Distribution, feeding behavior and control strategies of the exotic land snail Achatina fulica (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) in the northeast of Brazil

Abstract

The goal of this study was to document the distribution and establishment A. fulica such as their feeding preference and behavior in situ. The study was carried out at the city of Lauro de Freitas, Bahia state, Brazil, between November 2001 and November 2002. We used catch per unit effort methods to determine abundance, distribution, habitat choice and food preferences. The abundance and distribution of A. fulica was most representative in urban area, mainly near to the coastline. Lots and house gardens were the most preferred sites during active hours. The results indicated that A. fulica started their activity at the end of the evening and stopped in mid-morning.

Feed preferences and feeding behaviour of two species of African giant land snails

“…The concept of feed preference comprises two features of the feed, attractiveness (measured by choice tests) and palatability (measured by comparing the quantity of the different feed stuffs ingested). Albuquerque et al (2008) used catch per unit effort to study the distribution, feeding behaviour (feed preference) and control strategies of Achatina fulica.…”

“…Snail meat is treated as a delicacy in Nigeria and command high market demand . The distribution of A. achatina and A. marginata snails in natural habitats is seasonal and the normal activities of the snails such as feeding and reproduction are regulated by seasonal factors and diurnal photoperiods (Albuquerque et al, 2008). The snails are mostly active at night and hide during the day (Ademolu et al, 2011).…”

Evaluation of pre-mating reproductive isolation in Archachatina marginata from three populations in the humid tropics

“…A. marginata is the predominant and most preferred giant African land snail (GALS) in Nigeria (Raut and Barker, 2002). Among the GALS, A. fulica has received the greatest scientific attention probably due to its pestiferous nature (Raut and Barker, 2002;Albuquerque et al, 2008). Tomiyama (1992) studied dispersion and homing behaviour in A. fulica and reported a dispersion of 161 cm and 100 cm for mature and immature snails, respectively.…”

“…Homing in terrestrial gastropods is mediated by directional trail following and chemoreception of airborne odours from the home sites (Cook, 2001;Raut and Barker, 2002). Given the low potential for active dispersion in GALS (Takeuchi et al, 1991;Tomiyama, 1992;Albuquerque et al, 2008) and their strong homing instinct, human agents as well as formites (transport vehicles etc) have been the principal agents for the dispersion of GALS (A. marginata, A. fulica, A. achatina) and colonization of distant lands (Takeuchi et al, 1991;Monney, 1994;Gascoigne, 1994;Raut and Barker, 2002;Albuquerque et al, 2008). In a mating test involving species of GALS from rural Nigeria, Ugwu et al (2011) observed the least number of mated pairs (three mated pairs out of eleven pairs tested or 23.1%) for A. marginata.…”

Un gigante olvidado. Un llamado a la conservación del caracol nativo, Megalobulimus oblongus (Mollusca, Strophocheilidae), en Colombia.

“…Hace algún tiempo era común encontrar especímenes de este molusco en los solares, entre la hojarasca. Hoy en día, su existencia está amenazada por la destrucción de su hábitat, por la extracción de especímenes de las poblaciones naturales para el comercio ilegal y por su similitud en tamaño con el caracol gigante africano, Achatina fulica, una especie invasora, nativa del este de África, considerada una de las plagas más destructivas en áreas tropicales y subtropicales [4], [5].…”