Euglandina is a genus of predatory medium- to large-sized, air-breathing, land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Spiraxidae., PDF .

These snails were previously placed in the family Oleacinidae (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropoda by Bouchet & Rocroi, 2005).

Euglandina is the type genus of the subfamily Euglandininae. The pulmonate genus Euglandina is often referred to as Glandina in older literature, and the most widely known species, Euglandina rosea, may commonly be found under the synonym Glandina truncata.Pilsbry H. A. (1946). Land Mollusca of North America (North of Mexico). Vol. 2, Pt. 1. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia Monograph 3.

These snails are especially notable for being carnivorous and predatory. They are sometimes called "wolf snails" for that reason.

Distribution The natural range of Euglandina encompasses much of the tropical and subtropical Western Hemisphere, including the Southeastern United States to Texas, Mexico, and various locations in Central and South America. The species E. rosea has been intentionally introduced into many other warm areas — from Hawaii to New Guinea, Bermuda, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and numerous other locations — in a vain attempt to control accidentally introduced species of snails, usually the giant African Lissachatina fulica.Columbia Univ. Introduced Species Project. Rosy Wolfsnail (Euglandina rosea). http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Euglandina_rosea.html

Those species of Euglandina that are not indigenous to the USA have not yet become established there, but they are considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species that could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health, or commerce. Therefore, these species should be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.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 .

Species

The three subgeneraThompson F. G. (16 June 2008). "AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST AND BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE LAND AND FRESHWATER SNAILS OF MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA" . "PART 4 PULMONATA (ACHATINOIDEA-SAGDOIDEA)" . accessed 14 January 2011. and species in the genus Euglandina include:

Subgenus Euglandina Crosse & Fischer, 1870 Euglandina anomala (Angas, 1879) Euglandina aurata (Morelet, 1849)Thompson F. D. (1987). "Giant carnivorous land snails from Mexico and Central America". Bulletin of the Florida State Museum (Biological Sciences) 30(2): 29-52. - type species Euglandina aurantiaca Angas, 1879 Euglandina bailyi M. Smith, 1950 Euglandina binneyana (Pfeiffer, 1845) Euglandina broctontomlini Pilsbry, 1926 Euglandina cognata (Strebel, 1875) Euglandina cuneus (Von Martens, 1891) Euglandina cumingi cumingi Beck, 1837 Euglandina cumingi rubromarginata Martens, 1891 Euglandina cylindracea Phillips, 1846 Euglandina dactylus (Broderip, 1832) Euglandina daudebarti (Deshayes, 1850) Euglandina daudebarti amoena (Von Martens, 1865) Euglandina daudebarti jalapana (Von Martens, 1891) Euglandina daudebarti miradorensis (Strebel, 1878) Euglandina gigantea Pilsbry, 1926 Euglandina huingensis (Pilsbry, 1903) Euglandina immemorata Pilsbry, 1907 Euglandina indusiata (Pfeiffer, 1860) Euglandina isabellina Pfeiffer, 1846) Euglandina lamyi (Fischer & Chatelet, 1903) Euglandina liebmanni (Pfeiffer, 1846) Euglandina livida Dall, 1908 Euglandina michoacanensis (Pilsbry, 1899) Euglandina mitriformis (Angas, 1879) Euglandina monilifera Pfeiffer, 1845 Euglandina monilifera pulcherrima Pfeiffer, 1845 Euglandina pan Thompson, 1987 Euglandina pilsbryi Bartsch, 1909 Euglandina pinicola (Fischer & Crosse, 1870) Euglandina pittieri (Martens, 1901) Euglandina radula (Strebel, 1875) Euglandina rosea (Férussac, 1821) Euglandina sowerbyana (Pfeiffer, 1846) Euglandina sowerbyana estephaniae (Strebel, 1875) Euglandina striata (Müller, 1774) Euglandina texasiana (Pfeiffer, 1856) Euglandina texasiana angustior Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1936 Euglandina titan Thompson, 1987 Euglandina vanuxemensis (Lea, 1834)

Subgenus Singleya H. B. Baker, 1941 Euglandina anomala (Angas, 1879) Euglandina anomala barrocoloradensis Pilsbry, 1930 Euglandina balesi Pilsbry, 1938 Euglandina candida (Shuttleworth, 1852) Euglandina candida conularis (Pfeiffer, 1855) Euglandina carminensis (Morelet, 1849) Euglandina corneola (W. G. Binney, 1857) Euglandina decussata (Deshayes, 1840) Euglandina excavata (Von Martens, 1891) Euglandina ghiesbreghti (Pfeiffer, 1856) Euglandina hererrae (Contreras, 1923) Euglandina insignis (Pfeiffer, 1855) Euglandina jacksoni Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1936 Euglandina longula (Fischer & Crosse, 1870) Euglandina lowei Pilsbry, 1931 Euglandina mazatlanica (Von Martens, 1891) Euglandina mazatlanica abbreviata (Von Martens, 1891) Euglandina pseudoturris (Strebel, 1875) Euglandina singleyana (W. G. Binney, 1878) Euglandina tenella (Strebel, 1875) Euglandina turris (Pfeiffer, 1846) Euglandina turris longurio Pilsbry & Cockerell, 1926 Euglandina wani (Jacobson, 1968)

Subgenus Cosmomenus H. B. Baker, 1941 Euglandina cumingi (Beck, 1827) Euglandina cylindracea (Phillips, 1846)

Species brought into synonymy Euglandina exesa Cockerell, 1930 - fossil: synonym of Euglandina singleyana (W. G. Binney, 1892)

Description The various species of Euglandina are similar in numerous ways. The shells are simple, oval in outline (sometimes broadly so), but occasionally more-or-less straight-sided, the lip of the aperture is also simple, without any thickening. These shells may be brown, orange, or pink in color, or some intermediate shade. Shell sculpture when present usually consists of striae that mark progressive growth increments. All species are carnivores, and probably have essentially the same hunting and feeding strategies,Cook A. (1983). "Feeding by the carnivorous snail Euglandina rosea Férrusac". Journal of Molluscan Studies 49: 32-35.Harry H. W. (1983). "Notes on the flesh-eating land snail, Euglandina rosea in Texas, and its feeding habits". Texas Conchologist 20(1): 23-27. and reproductive techniques.Cook A. (1985). "The courtship of Euglandina rosea Férrusac". Journal of Molluscan Studies 51: 211-214.

Habitat Members of this genus can be found in many microhabitats. They can be found in semitropical moist jungle, and in near-desert. Their only requirements seem to be a relatively warm climate, and the presence of a sufficient supply of food.

References

Further reading

Hubricht L. (1985). "The distribution of the native land mollusks of the eastern United States". Fieldiana Zoology 24: 1-191. Perez K. & Strenth N. E. (2003). "A systematic review of the land snail Euglandina singleyana (Binney, 1892) (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Spiraxidae)". Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 116(3): 649-660. Perez K. & Strenth N. E. (2002). "Enzymatic variation in the land snail Euglandina texasiana (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) from south Texas and northeastern Mexico". Texas J. Science, 1 February 2002.