Giant snail

Giant Snail

1. The African Giant Snail Scientific Name : Lissachatina fulica

2. Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Stylommatophora Superfamily: Achationoidea Family: Achatinidae Genus: Lissachatina Species: fulica Systematic Position: A ir- breathing land snails Native to Africa; 5-7 whorls Foot below the gut. Spirally coiled Soft body

3. Habit and Habitat --Warm tropical climates with mild temperatures all year round and high humidity -- Found in agricultural areas, coastal areas and wetlands, natural and planted forests, scrublands and shrublands, and urban zones. Feeding: feeds voraciously Adult : decaying organic matter, garbage, fallen fruit and animal manure. Younger : living plants:- flowers and vegetables; feed on over 500 plant species. typically herbivorous but prey on other snails. hibernate under rocks or in loose soil during unfavorable conditions

4. A large snail: Nocturnal Shell: narrow, conical, coffee-colored; up to 20 cm in length Hermaphrodite but cross fertilization occurs Produces eggs: Round yellow, 5mm in length, 100-400 Eggs hatch at temp >15°C hatch within a few hours up to 17 days. sexually mature at 6 months of age live up to 5-9 years lay a total of 1,000 eggs.

5. Distribution Origin: Eastern Africa Particularly: Kenya and Tanzania First occurrence outside Africa was: Bengal, India Then transported mistakenly and purposefully Current Distribution: found most in southern hemisphere countries Also identified in Southern, Southeastern and eastern asia , West Indies, US Throughout Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Australia, New Zealand, South America If not immediately intercepted, they populate exponentially making it extremely difficult to control in a timely and cost efficient fashion .

6. One of the most invasive pests for agriculture causing economic crisis for farmers. A ttacks more than 500 types of plants preferring P eanuts, Fruits, Cocoa, Cassava, Rubber and many species of legumes, Coconut, Cucurbits. Y oung ones feed on flowers and vegetables Adult ones prefer decaying organic matter. The snail causes loss of crop yield, spread of plant pathogens and increase in cost production.c A lso known to damage building by eating stucco (plaster) and calcium materials THREATS CAUSED BY GIANT SNAIL

7. This species also harbours a parasitic nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis which can cause meningitis rat lungworm (Angiostrongyliasis) in human beings

8. Lissachatina also pollutes the surroundings by it’s shell. After the species dies, the calcium carbonate found in the shells neutralizes the soil. Altering the properties of plant that will grow on the soil.

9. Control measures Collecting . Hand-pinking of snails or killing them by placing in salt water for 2 or more days. Quarantine Treatment and inspection of goods that can harbour the snail and prevent further spreading. All imports to other countries should be handled with utmost care.

10. Physical controls The Giant snail rarely moves on bare ground. At least 1.5 meters of land around the crop for protection Chemical controls -The Giant snail favours high humidity -Use of mollusicide such as metaldehyde (Snail bait) on susceptible plants. Highly toxic for these snails when consumed. Biological controls Introducing: -Ducks ( Anas ) can reduce the number of snails. -Two predatory snails- Euglandina rosea, Gonaxis quadrilateralis and flatworm Platydemus manokwari are natural enemies of the snail.