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Helix pomatia

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Roman snail
Helix pomatia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
Superfamily:
Helicoidea
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia

informal group Pulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora

informal group Sigmurethra
Family:
Helicidae
Genus:
Helix
Species:
H. pomatia
Binomial name
Helix pomatia
Linnaeus, 1758

Helix pomatia, common names the Burgundy snail, Roman snail, edible snail or escargot, is a species of large, edible, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Helicidae.

This species is frequently farmed, and is called by the French name escargot when it is used in cooking.

Reproduction and life cycle

This type of snail is hermaphroditic, thus they have little trouble selecting mates. They breed from two to six times per year, and produce from eight to thirty offspring. The gestation period ranges from three to four weeks. They reach their full sexual maturity at two to four years. There are ultimately five steps of mating:

  • With their heads up, snails circle each other and feel one another with their tentacles.
  • After becoming stimulated, one of the snails injects a calcareous “love-dart” into the sole of the other snail. Once it becomes exhausted, the other snail does the same thing.
  • After resting, they align in such a way that their genital openings overlap. This act further stimulates the snails.
  • The two snails twist their bodies around one another so that the penis and vagina are connected. One snail receives a spermatophore in a process that takes four to seven minutes.
  • In the final stage, the penis is removed. However, the two snails can remain attached with their feet together for several hours. [1]
A pair of Helix pomatia riseing up shortly before mating.
A Helix pomatia's reproductive system.

During estivation or hibernation this species creates a calcareous epiphragm in order to seal the opening of the shell.

The size of the egg is 8.6 × 7.2 mm.[2]

Distribution

This species is not listed in IUCN red list, not evaluated (NE)[3] It is mentioned in annex V of Habitats Directive.

It occurs in countries and islands including:

Carpathian Mountains

  • England, southern areas on chalk. It is not native to the British Isles. It was introduced to the British Isles by the Romans during the Roman period (AD 43-410); its common name in the UK is Roman snail. In England only (not the rest of the UK) the Roman snail is a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it illegal to kill, injure, collect or sell Roman snails.[6]

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ Heller J.: Life History Strategies. in Barker G. M. (ed.): The biology of terrestrial molluscs. CABI Publishing, Oxon, UK, 2001, ISBN 0-85199-318-4. 1-146, cited page: 428.
  3. ^ 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Cited 2 April 2007.
  4. ^ Dušek J., Hošek M. & Kolářová J. (2007) Hodnotící zpráva o stavu z hlediska ochrany evropsky významných druhů a typů přírodních stanovišť v České republice za rok 2004-2006. - Ochrana přírody, 62(5): appendix 5:I-IV. (in Czech language)
  5. ^ http://www.anemoon.org/anm/voorlopige-kaarten/landmollusken/wetenschappelijk/helix-pomatia
  6. ^ [2]
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