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Pomacea maculata is a species of large freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. The common name of its synonymous name Pomacea insularum is the island apple snail. Together with Pomacea canaliculata it is the most invasive species of the family Ampullariidae. [2]
The island apple snail is characterized by a globular, spiraled shell that can reach up to 155 mm (6 in) in length. Most individuals have round, spiral shells with brown bands varying in color from yellow, black, tan, and brown.
The island apple snail has been observed in tidally influenced portions of rivers and along sea walls of canals in south Florida. In the last decade, apple snails have received attention because of their ability to damage wetland crops through foraging.
The introduced island applesnail primarily eats rooted aquatic vegetation, while the native Florida applesnail feeds heavily on periphyton, a complex mixture of algae, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic microbes, and detritus attached to submerged surfaces in most aquatic ecosystems.
The island apple snail (Pomacea maculata) is the iconic invasive animal species affecting the Three Mile Creek Watershed and threatening the downstream fishery nursery habitats in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta.
Apple Snail shells along the banks of Lake Okeechobee in Moore Haven, Fla. The snails are an invasive species that helping an endangered bird stage a comeback.
Island Apple-Snail (Pomacea insularum) Instant ID • Shell can be over four inches and are yellow to dark brown with darker banding • Eggs are smaller than Florida apple-snails and bright pink with over 300 per cluster Hijacked Habitats • More adaptable to a wider variety of habitats than a native apple-snail Favorite Foods