Otala punctata

Otala punctata is a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae.

Otala punctata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Helicidae
Genus: Otala
Species:
O. punctata
Binomial name
Otala punctata
Synonyms
List
  • Archelix abrolena var. incrassata Pallary, 1920
  • Archelix polita (Gassies, 1856)
  • Helix lactea var. polita Gassies, 1856
  • Helix punctata O. F. Müller, 1774
  • Otala (Otala) punctata (O. F. Müller, 1774)

Distribution

This species occurs in the Mediterranean basin - Andorra, Spain, the Balearic Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia and Malta

This species is already established in the United States, and is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. Therefore, it has been suggested that this species be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.[2]

Three views of the shell
apical view
apertural view.
umbilical view

Culinary

In southern Spain they are prepared in a typical dish, "cabrillas", cooked in spicy tomato sauce.

References

  1. Arrébola, J. (2011). "Otala punctata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T156692A124239448. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. Cowie R. H., Dillon R. T., Robinson D. G. & Smith J. W. (2009). "Alien non-marine snails and slugs of priority quarantine importance in the United States: A preliminary risk assessment". American Malacological Bulletin 27: 113-132. PDF Archived 2016-06-16 at the Wayback Machine.


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