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NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
Common Name: Florida applesnail
Identification:
This species is the largest freshwater gastropod in North America (Burch 1982). It is globose in shape, body whorls are wide, spire is depressed, and the aperature is narrowly oval (Burch 1982). They are brown in color and have a striped pattern.
Size: 60 mm in length and width (Burch 1982)
Native Range:
Central and southern Florida (Thompson 1984); Cuba; Hispanola (Dundee 1974).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: It has limited northern distribution in Florida. Collections have been made in Georgia, Oahu, Hawaii (Devick 1991), Louisiana, and Oklahoma (Dundee 1974).
Ecology: Tropical species. Amphibious, but can survive dry seasons (Burch1982). Applesnails have both gills and lungs.
Means of Introduction:
Unknown
Status:
Impact of Introduction: Unknown
Remarks:
References
Burch, J. B. 1982. North American freshwater snails.Walkerana 1(4):217-365.
Dundee, D. S. 1974. Catalog of introduced molluscs of eastern North America (north of Mexico). Sterkiana 55:1-37.
Thompson, F.G. 1984. The freshwater snails of Florida: a manual for identification. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, Florida, 94 pp.
Other Resources:
Pomacea paludosa (Florida applesnail) (Gulf of Mexico Program)
Pomacea paludosa (The apple snail website)
Collecting Florida applesnails (Pomacea paludosa) from wetland habitats using funnel traps.
Key to the applesnails of Florida
Habitat related growth of juvenile Florida applesnails (Pomacea paludosa)
Identification of applesnails (Pomacea) in U.S. waters (R. Howells, Texas Parks and Wldlife)
Apple Snail Habitat Suitability Index
Author: A. Benson
Revision Date: 4/24/2006 Citation for this information:
A. Benson. 2009. Pomacea paludosa. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=985> Revision Date: 4/24/2006
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