Helix aspersa seems quite an opportunistic feeder. I have seen it gathered
around the freshly squashed remains of one of its own kind.
 
---------------------------------------
Mike Cortie
Mintek, South Africa
 
phone RSA-11-709-4485
email [log in to unmask]
---------------------------------------
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Monfils [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 06 May 1998 20:19
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Land Snail Scavengers?
>
> Dear Conch-L'ers:
> Among  the marine gastropods there are many herbivores and many
> carnivores, and the carnivores include both predators and scavengers.
>  The scavengers are an important factor in breaking down dead
> organisms.  Put a dead fish on a shallow, muddy bottom, and within an
> hour there may be a hundred or more Nassarius feeding on it.  The land
> snails seem to be primarily herbivorous, but there are some predators
> like Euglandina.  Does anyone know of any land snails that are either
> obligate or opportunistic scavengers, that is, species which are
> attracted to and/or feed on dead animal matter?
>
> Paul M.