White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

The white garden snail, Theba pisana (Mueller), is the worst potential agricultural pest of the helicid snails introduced to North America (Mead 1971). It is the most frequently intercepted foreign land snail (Hanna 1966, Mead 1971), generally arriving in shipments from the Mediterranean countries....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jane E. Deisler, Lionel A. Stange
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries 2004-04-01
Series:EDIS
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/110453
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823866016027901952
author Jane E. Deisler
Lionel A. Stange
author_facet Jane E. Deisler
Lionel A. Stange
author_sort Jane E. Deisler
collection DOAJ
description The white garden snail, Theba pisana (Mueller), is the worst potential agricultural pest of the helicid snails introduced to North America (Mead 1971). It is the most frequently intercepted foreign land snail (Hanna 1966, Mead 1971), generally arriving in shipments from the Mediterranean countries. Theba pisana shows a strong proclivity for climbing up and into freight for aestivation and is difficult to detect. This snail can survive long and arduous journeys because of its ability to form a wall of dried mucus, called an epiphragm, in the aperture of its shell which reduces water loss during dormancy. Theba pisana is capable of explosive reproductive rates where it has been introduced, and can be found in densities of up to 3000 snails per tree (Mead 1971) after periods of less than 5 years (Chace 1915, Orcutt 1919). Once established, T. pisana causes severe defoliation of a number of plants, including citrus and ornamental plantings (Orcutt 1919, Pilsbry 1939, Abbott 1950, Dekle 1962, Hanna 1966, Mead 1971). Theba pisana was previously known as Helix pasana (Mueller). This document is EENY-197 (originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 2), one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: March 2001. Revised August 2002. EENY-197/IN354: White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae) (ufl.edu)
format Article
id doaj-art-feaf94164dfe4d568c2517f538bf53d0
institution Kabale University
issn 2576-0009
language English
publishDate 2004-04-01
publisher The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries
record_format Article
series EDIS
spelling doaj-art-feaf94164dfe4d568c2517f538bf53d02025-02-08T06:27:53ZengThe University of Florida George A. Smathers LibrariesEDIS2576-00092004-04-0120045White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)Jane E. DeislerLionel A. Stange0University of Florida The white garden snail, Theba pisana (Mueller), is the worst potential agricultural pest of the helicid snails introduced to North America (Mead 1971). It is the most frequently intercepted foreign land snail (Hanna 1966, Mead 1971), generally arriving in shipments from the Mediterranean countries. Theba pisana shows a strong proclivity for climbing up and into freight for aestivation and is difficult to detect. This snail can survive long and arduous journeys because of its ability to form a wall of dried mucus, called an epiphragm, in the aperture of its shell which reduces water loss during dormancy. Theba pisana is capable of explosive reproductive rates where it has been introduced, and can be found in densities of up to 3000 snails per tree (Mead 1971) after periods of less than 5 years (Chace 1915, Orcutt 1919). Once established, T. pisana causes severe defoliation of a number of plants, including citrus and ornamental plantings (Orcutt 1919, Pilsbry 1939, Abbott 1950, Dekle 1962, Hanna 1966, Mead 1971). Theba pisana was previously known as Helix pasana (Mueller). This document is EENY-197 (originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 2), one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: March 2001. Revised August 2002. EENY-197/IN354: White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae) (ufl.edu) https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/110453IN354
spellingShingle Jane E. Deisler
Lionel A. Stange
White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)
EDIS
IN354
title White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)
title_full White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)
title_fullStr White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)
title_full_unstemmed White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)
title_short White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Mueller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)
title_sort white garden snail theba pisana mueller gastropoda helicidae
topic IN354
url https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/110453
work_keys_str_mv AT janeedeisler whitegardensnailthebapisanamuellergastropodahelicidae
AT lionelastange whitegardensnailthebapisanamuellergastropodahelicidae