Euglandina

Taxobox
name = "Euglandina"

---

image_width = 200px
image_caption = "Euglandina rosea"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Heterobranchia
ordo = Pulmonata
familia = Spiraxidae
genus = "Euglandina"

"Euglandina" is a genus of medium- to large-sized land snails, especially notable for being carnivorous. They are sometimes called "wolf snails" for that reason.

Range of distribution

The natural range of "Euglandina" encompasses much of the tropical and subtropical Western Hemisphere, including the SE United States to Texas, Mexico, and various locations in Central and South America. The species "Euglandina rosea" has been intentionally introduced into many other warm areas — from Hawaii to New Guinea, Bermuda, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and many other locations — in a vain attempt to control accidentally introduced snails, usually the giant African "Achatina fulica". [Columbia Univ. Introduced Species Project. Rosy Wolfsnail ("Euglandina rosea"). http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Euglandina_rosea.html]

Habitat

Member of this genus can be found in many micro-habitats. Species of "Euglandia" can be found in semi-tropical moist jungle, and in near-desert. Their only requirements seem to be a relatively warm climate and the presence of a sufficient supply of food organisms.

Taxonomy and species

The pulmonate genus "Euglandina" is often referred to as "Glandina" in older literature, and the most widely known species, "E. rosea", may commonly be found under the synonym "Glandina truncata". [Pilsbry, Henry A. (1946) Land Mollusca of North America (North of Mexico). Vol. 2, Pt. 1. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia Monograph 3.] These snails are currently usually placed in the family Spiraxidae, although they have also been associated with the Streptaxidae and Oleacinidae.

There are perhaps 15 species in the genus "Euglandina", including [Hubricht, Leslie. (1985). The distribution of the native land mollusks of the eastern United States. Fieldiana Zool. 24: 1-191.] [Perez, Kathryn and Ned E. Strenth. (2003). A systematic review of the land snail "Euglandina singleyana" (Binney, 1892) (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Spiraxidae). Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 116(3): 649-660.] [Perez, Kathryn and Ned E. Strenth. (2002). Enzymatic variation in the land snail "Euglandina texasiana" (gastropoda: pulmonata) from south Texas and northeastern Mexico. Texas J. Science, 1 February 2002.] [Pilsbry, Henry A. (1946).] [Thompson, Fred G. (1987). Giant carnivorous land snails from Mexico and Central America. Bull. Fla. State Mus.: Biol. Sci. 30(2): 29-52.] :
* "Euglandina cumingi"
* "Euglandina dubia"
* "Euglandina cordovana"
* "Euglandina exesa" (fossil)
* "Euglandina gigantea"
* "Euglandina immemorata"
* "Euglandina rosea"
* "Euglandina rosea bullata"
* "Euglandina singleyana"
* "Euglandina sowerbyana"
* "Euglandina texasiana"
* "Euglandina vanuxemensis"

Characteristics of the genus

The various species of "Euglandina" are consistent in many ways. The shells are simple, oval in outline (sometimes broadly so) but occasionally more-or-less straight-sided, The lip of the aperture is also simple, without any thickening. These shells may be brown, orange, or pink in color, or some intermediate shade. Shell sculpture when present usually consists of striae marking progressive growth increments. All are carnivores, and probably have essentially the same hunting and feeding strategies [Cook, Anthony. (1983). Feeding by the carnivorous snail "Euglandina rosea" Férrusac. J. Molluscan Studies 49: 32-35.] [Harry, Harold W. (1983). Notes on the flesh-eating land snail, "Euglandina rosea" in Texas, and its feeding habits. Texas Conchologist 20(1): 23-27.] , and reproductive techniques. [Cook, Anthony. (1985). The courtship of "Euglandina rosea" Férrusac. J. Molluscan Studies 51: 211-214.]

References