This is a monster snail for Europe! Helix lucorum and Helix pomatia are the
largest land snails in Europe and attain maximal heights and widths of about
55mm. The coloration and apertural shape of your specimen do not match
these. I have never seen such a beastie as the one you describe from Europe,
and certainly not from Spain! Maybe a photo might be helpful. I would
definately consider whether this shell came from elsewhere, you certainly
are not sure of the locality. There is the possibility it may have been
bought in a souvenir shop (shell and souvenir shops in Spain, as almost
everywhere else also sell exotic land shells).

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 10:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: There's this shell


Dear experts;-
   A friend gave me a shell---no data---maybe from Spain. It is clearly a
land shell. Roundish like an apple snail, it measures 62mm from the
proticonch and also axially. the "mouth" measures 42 x 30mm and is comma or
kidney-pool shaped. The color starts at the protoconch as a dark pink. It
becomes greenish and is a dark strong khaki or olive green on the final
whorl. There is a slight flaring on the lip. The color is crossed by small
darker and lighter lines in both directions. There are four whorls.
   Any Ideas? Will be happy with Genus.
    Art

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