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Non-insects

Golden Apple Snail
Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822) (Mollusca: Prosobranchia: Ampullariidae)

Status
Exotic (absent from Australia) High Impact Pest Species

Dorsal view

Caption: Collected from Aquarium trade

Source: Ken Walker Museum Victoria

Shell. The shell of this apple snail species is globose and relatively heavy (especially in older snails). The 5 to 6 whorls are separated by a deep, indented suture (hence the name 'canaliculata' or 'channeled'). The shell opening (aperture) is large and oval to round. Males are known to have a rounder aperture than females. The umbilicus is large and deep. The overall shell shape is similar to that of Pomacea lineata, except the deeper sutures and more globose shape in canaliculata.
The size of these snails varies from 40 to 60 mm wide and 45 to 75 mm high depending on the conditions.
The colour varies completely yellow and green (cultivated forms) to brown with or without dark spiral bands (wild form). The shell growth of this species occurs mainly in spring and summer, while it stagnates in fall and winter.

Operculum: The operculum is moderately thick and corneous. The structure is concentric with the nucleus near the centre of the shell. The colour varies light (in young snails) to dark brown. The operculum can be retracted in the aperture (shell opening).

Body: The colour of the body varies from yellow (cultivated), brown to nearly black, with yellow spots on the siphon, but not as much on the mouth as in Pomacea bridgesii. When at rest, the tentacles are curled under the shell.

Eggs: The reddish (due to the high carotenoid content) eggs are loosely attached to each other. They are attached on object above the waterline and their size varies from 2.20 to 3.5 mm (0.5 to 0.9 inch) diameter. An average clutch contains 200 to 600 eggs.

Source:

http://www.applesnail.net/

(Accessed 30 July 2005)

PaDIL Links:
Giant African Snail (Achatina fulica)

Specimen contact point: Dr John Stanisic, Queensland Museum

Citation: Walker, K. (2009) Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata ) Pest and Diseases Image Library. Updated on 2/9/2009 1:37:07 PM. Available online: http://www.padil.gov.au

Created Date: 7/30/2005 2:43:05 PM

Last Updated: 2/9/2009 1:37:07 PM

Diagnostic Images
Aperature	Operculum	Spire	Spire
Overview Images
Dorsal	Lateral	Ventral
Other Images
P. guyanensis	P. cumingii	P. cumingii	P. guyanensis
P. guyanensis	P. limnopomus	P. limnopomus	P. lineata
P. lineata	Pomacea sp.	Pomacea sp.	Pomacea sp.
Pomacea sp.	Pomacea sp.	Pomacea sp.