gigas
Achatina achatina
Posts: 95
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Post by gigas on Sept 29, 2015 21:38:43 GMT
Found with about 90 others, but they are considerably smaller than this guy (even as adults). He measures to be 34 mm. Z. auricoma or Z. trinitaria? I personally believe I have hybrids of Z. provisoria and Z. auricoma in my area, so maybe just one with more auricoma percentage? It was found in Estero, Florida. It is a monster.
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mangoandlemon
Achatina tincta
Animals are not a choice for me. They are a lifestyle!
Posts: 671
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Post by mangoandlemon on Sept 29, 2015 23:36:15 GMT
That is exactly what mine look like! I have seen them mating so it could be a hybrid. Mine are that size.
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Post by astana on Sept 29, 2015 23:49:15 GMT
He's adorably chubby.
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Post by Liguus on Sept 30, 2015 0:21:27 GMT
The colors definitely look different, and it does appear huge! I was collecting Zachrysia mainly on Estero Blvd, but have never looked at them in detail...maybe i have another species too, their shells seem different...shoot I would post some pics if I wasn't suppose to be studying...
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gigas
Achatina achatina
Posts: 95
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Post by gigas on Sept 30, 2015 0:35:13 GMT
I lean Z. auricoma with this one.
From what I've observed, I think the pure Z. provisoria are small and their body color is a metallic silver. I think the ones that are in between are hybrids. Or maybe Z. provisoria are variable in color. Not sure.
I am thinking about separating the ones I have with the blondish body and orange shells and put them together, and the ones with the dark metallic silver with a heavily patterned shell and put them together, and just line breed for "pure" looking ones.
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Cashell
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,124
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Post by Cashell on Sept 30, 2015 0:50:51 GMT
I'm not sure what species of Zachrysia they are, but I want just want to say that they look wonderful!
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mangoandlemon
Achatina tincta
Animals are not a choice for me. They are a lifestyle!
Posts: 671
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Post by mangoandlemon on Sept 30, 2015 1:07:55 GMT
I might too.
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gigas
Achatina achatina
Posts: 95
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Post by gigas on Oct 3, 2015 5:52:03 GMT
The Beast next to an adult Z. provisoria.
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Cashell
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,124
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Post by Cashell on Oct 3, 2015 12:19:24 GMT
The adult looks kind of like a helix pomatia.
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Post by Liguus on Oct 3, 2015 14:56:08 GMT
The adult looks kind of like a helix pomatia. A little, maybe, lol. There is a guy selling zachrysia on ebay, and I see he has them labelled "H. pomatia". I think some buyers may be in for a surprise...
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Post by Liguus on Oct 3, 2015 15:03:25 GMT
Here are the Zachrysia from Miami. Some were brown with a dark gray body, and some yellow with a light gray body. I never found out if they were separate species or not. some also seem to have more spots on their shell than others, but I'm guessing thats just a feature when they are young.
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gigas
Achatina achatina
Posts: 95
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Post by gigas on Oct 3, 2015 22:44:43 GMT
Both of the snails pictured are adults. HelixPomatia, not sure about yours. My claim about the hybridization is definitely not based on any real science. Just speculation. I wonder if I can send off some DNA samples? I will contact FreshFromFlorida and University of Florida and see if they are interested.. to me, if my theory holds true, yours may not be pure. I have some really pure looking Z. provisoria that retained all the lines and speckles and metallic body, but I have a lot that don't have it like some of yours. I have noticed the "pure" ones are smaller. I will have to go back to Estero and see if I can locate another large one.
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Post by Liguus on Oct 4, 2015 0:03:12 GMT
I guess if I really, really wanted to know I could sequence their DNA myself. I've been sequencing Mesodon since August...My boss may not be happy about me using his expensive primers and reagents on personal projects though lol. And a lot of work goes into it since different primers amplify different gene loci in varying success in different land snails. So far it's been really hit-or-miss in terms of getting usable data.
Too bad none of my "yellow" shelled ones are alive. I've got almost an entirely new set of WC zahrysia from estero island and my previous group never mated.
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mangoandlemon
Achatina tincta
Animals are not a choice for me. They are a lifestyle!
Posts: 671
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Post by mangoandlemon on Oct 4, 2015 17:14:13 GMT
I will post pics of mine.
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