This species is the largest freshwater gastropod native to North America.[3]
The shell is globose in shape. The whorls are wide, the spire is depressed, and the aperture is narrowly oval.[3] The shells are brown in color, and have a pattern of stripes.
The shell is 60 millimetres (2.4 in) in both length and width.[3]
Distribution
The indigenous distribution of this snail is central and southern Florida,[4] Cuba and Hispaniola.[5]
This is a tropical species. It is amphibious, and can survive in water bodies that dry out during the dry season.[3]
Applesnails have both gills and lungs.
References
^Cordeiro, J. & Perez, K. (2011). "Pomacea paludosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011. IUCN: e.T189339A8718219. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T189339A8718219.en. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
^ a b c dBurch, J. B. 1982. North American freshwater snails. Walkerana 1(4):217-365.
^Thompson, F.G. 1984. The freshwater snails of Florida: a manual for identification. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, Florida, 94 pp.
^ a bDundee, D. S. 1974. Catalog of introduced molluscs of eastern North America (north of Mexico). Sterkiana 55:1-37.
Applesnails of Florida Pomacea spp. (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) <https://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/winterhaven/published_documents/Winter%20Haven/Lakes/Backyard%20Wildlife/Animal%20Information/Snails%20and%20Slugs/Applesnails%20of%20Florida%20IN59800.pdf>
This article incorporates public domain text from:
A. Benson. 2008. Pomacea paludosa. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. <https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=985> Revision Date: 4/24/2006
Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pomacea paludosa.
McClary, A. 1962. Surface inspiration and ciliary feeding in Pomacea paludosa (Prosobranchia: Mesogastropoda: Ampullariidae). Malacologia, 2(1): 87-104.
Philip C. Darby, Robert E. Bennetts, Jason D. Croop, Patricia L. Valentine-Darby and Wiley M. Kitchens A Comparison of Sampling Techniques for Quantifying Abundance of the Florida Apple Snail (Pomacea Paludosa Say). J. Moll. Stud. (1999), 65, 195-208.
Philip C. Darby, Patricia L. Valentine-Darby, H. Franklin Percival & Wiley M. Kitchens. Collecting Florida applesnails (Pomacea paludosa) from wetland habitats using funnel traps. Wetlands. Volume 21, Issue 2 (June 2001): 308–311.
Robert B.E. Shuford III, Paul V. McCormick & Jennifer Magson. Habitat related growth of juvenile Florida applesnails (Pomacea paludosa). Florida Scientist. Volume 68, Issue 1 (March 2005): 11–19.
Bruce Sharfstein & Alan D. Steinman. Growth and survival of the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) fed 3 naturally occurring macrophyte assemblages. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, Volume 20, Issue 1 (March 2001): 84–95.
Posch H., Garr A. L. & Reynolds E. (2013). "The presence of an exotic snail, Pomacea maculata, inhibits growth of juvenile Florida apple snails, Pomacea paludosa". Journal of Molluscan Studies79(4): 383-385. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyt034.
Applesnails of Florida on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site