NOT ESTABLISHED IN FIJI BUT HIGH RISK OF ENTRY

Euglandina rosea

(Férussac, 1821) Current Risk Status for Fiji: Very High FAMILY

Body Type: Snail with fully developed shell

Size: The adult shell is usually 5 – 8 cm Description & Distribution in height and ~ 2 cm in diameter USP Introduced Land Snails of the Fiji Description Islands Fact Sheet The rosy wolf snail ro- Series, No. 10 sea (Férussac, 1821) is a relatively large terrestrial snail with a long and slender body-shape. The well developed shell is pinkish brown and almost translucent. The shell has four whorls and numerous distinct vertical ridges that can be seen with the naked eye. The body of the living is uni- formly ginger-brown and the “neck” region is noticeably elon- Source and location of photographs: gated. A distinct groove runs B.Frank (Florida, USA) & T. Ross along the upper mid-line of the “neck”region. In comparison to other species the front anterior Polynesia, American Samoa, New edges of the foot (labial palps) are Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Is- very large and protrude distinctly lands, Palau, Guam, Northern Direct funding from the Critical on either side of the head. Two Mariana Islands, Papua New Ecosystem Partnership Fund sets of tentacles are present, with Guinea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, (CEPF) and a USP FSTE Grant is the eyes located on the first and North Borneo, Madagascar, Sey- gratefully acknowledged. longest pair. chelles, Mauritius, Reunion Islands, India, Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, Special points of Distribution the Bahamas and Bermuda (GISD interest: is native to the 2011). E. rosea is not currently es- • Euglandina rosea is a vora- south-eastern United States and tablished in Fiji, New Zealand or cious predator that has deci- has been introduced to many ar- Australia. mated native snail popula- eas including Kiribati, French tions in many Pacific islands.

• To date Euglandina rosea has NOT become established in Fiji . It would be an environ- mental disaster if Euglandina rosea was introduced to Fiji Euglandina rosea is normally species has been deliberately intro- either intentionally or acci- found singularly in a wide variety duced by humans as a biological dently. of including natural for- control agent for the major agricul- • Following strict quarantine est, planted forest, rural disturbed tural pest Achatina fulica but this regulations is vitally important areas, shrub lands and urban ar- practice has now been formally to keep this species out of Fiji. eas (GISD 2011). In the past the condemned by the IUCN. Page 2 Euglandina rosea (Férussac, 1821) If you find this snail in Fiji please report it urgently to the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji: Phone Suva 3312512.

FIJI LAND SNAILS T. Ross Biology & Behaviour Biology Behaviour Euglandina rosea is a carnivorous species and a In comparison to other snails E. rosea moves voracious predator, hunting and eating other relatively fast. It is an active predator, hunting snails and slugs. It possesses chemical recep- and ingesting small invertebrates including tors that are used to track snail prey by follow- smaller snails. E. rosea can consume small snail ing their mucus trails. The species is commonly species whole, while larger specimens are ma- referred to as the “Rosy Wolf Snail” or neuvered in such a way that their soft parts are “Cannibal Snail”. exposed for easier extraction. Threats & Similar Species

Threats (Kinzie 1992, Cowie 1998, Loope 2002). Euglandina rosea is listed as one of the world’s Similar Species top 100 (GISD 2011). It is a Euglandina rosea is similar in size and shape to very high quarantine risk for Fiji because its several of Fiji’s endemic Placostylus snail spe- large size and carnivorous feeding behaviour cies. However, in living , E. rosea has a makes it an extremely high risk to native fauna very distinct elongate neck in comparison to (as a predator). E. rosea was deliberately intro- Placostylus. E. rosea also has very obvious, ex- duced to several oceanic islands to control (in tremely large elongated labial palps either theory) the Giant African Snail [Achatina fulica] side of the mouth, and the shell has distinct ver- and other snail pest species. Since its introduc- tical ridges that can be seen with the naked tion to these islands, E. rosea has been linked to eye. Placostylus also differs in that it has a dis- extinctions and declines of native snail species tinct lip to the shell aperture in adults that E. in every area where it has been introduced rosea does not possess. Further Reading

Barker, G.M. & Efford, M. (2004). Predatory gastro- Griffiths, O., Cook, A. & Wells, S.M. (1993). The diet pods as natural enemies of terrestrial gastropods of the carnivorous snail Euglandina rosea in Mauri- and other invertebrates. Pp. 279-403 In: Barker, tius and its implications for threatened island gas- G.M. (ed.), Natural Enemies of Terrestrial Molluscs. tropod faunas. Journal of Zoology, 229: 79-89. CABI Publishing, Wallingford. Hadfield, M.G. & Hopper, D. (1994). A toxic bait for Cook, A. (1983). Feeding by the carnivorous snail Euglandina rosea. Tentacle – Newsletter of the IUCN Euglandina Ferussac. Journal of Molluscan Studies, Species Survival Commission Mollusc Specialist Supplement 12A: 32-35. Group 4: 7-8. Cowie, R.H. (1998). Patterns of introduction of non- Kinzie, R.A .(1992). by the introduced car- indigenous non-marine snails and slugs in the Ha- nivorous snail Euglandina rosea (Ferussac) on en- waiian Islands. and Conservation, 7: demic aquatic lymnaeid snails in Hawaii. Biological 349-368. Conservation, 60: 149-155. Cowie, R.H. (2001). Can snails ever be effective and Loope, L.L. (2002). The effect of introduced safe biocontrol agents? International Journal of Pest Euglandina snail on endemic snails of Moorea, Management, 47: 23-40. French Polynesia. US Geological Survey Publica- GISD. (2011). http://www.issg.org/database. Ac- tions. cessed February 1st, 2011.

How to Cite: For Further Information Contact: Brodie, G. & Barker, G.M. 2012. Euglandina rosea Dr Gilianne Brodie, Biology Division, USP, (Férussac, 1821). Family Spiraxidae. 'USP Introduced Suva, Fiji Islands. Phone: 679 3232876, Land Snails of the Fiji Islands Fact Sheet Series’, No. 10. Email: [email protected]