Hello. Need help in identifying Snails.

[l2obin]

Hi. Could someone tell me what type of snails these are?

Thanks in advance

[Paul]

They're Helix pomatia.

[l2obin]

Thank you. They seem to have a range of colors, from light brown to quite white. They all fall under the same species?

[lee2211]

Yes, the difference in colour could be due to genetic differences or be influenced by environmental factors, but they are all Helix Pomatia.

[Paul]

I think the difference in shell colouring is simply weathering... Some look like the periostracum has worn off quite a bit.

[fabrizio]

Quite likely, indeed... yet I believe there are some specimens that, because of some genetic predisposition, despite of young age peel away their periostracum, with such results.

We observd that in a "morph"(?) of Helix lucorum, sporting this intersting trait since very young; their shells are almost marble-white.

[coyote]

And that is due to the loss of the periostracum, and not the actual color of the periostracum?

[ness]

That's interesting. This appears to be a common trait in Megalobulimus oblongus too.

They're beautiful snails though, with or without their periostracum.

[fabrizio]

As to my Helix lucorum, it was clearly a natural peeling, the periostracum being brownish and the resulting shell /since beginning) being white.

These ones, were found living intermixed within a totally "normal" population; I'll post soon a picture for you to see!