Island Apple Snail
ExploreInvertebrate
Island Apple Snail
pomacea maculata
The Island Apple Snail is a colorful creature that loves to float in fresh water! Its big, round shell can be a fun sight to see in ponds and swamps.
Habitat: They live in freshwater environments like ponds, marshes, and swamps.
Appearance
The Island Apple Snail has a large, rounded shell, typically olive to golden brown, often with darker spiral bands. Its most distinct feature is the bright pink, red, or orange egg clutches it lays above water.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumMolluscaClassGastropodaOrderArchitaenioglossaFamilyAmpullariidaeGenusPomacea
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
A hard 'trapdoor' lets them seal their shell completely shut!
Their eggs are famously bright pink and contain a special neurotoxin!
These snails are champion plant eaters, often clearing entire aquatic plant beds!
This snail can breathe both air and water using special gills and a lung!
Special abilities
Ability
Snorkel Breath
Island Apple Snail can use a long breathing tube because this helps them get air from the surface while submerged.
Ability
Shell Door Shield
Island Apple Snail has a hard operculum that helps them seal their shell, protecting them from drying out or predators.
Ability
Pink Poison Eggs
Island Apple Snail lays vibrant pink eggs above water, which helps protect them from being eaten by aquatic creatures.
Measurements & details
- Shell Diameter
- 10 cm
- Weight
- 150 g
- Lifespan
- 3 years
- Clutch Size Eggs
- 1500
- Growth Rate Cm Per
- 2 months
Diet & Feeding
They eat many aquatic plants and algae, helping to keep waterways clear.
Age differences: Young snails eat mostly algae; adults prefer larger aquatic plants.
Primary Foods
- Aquatic macrophytes
- Algae
- Detritus
- Submerged vegetation
Foraging Method
- Grazing
Ecological connections
eaten by
Snail Kite
Rostrhamus sociabilis
A bird whose diet is mainly apple snails.
eats
Broadleaf Cattail
Typha latifolia
Consumes the leaves and stems of this aquatic plant.
eaten by
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides
Predatory fish that eats snails and their eggs.
Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Filter Feeder
Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Also known as
Apple SnailGiant Apple SnailPomacea Snail
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Island Apple Snail?
10 cm
How much does Island Apple Snail weigh?
150 g
How long does Island Apple Snail live?
3 years
What does Island Apple Snail eat?
They eat many aquatic plants and algae, helping to keep waterways clear.
Where is Island Apple Snail usually found?
They live in freshwater environments like ponds, marshes, and swamps.
How does Island Apple Snail hunt?
Grazing
How many eggs does Island Apple Snail lay?
1500
How fast does Island Apple Snail grow?
2 months
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