Achatina immaculata types

[Arno]

[moved this bit here to form a new thread:]
"Basically here is how I would list them:

A.dimdiata doesn't exist = They are Achatina immaculata var "two-tone"
A.panthera is obsolete = They are Achatina immaculata var "panthera"
Our stuhlmanni aren't so they would be Achatina immaculata var "small panthera" if they are not the dwarf variety. I don't want to call it "stuhlmanni" as stuhlmanni are a real species. They are either var. lamarckiana (the dwarf type from Madagascar/Mauritius) or just stunted/small "panthera", with the latter being by far the most likely.

Brown, blue, striped forms are not variants, they are aberrations within a variant. So it may make sense to have Achatina immaculata var "panthera brown", Achatina immaculata var. "panthera striped" to indicate this. To be perfectly honest this is more confusing since ventricose striped "panthera" are actually probably normal immaculata.

In the simplest terms, regardless of stripes/plain etc, if they are ventricose they are immaculata var. immaculata. If they are slim they are var. "panthera" because it was this difference that caused the slim ones to be considered different."

[Kevin]

That all makes sense.

Are immaculata "two tone" a panthera variety since they're not always ventricose? or do you mean that these





Are the only "true" variety of panthera, since they're shell is very slim compared to other immaculata?

Is this an Achatina (Lissachatina) immaculata "two-tone"



Because he isnt actually two-tone, doesnt really have an elongated shell, or is as ventricose as regular immaculata, he is adult (about 8cm) I would think he would be two-tone by now.

[LisaLQ]

I think it's hard to see the two tone on the snails with scratched shells. Most days I cant see it on Gary, but it's definitely there. I think, from that piccie, I might be mistaken - but he looks to have some redder parts in his newest growth, and some along side the damaged part. So from me, the newbie who knows nowt, he's two toned *lol*

[Deleted]

kevin we're just generalising by saying panthera and 'stuhlmanni' have slim shells and immaculata and two-tone have more ventricose shells. its not *always* the case.

the snail on the third picture is a panthera.

[Kevin]

lotsofsnails said:

kevin we're just generalising by saying panthera and 'stuhlmanni' have slim shells and immaculata and two-tone have more ventricose shells. its not *always* the case.

the snail on the third picture is a panthera.

So he's the exact same species and variety as the other two pictures?

If all immaculata are the exact same species isnt it confusing giving them common names mixed with they're latin name? because they dont always fit exactly into they're variety description, wouldnt it be like giving fulica with completly different shell, colour or pattern lots of different varieties? instead of just rodatzii?

[Kevin]

lisalq said:

I think it's hard to see the two tone on the snails with scratched shells. Most days I cant see it on Gary, but it's definitely there. I think, from that piccie, I might be mistaken - but he looks to have some redder parts in his newest growth, and some along side the damaged part. So from me, the newbie who knows nowt, he's two toned *lol*

The snail in that picture isnt evenly two-toned, I can see how he would look two tone in it though,

some more pictures







he has a mixture of light and darker patches across his shell, at parts it looks more two tone

[Deleted]

Kevin I don't think its extremely important which immaculata go in which 4 groups, because often they overlap. we should probably just say which group they're in for selling purposes if someone wants a specific type. i see what you mean though.

i'd say brown panthera is an immaculata with a plain brown shell with a few small stripes and spots.

[Kevin]

lotsofsnails said:

Kevin I don't think its extremely important which immaculata go in which 4 groups, because often they overlap. we should probably just say which group they're in for selling purposes if someone wants a specific type. i see what you mean though.

i'd say brown panthera is an immaculata with a plain brown shell with a few small stripes and spots.

Yeah that makes sense, description of immaculata would be needed for buying and selling, I dont see the need after that though?..If they are kept together and breed they will produce even more types of immaculata wont they?

[Deleted]

yeh the 4 pics in the middle are a two-tone

[Kevin]

lotsofsnails said:

yeh the 4 pics in the middle are a two-tone

I thought so, I edited my post, cause' I realised they probably were,

for anyone wondering its the pictures here

www.achatinidae.com/Allgemeines/Gattungen/Achatina/A__immaculata/a__immaculata.html

[Paul]

pandatazz said:

Are immaculata "two tone" a panthera variety since they're not always ventricose?

There is no panthera variety as such. If I had to choose I would say the the two-tones are not "panthera" like, they're not slim enough. But Mike is correct, we're just generalising for convenience.

The page is nearly complete, I'm just waiting for permission to use a picture.