johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 5, 2013 15:13:41 GMT
Hi there, I found this little guy earlier when I was collecting slugs. I live in Richards Bay, South Africa, and its shell is approximately two centimeters long. Does anyone have an idea as to ID? Thank you, JV Attachments:
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Post by malacophile on Feb 5, 2013 16:23:40 GMT
I tried, but I'm clueless. For most species of snail, there just doesn't seem to be that much info available. It reminds me of the Anguispira alternata we have here in the U.S., but that particular species being found where you are is highly unlikely, especially considering that it's native to North America.
However, while searching for what your snail could be, I found that there's a book called "Field guide to the land snails and slugs of eastern South Africa". It might be worth checking out.
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 5, 2013 16:31:06 GMT
Thank you for trying, I'll add some more angles later, it might help? That is a wonderful book, but you have to order it, and it is ridiculously expensive.
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 5, 2013 16:44:13 GMT
Some more photos. I hope they help. Attachments:
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Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 5, 2013 17:07:35 GMT
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Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 5, 2013 17:11:48 GMT
Haha, I've been ninja'd about the book.
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Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 5, 2013 17:15:38 GMT
Ooh now that I see the other side of the shell... it actually looks a lot like an Achatina achatina baby! It's definitely a giant African land snail baby. Maybe an Archachatina? I'm not so good at picking them apart. But I have tiger snails and I got them as babies, and this one looks very much alike. Can you entice the little guy out so we can see his face? Tiger snails have very "chubby" faces which is a bit different from many other giant African land snails that are more "slender". Added a picture of a baby, apparently half a year old tiger snail for comparison. Silly link only wants to go to the top of the post for some reason, alas.
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 5, 2013 18:07:55 GMT
I thought that it might be something in the Achatinidae family, but I'm new to mollusc identification. And, we have the perfect climate for them so there are several species. I will post some photos as soon as I can of some of our snails. I'm waiting for the little guy to stick his head out myself, but he doesn't want to know about it. I gave him some lettuce, and gave him a misting, in the hopes that he'll stick his head out.
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 5, 2013 18:09:31 GMT
Oh, and I will definitely try to get hold of that book. Thank you for your help.
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Post by shaydeesnail on Feb 5, 2013 20:03:22 GMT
I was thinking that he looked like a baby tiger snail, however my Achatina albopicta have the same pattern at the very tip of their shell, as he grows it will become more obvious what kind of snail he is. I'd say he is an Achatina rather than Archachatina due to the apex being pointed and not rounded. Albopictas have quite a light brown skin whereas A. achatina have dark grey skin. See if you can tell when he finally comes out to say hello. I am leaning towards him being a tiger snail though!
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Post by malacophile on Feb 5, 2013 20:04:31 GMT
Man, the angle of the picture really makes all the difference, doesn't it? Here I thought it was a disc-shaped snail. Looking at it now, it definitely looks like an Achatinidae, not that I'm any sort of expert on them.
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Post by vallery on Feb 6, 2013 22:46:10 GMT
Yes I was thinking that it was also disc shaped from the first picture angle malacophile, so I was doing a search on completely different snails. Now that I can see the other angles I will give another search a shot. Beautiful shell johananv lucky find. vallery
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Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 7, 2013 18:09:06 GMT
It really looks like a disc shaped shell, it's just the right angle to fool the eye. Even after seeing the other pics it looks like disc!
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Post by corvuszombie on Feb 7, 2013 20:20:43 GMT
try searching the image on google. it may bring up other snails that look like it and you can cross reference them and maybe help you figure it out.
if you don't know how to search a image on google they have videos on how to do it depending on the comp you have.
good luck! CorvusZombie
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Post by brunni on Feb 11, 2013 19:19:29 GMT
Hi JV ! Yes that's a juvenile Achatinidae. Either an Achatina sp.or a Limicolaria sp., but the early whorls are too small to consider it to be an Archachatina. It is probably a baby A. zebra Bruguiere, 1792 ( quite common in your area ). Your library should carry publications on the species from RSA.
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 13, 2013 18:54:25 GMT
Thank You Brunni,
I had considered Achatina zebra, but had not posted for a while. I discovered A. zebra on the internet, and thought that it bore the most resemblance to my specimen. Thank you for the confirmation.
And, thank you for everyone else's help.
JV
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Post by brunni on Feb 13, 2013 19:19:43 GMT
Hi Joh So glad we concur ! Please post more images, you live in a very interesting area ! Not often we get to see live snails from your region and it seems there are a multitude of species around you ? Brunni ;D ;D ;D
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 13, 2013 19:41:19 GMT
Hi Brunni,
I am trying to take better photos, especially of the smaller species, So that I can start a thread in the photo section. I am currently using the browser on my phone, but when I have sufficient data on the computer, I will definitely post more photos.
JV
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Post by brunni on Feb 14, 2013 14:10:17 GMT
Hi Joh Suggest you rename this thread something like : juvenile Achatina zebra ?That way it will be easier for future researchers to identify with your posting.
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johananv
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 38
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Post by johananv on Feb 14, 2013 16:51:02 GMT
I concur. I have renamed the thread.
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Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 14, 2013 17:31:22 GMT
I'm also moving this to the identification archives!
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Post by brunni on Feb 14, 2013 18:54:05 GMT
You see Joh , you renamed it just in time before PU sent it to archives !
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Dumbledore
Achatina immaculata
#heavily caffeinated
Posts: 251
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Post by Dumbledore on Jul 11, 2013 18:20:22 GMT
*sherlock face*
From studying the pictures, I have deduced.... that it is not a slug.
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Post by vallery on Sept 10, 2013 14:10:37 GMT
Hi, I have come back to this thread to have another look only now I can not view some of the photos posted. If you click on the photos number it says "This forum has exceeded it's attachment space limit." I have tried to discuss this problem about threads that can be very helpful and educational to members and guests but without the photos they are not helpful. I did start a thread about optional donations to help this forum so we have more space but haven't received an answer from Paul yet. As a least few of us are for the Idea of donating to pay for more space but no way of knowing where to send our donations. I hope we can figure something out.
vallery
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