A Gringo ghost Bulimulus
17-08-2009 20:04
After my
recent
post
on
Bulimulus
species in the USA, I received a link to the
site
of Bill Frank and Harry Lee. They have two pages
on
Bulimulus
guadalupensis
in Florida.
The pictures shown on these pages are actually *not* B. guadalupensis, but a still unknown species.
Harry found the small population at a trash pile in February 2009. As Bill wrote to me, “Thus far the snails have only been found in a very small area (about 3 x 5 meters) in an industrial area in the old core city of Jacksonville next to a major rail line and a factory often visited by trucks. I would assume that is how the snails got to the location where Dr. Lee Initially discovered them. I have repeated worked that area thoroughly since they were initially found in February. A total of 12 living specimens, and one empty shell, were cumulatively found over the six month period. During my last few trips no additional specimens could be found so I may have extirpated the colony. All of the specimens found were very similar in size. I kept the living snails in captivity for several months but nobody showed an interested in having them or preserved specimens for study so I euthanized them and just retained the empty shells. I check the habitat on a periodic basis for additional specimens”. Well you win some and you lose some... He was kind enough to re-visit the site, but only found one very juvenile before he had to back off because of a thunderstorm. Anyway, the population still exists.
Because B. guadalupensis also has an unicoloured form, it is easy to confuse this species with the figured one. After all, these Bulimulus species are all smallish and brownish...
Since this is not an autochtonous species, it is likely imported. Until I have specimens at hand, I do not dare to give a name to these creatures (remember, they are all smallish and brownish...). Until then, it will remain a ghost species.
The true B. guadalupensis was collected in southern Florida, near Miami. The current status of this population is unknown to me.
Thanks to Bill and Harry for information on this population and to David for the link.
The pictures shown on these pages are actually *not* B. guadalupensis, but a still unknown species.
Harry found the small population at a trash pile in February 2009. As Bill wrote to me, “Thus far the snails have only been found in a very small area (about 3 x 5 meters) in an industrial area in the old core city of Jacksonville next to a major rail line and a factory often visited by trucks. I would assume that is how the snails got to the location where Dr. Lee Initially discovered them. I have repeated worked that area thoroughly since they were initially found in February. A total of 12 living specimens, and one empty shell, were cumulatively found over the six month period. During my last few trips no additional specimens could be found so I may have extirpated the colony. All of the specimens found were very similar in size. I kept the living snails in captivity for several months but nobody showed an interested in having them or preserved specimens for study so I euthanized them and just retained the empty shells. I check the habitat on a periodic basis for additional specimens”. Well you win some and you lose some... He was kind enough to re-visit the site, but only found one very juvenile before he had to back off because of a thunderstorm. Anyway, the population still exists.
Because B. guadalupensis also has an unicoloured form, it is easy to confuse this species with the figured one. After all, these Bulimulus species are all smallish and brownish...
Since this is not an autochtonous species, it is likely imported. Until I have specimens at hand, I do not dare to give a name to these creatures (remember, they are all smallish and brownish...). Until then, it will remain a ghost species.
The true B. guadalupensis was collected in southern Florida, near Miami. The current status of this population is unknown to me.
Thanks to Bill and Harry for information on this population and to David for the link.