Helix aperta | |
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Helix aperta | |
Conservation status | |
NE[1]
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
(unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura |
Superfamily: | Helicoidea |
Family: | Helicidae |
Genus: | Helix |
Species: | H. aperta |
Binomial name | |
Helix aperta Born, 1778[2] |
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Synonyms | |
Cantareus apertus |
Helix aperta, also known as Cantareus apertus[3], and commonly known as the green garden snail, is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae, the typical snails.
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Helix aperta is native to Europe primarily near the Mediterranean Sea, and also North Africa.
Distribution of Helix aperta include:
In Salento it is known as municeḍḍe and in Sicily as attuppateḍḍu.
It has also been introduced to other areas, including Australia:
This species is already established in the USA, and is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively effect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. Therefore it has been suggested that this species be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.[6]
The shell is with periostracum of green olive colour.[4] The last whorl is much larger than the others.[4]
Width of the shell is 22–28 mm.[4] Height of the shell is also 22–28 mm.[4]
Helix aperta inhabits Mediterranean shrublands, near cultivated fields, gardens.[4] In Gavdos (Greece) also in woodland spreading on recently abandoned cultivated fields, more rarely in natural habitats.[4]
In Crete it is active for 3–4 months after the first rainfalls in October, aestivates buried relatively deep in the soil.[4] In hot, dry weather, it burrows three to six inches into the ground and becomes dormant until rain softens the soil. White convex epiphragm is built for aestivation.[4] The living snail gives a characteristic noise when disturbed.[4]
This species of snail makes and uses love darts.
This article incorporates public domain text from the reference.[4]