walker (1918). The family attains its greatest diversity in Southeast Asia. It is presented in the form of key supplements with illustrations and habitat information to facilitate identifications. Adult shells about 40-60 mm high (Fig. The island apple snail is the largest of the known species in Florida with shell sizes up to five inches in length. Penis with 0-6 papillae confined to right margin (Figs. By 1973, more than 18,000 snails had been found and destroyed along with thousands of eggs, and the snail was . Apex very short, only slightly raised above body whorl. Never preserve shell specimens in formalin. 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. Elimia doolyensis An investigation by FDACS Division of Plant Industry found multiple positive sites with the snail in Miami-Dade County. The planorbid fauna of the southeastern states is particularly poorly known. Shell more slender and attenuate; spire more elongate in adults, about 0.7- 1.0 times height of aperture. Land Snail (Bulimulus sporadicus)A large group of Bulimulus sporadicus found in the Florida panhandle. 153). Snails on corn. Many species are secondarily modified to appear right-handed or pseudo-dextral (FIGS. They are commonly found on live aquatic plant stems, dead leaves and sticks, and on bottles and cans. Umbilicus closed. Brownish-yellow in color (Fig. Shell larger, reaching a maximum diameter of 18 mm. 149). Shell elongate-conical; 10-40 mm long in adult specimens; apex of spire usually eroded; shell with 8-12 whorls although eroded specimens may have fewer; shell usually strongly sculptured with spiral and/or vertical ribs and threads (except in Elimia dickinsoni); central tooth of radula without basal or lateral cusps (Fig. 131). Elimia clenchi From a distance, the snail kite generally resembles a medium-sized hawk with broad wings. Spiral angulation on whorls sharp and prominent in juveniles, usually becoming convex-rounded or smooth on last whorl in adults. Dorsl surface of penis with a few elongate superior tubercles that form a weakly defined U-shaped pattern. Only Elimia is found in Florida. Work through the questions, each time choosing the characteristic that best matches your snail from the two choices. (Mihalcik & Thompson, 2002). 149). NotogiIlia wetherby Penis without a conspicuously enlarged papilla near right base, although other papillae usually are present. Click on the link in the row that best matches your snail. Interior of aperture livid white. Fine vertical ribs present on uppermost whorls. Shell generally thin but strong; whorls of spire strongly convex with deep suture (Figs. In others, some or all populations may be parthenogenetic, consisting only of females, or they may have a disproportionately small number of males. Embryonic shell with fine vertical ribs and a heavy spiral chord on periphery and two basal spiral chords (Fig. Average length about 5 mm (Figs. 40). Recent studies treat amnicolids as a separate families. Shell relatively thin. 1-69. Penis filament white. Nuclear whorl flattened, 0.41-0.48 mm in diameter transverse to initial suture. 115, 116). 204-207), often eroded in older specimens. Penis with papillae along both margins, or right margin only (papillae absent in some Aphaostracon). Shell with 4.4-5.0 whorls; about 3.7-5.2 mm long. Kites belong to the same bird family as hawks and eagles, Accipittridae. 197-209). The primary differences between the two families are based on soft anatomy. Elimia floridensis Your choice will lead you to the proper identification of your snail or the next appropriate pair of questions. 49, 50). Malacological Review, Suppl. Aperture free from, or only in slight contact with, preceding whorl. Regal Hydrobe Operculum with about 6 slowly expanding whorls (Fig. Shell moderately large, 3.7-4.5 mm long; spire 1.00-1.35 times length of aperture; shell with 4.8-5.4 whorls. Color of fresh shell never milky white. 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. Outer lip straight in lateral profiles. Shell nearly smooth, sculptured with irregularly spaced incremental striations (Figs. Define Invasive Species: must have ALL of the following -. (Thompson, 1968). Shape highly variable, usually disc-shaped but some specimens with flat-topped raised spire. Black-crested Elimia) Elimia albanyensis (Lea, 1864). Photo: University of Florida. 35). Female shell about 4-6 mm long (Figs. 96). 161, 164, 167). Shell usually elevated, but variable. Published April 18, 2013 80). This causes problems in species identification and yield an undermeasure of the actual number of species that exist in nature. Spire raised and flat-topped. Univ. All snails in the subfamily Achatininae, including the giant African snail (GAS) (Lissachatina fulica), are regulated plant pests. Numerous species of exotic snails are serious pests of plants and threats to public health. Females ovoviviparous or oviparous. 122). It should be remembered that it is only a key which emphasizes shell characters. 132). The family contains numerous genera and species, some of which are important medically as intermediate hosts for trematode parasites. Shell conical or cylindric-conical; light to dark brown. Alligator Siltsnail Spire short and compact, about 0.5-0.7 times height of aperture in mature specimens, proportionally longer in juveniles (Fig. 1963. Identification KeysThese files are all keys for the identification of various kinds of organisms. Vertical ribs strongly developed, crossed by nearly equal sized spiral threads that form low spines where they cross the ribs, adults about 20-25 mm long (Fig. Aperture broadly attached to preceding whorl across parietal wall. Shell sculptured with very fine, uniformly spaced axial threads (Figs.168-170). Shell medium-sized, 2.8 3.5 mm long; spire 0.9 1.1 times length of aperture; shell with 4.2-4.7 whorls (Fig. 37), which is important for generic and specific diagnosis. Campeloma limum 86). Aphaostracon monas This subfamily includes about fifteen North American and European genera (Thompson 1979). 169, 172). The species are highly variable, and there is no consensus regarding the number of valid species. Apex less than 0.4 times length of shell. Umbilicus widely perforate, accentuated by a strong circum-umbilical keel. Pomacea canaliculata Adams, 1841). (Fmr.) Miscellaneous Publication of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, 6: 1-213. Length of shell 3.0-4.0 mm (Fig. Umbilicus narrow, deep (Fig. Swallow-tailed kites are spring and summer residents; snail kites are specially adapted to feed on apple snails in Florida freshwater wetlands year 'round. A giant African land snail, photographed at a lab in 2014. Their color varies from red-orange, to pink, to a blue purple. Sculpture above periphery of whorls consisting of sharp spiral chords and distinct vertical ribs; shell attenuate. The genus is difficult to diagnose by shell characters because the three species are very dissimilar. This manual recognizes 113 species and subspecies that occurring in Florida and the list will increase with time. Shell about 0.38-0.41 times as wide as high and about 20-27 mm long. Aperture loosely attached to or slightly free from preceding whorl. A single species consisting of two highly variable subspecies occurs in Florida. Surface smooth or dented with hammer marks. Length of shell 2.0-2.4 mm (Fig. Penis with a dense pattern of superior tubercles. Browse and enjoy! Planorbella duryi Spilochlamys gravis (Lea, 1858). Seminole Rams-horn Length of shell 2.6-3.0 mm (Fig. The reader will discover how very little we know about any genus occurring in Florida. 100). (Lamark, 1822). 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. (Vanatta, 1934). Aphaostracon xynoelictus On sibling species and genetic diversity in Florida Goniobasis (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia, Pleuroceridae). Specimens then are placed in a fixative such as 10 percent formalin or Bouins Solution. The reader may be troubled by the imprecise shell characteristics that are used in the key. Aperture widely separated from preceding whorl. Shell usually opaque in adults, with a dark red callus inside the lip (Fig. 32). 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. October 14, 2021 7:00 am. Nuclear whorl 0.29-0.33 mm in diameter. Body whorl relatively narrow, not conspicuously enlarging near aperture (Fig. 57). Base of shell with dark red spiral band. Floridobia ponderosa (Say, 1829). Six species are known to occur in Florida. Fawn Melania 101). The shell characters given above for separating the families apply only to Florida species. Marsh Sprite 82). It matters not that the specimens are stored in 70 percent alcohol after having been fixed in formalin. Includes the limpkin, a Sunshine State specialty. Apex of shell slightly convex in outline. They are most common on tropical islands but occur also in cold regions, where they hibernate. Shell very thin, fragile, transparent. Shell with 5.0-6.5 whorls; about 3-5 mm long (Fig. Gray to brownish-yellow in color. (Clench, 1925). Aperture elliptical in shape; spire slenderer and slightly convex in outline; suture moderately impressed suture; parapical crest reduced in size. Shell with prominent ribs and spiral chords on all whorls. 2015; Agudo-Padron 2018). Shell ovate or subcircular in shape, smooth or with radial sculpture localized anteriorly. Essentially identical shells occur repeatedly among unrelated genera and subfamilies. 169). Biochemical studies show that in Elimia shell characters are conservative indicators of genetic divergence (Mihalcik & Thompson, 2002). 65). Sculpture consisting of axial striations only (Fig.147). In 2011, a population of the pests was discovered in Miami-Dade County. Ghost Rams-horn Penis simple, elongate-conical, without papillae (Fig. More data based on many population samples from throughout this range will be necessary before the validity of the three forms can be determined. The shell are secondarily useful for identification, but only when supplemented with anatomical information. (Walker, 1905). The greatest diversity of genera and species is in the Indo-Australian region. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 86: 29-66. Size small, discoidal, adults seldom exceeding 4 mm in width. The aquatic snails of the Family Hydrobiidae of peninsular Florida. Adult large, about 23-27 mm long (Figs. The following key includes all of the species that occur in Florida and some that occur in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. It is important to save some specimens for anatomical studies. Shell medium to large (12-75 mm). 159-196). 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 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. Live field samples should be divided into two groups, one to be preserved for shells, the other to be preserved for anatomical specimens. Burch, J.B. 1989. (Thompson, 1968). Formalin will corrode the shell and thereby eliminate color, delicate sculpture, and the periostracum the thin skin coating present on most shells. Amnicola rhombostoma 120). 48). Nucleus of operculum spiral and then surrounded by concentric growth rings (Fig. 23, 26). Thompson, F. G. 1982. Campeloma floridense (Fig. 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. Lower margin of aperture advanced beyond upper margin so that plane of aperture slopes posteriorly when viewed from the side (Figs.189-193). Shell of various shapes and sculpture. Sculpture consisting of distinct spiral striations and threads superimposed on growth striations (Fig. 90). Micromenetus d. dilatus A preliminary revision of Florida Lioplax (Gastropoda: Viviparidae), with a description of Lioplax talquinensis n.sp. 110, 111, 68). Thick-lipped Rams-horn Vas deferens independent of blind caecum and its duct. An invasive snail species known as the giant African land snail has officially been eradicated in the state of Florida after years of attempts and $24 million worth . Florida Museum of Natural History 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 . Thompson, F. G. 2000. Apical whorls pointed and raised, but not scalariform. Haitia cubensis 24, 27). Rock Springs Siltsnail Bantam Hydrobe Lymnaeids are a nearly cosmopolitan family of freshwater snails. Nautilus, 19: 34. 1965. 54). Freshwater mollusks of Alabama, Georgia and Florida from the Escambia to the Suwannee River. Shell rounded at the periphery (Figs. Fossaria modicella Apical whorls bluntly rounded and not conspicuously elevated. Shell planular or disc-shaped; spire flat when raised above succeeding whorls (Figs. Penis with large a terminal lobe on the left side and a smaller appendix-like flagellum on the right side. When trying to identify the type of snail, the easiest method is to check it out closely. 92). Nat. Three new freshwater snails of the genus Cincinnatia from peninsular Florida. Tadpole Physa Newborn shells brown. 200, 206). It also was the first adequately illustrated faunal summary published on the Southeast. The genus is found along the east coast of North America from Maryland south to Tabasco, Mexico. Vail, V. A. Thicker leaves may have damage on only one side. Medium to large freshwater snails found on all continents except South America. 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. The Snail Kite uses its slender, curved bill to extract its primary prey, the apple snail, from its shell. 1978. . Florida Applesnail Identification. It contains about a dozen species in North America. Planorbula armigera wheatleyi The first snail is Euglandina rosea, the "rosy wolf snail" it is carnivorous, and eats other snails.The second snail is Zachrysia provisoria, the "garden provisoria", which can be a pest as it enjoys fruits and vegetables.These snails are both native to Florida; neither species can survive in the wild in cold climates, but both species have been introduced to other . A little practice may be necessary to perfect this relaxing procedure. The reappearance of an invasive snail species forced state officials to enact a quarantine order two weeks ago for residents of Florida's Pasco County, an area north of Tampa along the gulf. (Lea, 1862). Malacological Review, 12: 41-49. Work through the questions, each time choosing the characteristic that best matches your snail from the two choices. Radial riblets on entire surface of shell except apex. Choctaw Lioplax Suture deeply impressed, forming a channel. One species occurs naturally in Florida, and three others have been introduced. Clench, W.J. (Thompson, 2000). (Pfeiffer, 1839). Brackish-water genera, Onobops and Heleobops, that are common in Florida are omitted. Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said that a Pasco County master gardener reported seeing a giant African land snail in the New Port Richey area on June 23. Occasional Papers on Mollusks, 2: 261-87. Lioplax pilsbryi pilsbryi Plane of aperture nearly vertical when viewed from the side. Fenney Spring Hydrobe Aperture relatively large with fine, uneven, serrate denticles along parietal wall (Fig. Curator of Malacology . Aperture broadly ovate. Primarily parthenogenetic; females viviparous with young snails in a brood pouch in nape. Shell unicolor brown, never mottled with reddish spots. (Thompson, 1968). Green Cove Springsnail Peristome complete around aperture. Other families occur elsewhere in North America and in other continents. Laevapex fuscus 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. This is essential in the case of the Hydrobiidae. Formalin does not even serve as a good fixative or preservative for long-term anatomical studies. 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. Texture dull. Taylor recognizes twenty-three genera based on the soft anatomy.