Light and electron microscopy study of late embryonic development in the land snail Limicolaria flammea (Müller) (Pulmonata, Achatinidae)

Abstract

The late stages of embryogenesis in the achatinid land snail Limicolariaflammea (Müller, 1774) were described using light and electron microscopy. Embryos at various stages of development were present in the eggs during the first hour after they were laid, from 4-cell blastulae to morulae and fairly advanced stages. The advanced embryo which was fully developed on the second day bears a long cephalic sac, first to be developed, attached to the embryo and a podocyst which is attached to the foot of the embryo. Both of these structures are reduced in size as embryogenesis progresses until they finally disappear at about the 7th day after the egg was deposited. The embryonic shell was apparent on the second day and spiral coiling was apparent at about day 5. The spiral shell had one whorl when formed and more spirals were added so that at hatching the young snails had three whorls.

Limicolaria flammea (Müller, 1774), Another Potentially Invasive African Land Snail in Tropical Asia

“…There is paucity of information on the biology and ecology of L. flammea in the wild. In laboratory conditions, the snails start laying eggs at 5 months old and clutches of up to 56 eggs are produced [10–11]. L. flammea fed readily on potato, apple, lettuce, and carrot in laboratory experiments [12], and it is likely that the snails are unselective phytophagous snails as reported for its congeners.…”