-----Original Message-----
                From:   Kurt Auffenberg [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
                Sent:   11 December 2000 13:11
                To:     [log in to unmask]
                Subject:        Re: Recent invasions of Achatina fulica

                At 03:07 PM 12/9/00 -0500, you wrote:
                >I have heard before about attempts to control Achatina with
Euglandina.
                >A question occurred to me then and I didn't ask it, so now
that the
                >topic has come up again, here it is - How does a
Euglandina, which is
                >about 2 inches long and weighs maybe an ounce, attack and
kill an
                >Achatina which may be 5 inches long and weigh over half a
pound?

Very carefully.

Or more seriously,

There is evidence that the predation of Euglandina on Achatina (in as much
as it happens at all) tends to be size specific. Hatchlings are eaten rather
than the adults.. I have observed Euglandina attack snails of similar size
to themselves and they just slash and swallow. The prey produces great
amounts of mucus and withdraws rapidly but Euglandina just hangs on and eats
what it can.


Tony Cook