Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2021 6:23:12 GMT
Hello! I need help identifying a snail! Back in November I bought a cauliflower from my local veggie stand here in Northern Italy. As I was chopping off the florets to prepare dinner, I noticed a brown piece of something shell-like fly off. To my horror I found that I had nearly chopped a little snail to death, but luckily it was all right! Normally I would find a wooded area and let the snail go free, but at this time of year it would be cruel to do so since it was getting so cold. Fast forward to today, I've happily been raising Shelly for 6 months but I'd like to let them go free, but I'm ignorant when it comes to snail identification. I don't know where that cauliflower came from, and wouldn't want to let Shelly go in the wrong environment or anywhere where they might be considered invasive. Can you help me identify what kind of snail Shelly is and what would be the ideal environment for them to thrive? Thanks very, very much!!!
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snaileyhammy
Achatina tincta
Hi I am Hammy! I adore snails and slugs.
Posts: 550
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Post by snaileyhammy on Apr 27, 2021 14:15:07 GMT
Hello! Congrats on your first snail!! It looks to me that your snail is a grove snail, Capaea nemoralis. Your snails sure is adorable and I hope that this helps! Have a great day!
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Post by wolf on Apr 27, 2021 15:08:40 GMT
Hi shellythesnail, sorry, I'm not sure at all. Cepaea nemoralis has a dark lip at the aperture (= opening), definitely, here the lip is bright. Unfortunately we don't know where it is from (country). That makes it difficult. What is the exact width of the shell (straight line at right angle to the columella = spindle)? Is the "naval" (= umbilicus) closed? A bottom view may help along............ . Perhaps you can ask your local veggie stand from where they get their cauliflower from. (Might be from the Canary islands??)
Kind regards: wolf
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2021 19:55:19 GMT
Hello! Thanks so much for your responses! I will try to see where the veggie stand gets their cauliflower...most of their produce usually comes from Spain or Italy though. I measured the shell, I hope I did it right! It came out to 2.3cm as shown in the photo. While we're here, does Shelly look healthy? Thanks again! Emily
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2021 20:09:48 GMT
Here are some other views:
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snaileyhammy
Achatina tincta
Hi I am Hammy! I adore snails and slugs.
Posts: 550
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Post by snaileyhammy on Apr 28, 2021 2:01:07 GMT
Try downloading iNaturalist or something.
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snaileyhammy
Achatina tincta
Hi I am Hammy! I adore snails and slugs.
Posts: 550
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Post by snaileyhammy on Apr 28, 2021 2:09:42 GMT
It could be Cepaea hortensis, or something related to grove-snails.
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Post by wolf on Apr 28, 2021 9:11:45 GMT
Hi Emily, thanks for the new pictures. The navel (= umbilicus) should be closed (or nearly closed), I suppose. Unfortunately we don't see it. I'm quite sure now that it is Massylaea vermiculata (formerly Eobania vermiculata; a rather variable species), the so called "chocolate-band snail". The mouth lip is folded back quite far and the shell pattern is rather typical. Massylaea vermiculata has a large distribution area in the Mediterranean area and is quite common.
Have a nice time: wolf
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Post by morningcoffee on Apr 28, 2021 9:39:09 GMT
Hi Emily, thanks for the new pictures. The navel (= umbilicus) should be closed (or nearly closed), I suppose. Unfortunately we don't see it. I'm quite sure now that it is Massylaea vermiculata (formerly Eobania vermiculata; a rather variable species), the so called "chocolate-band snail". The mouth lip is folded back quite far and the shell pattern is rather typical. Massylaea vermiculata has a large distribution area in the Mediterranean area and is quite common.
Have a nice time: wolf
Eobania vermiculata was going to be my guess as well. Didn't realise they were now called Massylaea vermiculata either - thanks, as ever, for your knowledge wolf
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2021 10:43:37 GMT
Thanks snaileyhammy, wolf, and morningcoffee for your responses, I appreciate it! Shelly certainly looks like Massylaea vermiculata/Eobania vermiculata, although now I'm horrified since I've been keeping them in a very humid environment which doesn't seem to be what they like A lot of Italy's crops are grown in the South, so it seems pretty likely. Thanks again!!! P.S. iNaturalist looks awesome, can't believe I learned about it just now!
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Post by wolf on Apr 28, 2021 11:49:59 GMT
Hi Emily, yes, I think you can reduce the humidity a little bit. If it is too dry, snails go into estivation, but that is normal for snails living in the mediterranean area. With the next rain, they come out again . By the way: iNaturalist is sometimes a little bit problematic (concerning snails). Often there is only a single, rather poor picture and no information about the width or height of the shell. So in many cases no reliable identification is possible. Some identifications are definitely wrong and will not be corrected. There is often more mass than quality, but that´s only my personal opinion. Love and peace to you: wolf
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